Seguin: A Blue Jays team fans could fall in love with
Geprge Springer had a solid post-season.
November 2, 2025
By Rob Seguin
Canadian Baseball Network
As an ardent Toronto Blue Jays fan – that hurt.
As a ball fan, that was the best World Series I can remember.
My definition of “best” pivots on my level of engagement, and it was never higher. Even in 1992 and 1993 when the Jays were repeat winners, with the league’s highest payroll (since by payroll accounting methods all of David Cone’s salary in 1992 and Rickey Henderson’s salary in 1993 went on the Blue Jays aggregate -- none on the New York Mets or the Oakland A’s, despite the fact the Jays only paid 1/3 of their salaries),
I didn’t love those teams like I loved the 2025 version of the Blue Jays. And this year’s “real” payroll of over $200M was about half of the real payroll of the Los Angeles Dodgers, given their creative salary deferral with Shohei Ohtani. Not that I’m necessarily saying the Dodgers bought/bot their victory, but they weren’t nearly as much fun to follow in my opinion, and those of many objective analysts.
In March, we felt something different/special coming out of spring training, as several players looked like they could have bounce back seasons (including Bo Bichette, Alejandro Kirk and Davis Schneider). And Andres Gimenez got off to a blazing hot start with the bat, showing he could be more than a defensive wizard.
In April, Toronto took three of four from many pundits’ picks for American League champs, the Boston Red Sox at Fenway. And the Jays captain and leader, Vladimir Guerrero (Montreal, Que.) was signed to a long-term contract. But would he elevate his game?
In May, when George (the self proclaimed “DOP – designated offensive player”) Springer and rediscovered his “A-swing” and recorded a 1.091 OPS with lots of support and help from the Jays new hitting coach (and season MVP in my books) David Popkins. As you know, I (and many of you) had written Springer off after a disastrous spring. And Bichette beat the Texas Rangers in the top of the ninth with a pinch-hit, two-run home run to help them exit the month on a roll.
In June, we saw the emergence of Ernie Clement and Nathan Lukes as everyday players, and other teams were noticing how difficult it was to pitch to the Jays; they grinded out at-bats, rarely struck out and put the ball in play. And the defence was topnotch. And Eric Lauer came out of nowhere to go 3-0 with a 2.49 ERA.
In July, the Jays started the month by sweeping the Yankees and running off 10 straight wins to vault into first place in the AL East. They would never relinquish their lead.
And in August, when July trade deadline acquisitions of Seranthony Dominguez, Louis Varland and Ty France began to settle in, and we watched the innovative deadline acquisition of Shane Bieber take shape at triple-A Buffalo as he completed his Tommy John recovery. And the Jays set a record of 63 hits in a three-game sweep of Colorado. And backup catcher Tyler Heineman had a strong month in relief of an injured Kirk.
And in September, when Kirk and Barger emerged as true offensive and defensive forces to be reckoned with leading the team to a 15-12 month. And Bichette was hitting everything. The Jays fought off the Yankees, sweeping their nemesis the Tampa Bay Rays on a memorable final regular season game in sunny, warm Toronto with a sold-out crowd of 45,000 in an open stadium cheering wildly as Kirk stroked two homers, including an epic grand slam. And Tres Yesavage teased us with his amazing potential.
And in October, bouncing the pinstripes from New York, the seeming miracle of Springer’s heroics in game 7 to help the Jays be the first team to ever lose the first two games of the ALCS at home to come back and win (in style), Guerrero’s MVP ALCS performance, Yesavage’s emergence as a budding superstar, Mad Max Scherzer screaming “No” at the skipper, the contributions to success by all 26 players on the roster and the best Jays game I’ve ever been blessed to attend – Game 1 of the World Series when the Jays served notice that teamwork and culture could overcome better talent.
And to win two of three at Dodger Stadium, bouncing back from the 18-inning epic heart breaker. And Bichette, and Springer’s toughness to each play so well on one good leg. And Bam-Bam. And Yesavage and Yesavage.
And even Saturday the Jays left it all out on the field, every hitter battling on every pitch, every defensive player laying himself out, every pitcher giving all they had left, and never, ever giving up, getting up one last time off the mat time and again in a 5-4 defeat. They were a sacrifice fly away from tying it and a double from winning it all in extra innings.
On Nov. 1 – ironically, All-Saints Day. As my pastor, Father Jesse said this morning, “When your heart is broken, and yet you keep on loving, you are blessed.”
Thank you, boys.