Celebrating the Journey: Blue Jays’ Rise to World Series Contention

I jumped on the Blue Jays bandwagon late this season, drawn by the buzz,  the unexpected surge, and that crazy spark in me whenever an underdog team finds a way to claw back from the edges of defeat. There is that sense of joy I feel whenever I see a struggling team eke out a late-game surge to salvage a win. Plus, of course, there’s my brother, Paul – having migrated to Toronto – who has now become a true-blue fan of the Raptors and the Blue Jays. 

I had been a rabid Raptor fan when Kawhi Leonard lifted the team to the NBA championship in 2019. And it ripped my heart when he opted to fly off to sunny El-ay the next year. My romance with Toronto sports in general turned passive after that. Until George Springer, Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr and the gang made a believer of me with their rags-to-riches story this season.

By the time Game 7 of this year’s amazing World Series rolled around, I wasn’t just watching the series play out from far-away Manila; I was watching a dream unfold in real time. (And I had that golden opportunity to see them in the flesh actually, as my wife had a speaking engagement in Toronto and Montreal at that time. Except that the Canadian Embassy couldn’t get my papers out on time. Hence, I had to content myself with the boobtube as the series drama unfolded.)

But going back to Game 7 of what many believe was the best World Series ever…

I can never forget that heartbreak game-tying homer from Miguel Rojas in the ninth to extend the last game of the series – and of the season. And then came another unlikely homer from Will Smith in the 11th, to seal the Dodgers’ win. To finally end the season. To deny the Blue Jays of a cinderella season this year. To come from behind 3-2 to win what many claim as the most dramatic Game 7 ever. On extended innings. In enemy territory. Shucks.

Seven games. A hair’s breadth away from a championship. It sucks. It still sucks. Up till now. I closed my eyes, my mouth, my mind and my heart. Even closed my blog. Truly devastated. It’s been weeks now. The only saving grace is that I’ve learned more about myself, and about being a fan, from this wild ride.

In the wake of that one-run heartcrusher-of-a-Game-7, I remain proud and hopeful. To witness this team so far back less than a year ago, to push all the way to the doorstep of glory. It still fills me with a pride I cannot fathom. And it wasn’t just about watching the team click magically from way out here in typhoon-crazed Philippines; it was watching my baseball city of choice – thanks to my brother, Paul – breathe again. It was the joy of finding the kid inside me hope again.

This year’s redeem journey wasn’t exactly a straight line. Indeed, this was a season that defied expectations. Who would dare to bet on a last place team at 74-88 last season, to move up to 94-68, and almost take the World Series? The Jays’ season followed an unpredictable pattern that zigged and zagged. But slowly, they hammered out periodic, yet consistent wins as they learned to lean on each other, as they learned to trust the process. The season was the product of a series of small pug-nosed wins, a few brutal losses, and a lot of hard work paying off in ways that aren’t always obvious on the surface. This season certainly wasn’t about luck alone; it was a blueprint for a newly-discovered resilience and recovery in motion, and the realization that they could collectively make things happen.

And the “what ifs” in that series? Those 7 games provided countless possible turning points. In fact, the Blue Jays scored more runs than the Dodgers in the 7-game sereies, 34 to 26. They also outhit the Dodgers 76 to 53. But the Dodgers beat them in what mattered most – games won – at 4 to 3. The Dodgers also stranded 54 Bluejays on base, while leaving only 33 of their own on base. A homer with just 2 outs to a championship, a split-second delay in the dash to homeplate, a deadball that could have easily produced the tying run in Game 6, the many more lost opportunities on both sides, the marathon 18-inning duel in Game 3 – each had a ripple effect. It’s normal to replay those moments and feel a tug between what happened and what might have been. The line between heartbreak to hurrah was razor-thin, and I think that’s where true fan devotion lives.

And so, I tried to rationalize the agony I feel as a Blue Jays fan. And I’d like to tell my brother in Canada – as well as my Canadian friends – not to despair. We have an exciting new season ahead for us, even as we take inspiration from what could have been this season. To my fellow Jays fans, to the fans who love their underdog teams, and to all the sportsfans out there, there’s something there that we could all learn from.

1) Trust the process, and let’s just celebrate the results. To the Jays fans, last place to World Series participants isn’t an accident; it’s the payoff of patience, development and good scouting. I wish we had won Game 7, but I can safely say that getting there certainly wasn’t a fluke. The blueprint works when you believe in it.

2) Life will always have its ups and downs. The Jays almost made it! Seven games in the World Series shows how close our team was to immortality. It also showed us how close the margins are at the highest level. It’s a reminder for us to savor the ride, and not despair over the margin of error. Remember Kawhi’s buzzer-beating last second shot against the Sixers that bounced off 4 times on that rim before falling? On a Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals! Now we know how it feels to be on the other side of the court. Now we know why Joel Embiid cried after that dagger shot fell through the ring.

3) It’s time to look to the future. Yes, we need to look out and take care of the young core. There were breakout moments for Trey Yesavage, Yariel Rodriguez and the rest. These rookies and sophomores are the foundation of a future contender. I’m as excited about those names even as I am hopeful about Vlad, Bo, George or any other veteran coming back next season. Hopefully these guys will build on the chemistry they discovered this season.

4) Nurture the season’s gains. The off-season can feel long and quiet. Let’s keep the flame of hope alive. Let us remain hungry. This team showed they can contend with the best; the next step is translating that potential into a title.

As we move on and start dreaming of the next season, I’m carrying a stubborn, hopeful faith in the process. I realize now that the Jays aren’t really a flash in the pan; they’re a work in progress with a plan that’s already yielded a few pleasant, unforgettable moments.

If you’re a new Jays fan like me, this World Series run was a brutal, yet beautiful introduction. It hurts, but it also promises a bright future ahead. The best is still ahead, and the ride—full of late-season magic and near-misses – makes the ultimate championship worth every heartbeat. I look forward to 2026, to bigger stages and greater conquests. Here’s to that unrelenting belief in this team, and to that dream in the kid in me for another thrilling – and hopefully triumphant – climb toward the title.

Next year perhaps?

Cover pic courtesy of MLB.com.