The Trait Driving the Blue Jays’ World Series Push
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Several times this year, the Toronto Blue Jays have been counted out. Whether it was the September struggles they went through, where they almost blew their American League East Division lead to the New York Yankees, or in the American League Championship Series after they fell behind 2-0 at home to the Seattle Mariners.
Both times, the Blue Jays were able to respond enough to edge the Yankees to win the AL East and then won four of the final five games against the Mariners to advance to the World Series.
When Freddy Freeman walked off Toronto in the 18th inning of Game 3 on Monday night to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 2-1 lead in the World Series, who wasn't surprised by the Blue Jays' response?
Toronto fell behind early in Game 4 against Shohei Ohtani on the mound, but a two-run home run from Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. began a comeback that led to a 6-2 win to even the series at two games apiece. It is now a best-of-three series that is guaranteed to go back to Toronto for Game 6 on Friday night.
Blue Jays Continue to Show Resilience Through Difficult Times
It would have been easy for the Blue Jays to be devastated following a Game 3 loss that lasted 6 hours and 38 minutes. Who wouldn't be? Toronto, that's who.
“It was pretty loose in here,” said Kevin Gausman, per The Athletic (subscription required). “This is the loosest team I’ve ever been around. Nothing changed.”
Who was loose? Game 4 starting pitcher Shane Bieber, the Blue Jays' big trade deadline acquisition from the Cleveland Guardians. Bieber grinded through 5.1 innings on 83 pitches, allowing just four hits, one run, and striking out three before handing the ball over to the bullpen, who closed out the game with 3.2 innings of allowing just one run and two hits with four strikeouts combined.
“Coming off what could be a backbreaking loss last night, it was an absolute pleasure to show up today and see nobody changes, nobody ever wavers, nobody ever hesitates,” Bieber said.
Veteran pitcher Max Scherzer has been through his fair share of playoff runs during his career. He has been on both sides of the emotional wins and gut-wrenching losses in October, but he isn't surprised by the bounce-back of this Toronto team.
“You can probably go around the whole room. At some point in time, everyone has had their back against the wall,” Scherzer said. “Yet we’ve come back and found a way to get outs again, go get hits, win another ballgame. For us to be able to do it like this tonight kind of speaks to our season.”
Now they hand the ball to 22-year-old Trey Yesavage in Game 5 on Wednesday night with a chance to return home on Friday night to clinch a championship. If there is one thing we're learning about the 2025 Toronto Blue Jays, never count them out. Never.
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Scott Roche has covered both college and professional sports for nearly three decades for various outlets. Scott has covered the MLB, NHL, and college sports and he is someone always looking for a good rumor, no matter which sport it is.