Even after a few days to reflect, it remains difficult to accept that the Toronto Blue Jays did not emerge victorious in this World Series.
Demonstrating their superiority for much of the series, the Jays had multiple opportunities over the weekend to defeat the reigning champion Los Angeles Dodgers and secure their first title in 32 years for their long-suffering supporters. Yet, inexplicably, those opportunities slipped through their fingers.
Rewinding to the ninth inning of Game 6 on Friday night, with Toronto down 3-1, the Jays faced a tough break when Addison Barger’s hit to the left-center field gap lodged beneath the wall, resulting in a ground-rule double that sent pinch runner Myles Straw back to third base and kept Barger at second. Nevertheless, Toronto had the potential tying runs in scoring position with nobody out. However, Ernie Clement’s weak pop-up to first base led to a moment that Jays fans will remember with regret: Barger being picked off second to conclude the game after a charging Enrique Hernandez caught Andres Gimenez’s line drive to shallow left.
That certainly cast a shadow over Halloween. And even more distressing events unfolded in Game 7 on Saturday night.
Thanks to Bo Bichette’s impressive 442-foot, three-run homer in the third inning off Shohei Ohtani, Toronto took a 4-2 lead into the eighth—merely six outs away from clinching the championship. However, after rookie standout Trey Yesavage forced Mookie Betts to ground out, Max Muncy hit a towering shot into the right-field stands, narrowing Toronto’s lead to one run.
In the ninth inning, closer Jeff Hoffman struck out the first batter, bringing the Jays just two outs from victory. However, No. 9 hitter Miguel Rojas—Miguel %@$# Rojas!—stepped up like a modern Bucky Dent and launched a home run to left, tying the game.
Despite this, the Jays came close to winning twice in the bottom of the ninth. With the bases loaded and one out, Daulton Varsho grounded to second, and pinch runner Isiah Kiner-Falefa nearly beat the force at home—a video replay indicated the catcher’s foot briefly left the plate but returned just in time to tag the sliding IKF. Then, with the bases still loaded and two outs, Clement hit a drive to deep left-center that seemed destined for a dramatic victory until center-fielder Andy Pages—who had been inserted into the game just moments before for defensive purposes—darted over to make the catch, holding onto the ball despite colliding with Hernandez, the left-fielder.
Toronto Blue Jays fans were left reeling from a heartbreaking World Series defeat in the 11th inning of Game 7 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, yet many expressed hope that the team’s extraordinary season foreshadows a bright future.
In the 11th inning, Dodger catcher Will Smith hit a solo homer to left off Shane Bieber, granting L.A. the lead for the first time. However, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. responded in the bottom half with a double against the impressive Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who had been brought in to quell the threat in the ninth after throwing 96 pitches to win Game 6. A sacrifice bunt advanced Guerrero to third, but Yamamoto cleverly chose to walk the formidable Barger intentionally.
The walk to Barger placed the winning run on first but also created a possibility for a game-ending double play with the hefty catcher Alejandro Kirk at the plate. The strategy paid off as Kirk grounded to Betts at short, resulting in a twin killing and leaving the Jays on the losing side of one of the most thrilling Game 7s in baseball history.
Yamamoto was awarded World Series MVP for heroically securing the final eight outs on zero days of rest, becoming only the fourth pitcher in history to win both Games 6 and 7 of the same World Series, and the first since Randy Johnson of Arizona triumphed over the Yankees in 2001. Across the series, the 27-year-old Japanese right-hander recorded a 3-0 record with a 1.09 ERA over 17â innings, striking out 15 and allowing just 10 hits.
Stars are born
Apologies for dragging you through this painful recap. However, it underscores that this was indeed one of the most devastating losses ever, a true heartbreaker for Jays supporters nationwide.
Nonetheless, what a journey it has been. A team that finished last in the American League East last season captured the division title for the first time in a decade and came within a swing—or several swings—of clinching the World Series. They triumphed over their rivals, the Yankees, in the playoffs, and George Springer solidified his place in Blue Jays history with a pivotal homer in Game 7 of the ALCS against Seattle.
Guerrero enjoyed an extraordinary postseason, hitting eight home runs to tie Ohtani for the lead while boasting an impressive .397/.494/.795 batting line and excelling defensively at first base. He would have been the World Series MVP had fortune favored Toronto in just one of those critical moments.
Bichette, who progressed through the minors alongside Guerrero, made a valiant return from a seven-week layoff due to a knee sprain, batting .348 in the World Series—almost etching his name into Jays lore with that three-run homer in Game 7. Veteran Max Scherzer, still going strong at 41, demonstrated his prowess with 4â innings of one-run ball in Game 7, showcasing how much the game and the fans meant to him as he reluctantly departed the mound.
New fan favorites emerged as well. Yesavage, at just 22, struck out a World Series rookie record 12 batters in Game 5—his eighth big-league start. Barger posted a .367 batting average with three home runs in the playoffs, including a crucial two-run blast in a must-win Game 6 against Seattle. Kind-hearted Davis Schneider seized his moment with a home run on the very first pitch of Game 5 at Dodger Stadium. And certainly, the impressive Clement batted an outstanding .411 in the postseason, setting the record for most hits in a single postseason, and he nearly became the Joe Carter of his generation until Pages denied him in the bottom of the ninth of Game 7. Remarkable achievements, especially after Clement revealed he had been playing with a hairline fracture in his left middle finger.
“I’m exhausted. My whole body is worn out. I just want to lie in bed for about a month,” Clement stated in a disheartened Jays clubhouse after Game 7. “After that month, I’ll prepare for baseball, and I’m looking forward to it.”
I feel the same way, Ernie. Spring training can’t arrive soon enough.
What’s next
In the interim, Jays president Mark Shapiro and GM Ross Atkins have some tasks ahead. Their free agents include Scherzer, who has expressed a desire to continue playing, and fellow starting pitcher Chris Bassitt, who was outstanding as a reliever in the playoffs until surrendering two hits, a walk, and a run in the sixth inning of Game 7. Bieber holds a player option for $16 million US.
However, the top priority is Bichette, who will enter the open market on Thursday if Toronto cannot re-sign him during its exclusive negotiating window. Although it seems likely he will transition from shortstop to second or third base, the 27-year-old was leading the majors in hits at the time of his injury and is now in a position to secure a lucrative contract.
“I’ve stated my desire to stay here from the start,” Bichette noted after Game 7, and it appears challenging to walk away from this closely-knit team after they came so close to a championship.
But Guerrero, who signed a 14-year, $500 million extension in April, recognizes the nature of the business. “Of course, I would love to finish my career alongside him,” Vladdy remarked. “But he has to do what he needs to do and secure his future.”
Here’s more on what lies ahead for the Jays.
Tag: rewrite-pending
