Thank You to the 2025 Toronto Blue Jays

Cover photo: Toronto Blue Jays Ernie Clement and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. celebrate after the team defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of the World Series. Saturday night, the Blue Jays’ season came to a disappointing end, losing Game 7 in 11 innings by a score of 5-4. Photo credit: Kirby Lee, Imagn Images.

I was three years old the last time the Toronto Blue Jays won the World Series. My introduction to the 1992 and 1993 World Series winners were two VHS tapes - one on the ‘92 team, one on the ‘93 team. The all-around star that was Roberto Alomar, Devon White’s speed and fielding, Rickey Henderson’s legendary lead-off hitting. The veteran presences of Jack Morris, Paul Molitor, Al Leiter, Dave Stewart, and Dave Winfield. John Olerud’s absurd average (.363 in ‘93). Juan Guzman’s early stardom. Joe Carter’s clutch gene. 

Photo: Toronto Blue Jay star Joe Carter celebrates after his walk-off home run in Game 6 of the 1993 World Series. Carter’s three-run home run off of the Philadelphia Phillies’ Mitch Williams gave the Blue Jays the 6-4 win. Photo credit: Elise Amendola, Associated Press.

In the seasons afterward going into the late 1990s, Carlos Delgado was one of the game’s top home run hitters. Roger Clemens won back-to-back Cy Young awards as a Blue Jay, in 1997 and 1998. There was Shawn Green, Alex Gonzalez, Jose Canseco, Jose Cruz Jr., Shannon Stewart, Raul Mondesi. Then Vernon Wells and Roy Halladay, the bright spots on mid-2000s teams that could not get over the hump. 

The dark era of a pointless and pitiful uniform switch to a silver and black combo that succeeded the classic blue, white, and sprinkle of red gave way to some cloudy seasons. 67 wins in 2004. Then 75 wins in 2009. In 2011, the franchise went back to the classic blue and white with the dash of red. 73 wins in 2012 and 74 in 2013. 

Then there was 2015 (93 wins) and 2016 (89 wins) with American League MVP Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista’s home run that blew the roof off the Rogers Centre in Game 3 of the 2015 ALDS, Edwin Encarnacion’s home run prowess, Troy Tulowitzki, and the pitching of David Price. Teams that got close - ALCS in both seasons - but could not break through. 

That is what made this 2025 unit so special. 

With a team built around two star players - Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (still just 26) and 27-year-old Bo Bichette - both who happen to be the sons of former Major Leaguers, the Jays went from worst to first - 74 wins in 2024 to 94 in 2025. Alejandro Kirk (27 years old on Nov. 6) has blossomed into one of the league’s best catchers. George Springer is one of the game’s best lead-off hitters. Addison Barger (26 years old on Nov. 12), Ernie Clement, and Nathan Lukes came out of nowhere. Davis Schneider, who led off Game 5 with a home run off of Blake Snell, is 26 years old. Outfielder Daulton Varsho is still just 29. Intangible players. Trey Yesavage, 22, started the season in Single-A Dunedin and ended the season with a 12-strikeout World Series game - his Game 5 effort in Los Angeles set a rookie record for K’s in the World Series, breaking Don Newcombe’s record of 11 strikeouts in 1949. Yesavage reminded me of Juan Guzman of ‘92, Guzman a then-26-year-old All-Star who struck out seven Atlanta Braves’ batters in Game 3 of the ‘92 series in eight innings, a game that the Blue Jays won 3-2. 

This ‘25 team was fun to watch, with Max Scherzer the resident old man on the pitching staff at 41 years of age. Ace Kevin Gausman, who will eventually give way to Yesavage, is 34. He struck out eight Dodgers in Game 6. Both Scherzer and Gausman provided veteran leadership. 

On the ‘92 squad, there were six starters 29 years of age or older - catcher Pat Borders (29), third baseman Kelly Gruber (30), left fielder Candy Maldonado (31), Carter (32), and Winfield (40). Morris was 37, Jimmy Key 31, and Dave Steib 34. In ‘93, Molitor was 36, Henderson 34, White 30, Tony Fernandez 31. 

Those teams had more veterans than 2025’s group. This team was young, confident, and came out of seemingly nowhere. Great hitting across their lineup, with solid pitching. They brought a refreshing brand of baseball and great excitement to not just a fan base, but an entire country. 

What a ride. Thank you, Blue Jays.