Blue Jays’ Jansen hits homer for brain cancer survivor

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Danny Jansen did it for Camden.

The Toronto Blue Jays catcher has only hit 43 home runs in his Major League career. But his 10th homer of the season, during the sixth inning of Thursday’s game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, was extra special.

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After Jansen hit the solo home run, Sportsnet colour commentator Pat Tabler told his colleague in the broadcast booth, Dan Shulman, about how Jansen had met with a young brain cancer survivor named Camden earlier in the day.

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“There is a young boy here named Camden who is a cancer survivor and I had Danny go meet him before the game,” said Tabler. “And he said, ‘I’m gonna hit a home run for you tonight, Camden.’ He said ‘I’m gonna point to you.’

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“‘I’m gonna point to you when I hit a home run.’ And the kid had a huge smile on his face.”

Tabler concluded: “And baseball does it again. It shows you the human side. Dan, I was sitting right there. ‘Camden, I’m gonna hit you a home run tonight.’ And he did.”

Jansen lived up to his promise by knocking the ball into the stands and pointed to Camden as he rounded third base en route to home plate.

Jansen’s home run gave the Jays the 5-4 lead in the sixth inning. Toronto ended up defeating Boston 6-5.