Blue Jays Suffered Historic Embarrassment 34 Years Ago Today
In this story:
On Aug. 28, 1992, Toronto suffered one of the most lopsided losses in franchise history, falling 22-2 against the Milwaukee Brewers at the SkyDome.
Despite a scoreline that would not look out of place in a football game, it still does not fully capture how thoroughly Toronto was beaten.
Milwaukee produced 31 hits, setting an American League record for a nine-inning game. They also finished with 26 singles, four doubles and a Paul Molitor home run while scoring in seven of nine innings.
Toronto had to dig deep into its bullpen and use six pitchers just to get the embarrassment over with.
Jimmy Key started the game for Toronto but lasted only 1 2/3 innings before heading to the dugout. By the fourth inning, Milwaukee led 13-1. More than 50,000 fans attended the game, but there were likely a few who decided to head home early rather than watch their favorite team be used as batting practice.
Toronto’s newest acquisition, David Cone, had no such luxury and had to suffer right along with his new teammates.
Bounceback From Horrid Night
The Blue Jays traded infielder Jeff Kent and a player to be named later for Cone, with outfielder Ryan Thompson eventually sent to New York to complete the deal. The All-Star would prove to be a valuable addition, posting a 2.55 ERA across eight starts for Toronto.
On this particular night, however, Cone would not be pitching. Instead, he was asked to chart pitches from the dugout. According to SABR, he eventually gave up on the arduous task as Milwaukee continued piling up hits. Giving up on the exercise was understandable; by then, Toronto’s pitchers had plenty they would rather forget.
What they did not want to forget was what came next. Toronto went 24-11 with Cone on the roster, finished with 96 wins and reached the postseason before beating the Atlanta Braves in six games to capture the first World Series title in franchise history.
Now, that spanking at the hands of Milwaukee is little more than a historical footnote.
The Blue Jays of today are nowhere near the 1992 squad in terms of record or overall ability, but they have endured plenty of ugly nights themselves.
Their current form does not have to determine what happens next, particularly for a group that reached the World Series just last year. If Toronto can rediscover that version of itself in October, a difficult regular season may be forgotten by the fans.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Wesley Dixon is a sports writer focused on thoughtful analysis, roster-building angles, player development and feature-style storytelling. He has covered the Philadelphia 76ers and the NBA, with work centered on breaking down team direction, player fit and the larger stories behind the game. Wesley is a lifelong MLB fan, following multiple teams throughout the league. He is excited to bring that same detail-oriented approach to On SI.