How the Toronto Blue Jays success has created a blueprint for Cleveland Guardians

MLB prognosticators were predicting maybe the most lopsided World Series in recent memory. It was billed as a David vs. Goliath matchup, the Blue Jays with their "minuscule" payroll of around $280 million, and the Dodgers leading the league at around $350 million.

With the odds seemingly stacked against them in Game 3, the worst outcome for Jays fans seemed to be unfolding. An 18 inning heartbreaker of a loss Monday, compounded with losing one of your top offensive players in George Springer, and having to win twice to force the World Series back to Canada.

A nearly impossible task right? So how did the Blue Jays pull it off, and how can the Guardians can duplicate this run in 2026.

The Blue Jays really lost an 18-inning game in Game 3 and bounced back to win Games 4 and 5 on the road in LA...

Are they going to win their first #WorldSeries since 1993!? #WANTITALL pic.twitter.com/t5cXoXZIYh
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) October 30, 2025

Step 1) Dominant Pitching Performances

With their backs against the wall in Game 4, the Blue Jays turned to a mustachioed crusader, coming back from Tommy John surgery, scaring any hitters who dared face him, and until recently lurked in the shadows of the Cleveland dugout.

Shane Bieber's gutsy start limited the mighty Dodgers offense and their their MVPs to just one run over 5.1 innings in Game 4. That start set the stage for the Blue Jays to even the series.

This was followed up in Game 5 by a pitching performance unlike any rookie has ever had in the World Series. By a former first round pick out of East Carolina University, Trey Yesavage.

Cleveland fans are well aware of their own emerging ace out of ECU, Gavin Williams who is also a former first round pick. The similarities here are hard to ignore, and if the Guardians can find a way to reunite with Bieber who is reportedly looking for something in the neighborhood of three years for $75 million, and Williams takes another step forward they may get a green checkmark in terms of pitchers who can perform come October.

Step 2) Power hitting is crucial, but contact is important too

The Jays are doing what the Guardians have been trying to do.#GuardsBall works — but it needs power to finish the story.#MLB #WANTITALL
— Alex Kaufman (@Chikaufski) October 29, 2025

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is putting up a Postseason and World Series for the ages. His OPS of over 1300 isn't something that the Guardians can magically find, or sign in free agency.

However, what's lost in just looking at OPS is Guerrero and really the entire roster's ability to draw walks and put the ball in play. The Jays lead the postseason in team batting average at .284 and a team OBP of .350. For reference the next closest team is the Dodgers at .236 and .325 respectively, and the Guardians had the lowest team average at .178 with a .253 OBP.

This years Jays have proven that although we all know that the long ball plays up come October, batting average and getting on base still matters in order to be successful.

So what does this mean for the Guardians offensive roster in 2026?

Well it means that Guards Ball works, it just needs a few tweaks. Cleveland first needs to get back to Guards Ball 1.0 let's call it, where they prioritize contact and patient at-bats, unfortunately that means players like Jhonkensy Noel who have high power ceilings but high chase and whiff rates might have to be left in the dust.

On the other hand, Cleveland's recent playoff track record has proven that contact alone can only carry you so far. Fans know well the organizations inability to develop a power bat in recent years, but wether it's an in house option like top 30 prospects Chase DeLauter and Jace LaViolette.

Or if they dip into the free agent market for someone like a Josh Naylor, or a Kyle Schwarber on shorter term, higher AAV contracts, this is the crucial piece to solve.

The Jays front office is led by former cleveland executive Mark Shapiro, which is why there seem to be so many similarities in approach between Cleveland and Toronto. If the Blue Jays really do pull of one of the great upsets in World Series history, the blueprint to bringing a trophy to Cleveland couldn't be clearer.