A Blue Jays Season to Remember

When the final out of the World Series was made, Yoshinobu Yamamoto raised his fists in the air, as his teammates surrounded him in a large embrace. Meanwhile, all of Rogers Centre, stunned at the results, began to mourn the loss of what could have been the franchise’s first World Series Championship since 1993. 

In the past, I’ve been critical. I didn’t believe the proclamations of “playoff contenders” the fanbase and media made in prior seasons, so much so that I thought I was missing something. Multiple seasons of questionable decisions, poor player performances, and an overall lack of on-field results didn’t give me much confidence that this team could reach the win. 

This season, though, there was hope the team could perform better, especially with the team’s biggest stars, George Springer and Bo Bichette, among them. While I didn’t have the Jays making the World Series on my 2025 bingo card, I thought the team had the potential to make strides toward getting back to playing October baseball. 

Additions such as Max Scherzer and Anthony Santander were poised to bolster the roster, adding pitching depth and an impact bat. New hitting coach David Popkins spoke about his approach during spring training, hoping to fix a hole in the team. When the success finally arrived this season, the Jays finally proved they were the team fans knew they could be. 

But it didn’t start that way. 

By the end of May, their record sat at 30-28. The consistency wasn’t there. On multiple occasions, the Jays followed a series sweep with a sweep of their own in the next series. Sure, it was early, and every team has its ups and downs; however, the lack of trust in which version of the team would show up isn’t exactly the recipe for sustained playoff success. The mediocre start resembled one from a year prior, when the Jays’ 27-29 record concluded the same time frame. With early struggles in pitching and offence, it felt like the Jays were headed for another season of potential waiting to be cashed in.  

But then the calendar turned, and the rest of the season was a completely different story.

After hovering around .500 for the first couple of months, the Jays put some distance between their wins and losses, with a record of 64-40 from June to September. Consistent wins and performances, coupled with a 10-game win streak, had me reminiscing on a similar season turnaround the Jays made ten years prior. I found myself thinking, wait, is it 2025 or 2015?  

Much of the success this season didn’t even come from the offseason moves. Of the many highlights—including a Springer grand slam on Canada Day—were the performances of guys you wouldn’t have thought of. Nathan Lukes, Ernie Clement, Addison Barger, and Davis Schneider all made contributions throughout the year. 

Alongside them, Vladimir “Vladdy” Guerrero was the superstar the team needed, Bichette was one of the team’s best hitters, and Springer had a career resurgence. 22-year-old Trey Yesavage made his debut in September and went on to make postseason history. Eventually, the Jays boasted the best record in the American League (AL), and ultimately came from behind to capture the AL East Division title.

This season was different, not just because they won their first playoff series since 2016. They carried a new identity, one built on resiliency and finding a way to win. After particular losses in their playoff run this year, I believed they could bounce back the next night. I had never felt that way before, and their history of playoff series losses proved my hesitancy correct. As the Jays continued to win, advancing closer and closer to the final round, they received more attention. Far and wide, the bandwagoners hopped on, the country ignited by a hope that a championship could find its way up North. 

It was made out to be David vs. Goliath in the World Series, much of that narrative crafted by the American media. Those who watched knew that to be false. The Jays played a great series, and some might say the better team didn’t win. But all that remains are the broken hearts left waiting until April for another shot at glory. Regardless, this was a season to remember. 

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