Sarah Warsi

Sigh.

Where do I start? The last few weeks were such an incredible ride. So much hope, so much optimism and so much incredible energy.

After a rollercoaster of ups, downs, twists and turns, it all game down to a final showdown last Saturday.

After our awesome recovery in game 5, bringing the game back to Toronto – many of us were hoping that we’d be able to wrap it all up then. I mean, it would have been ideal, right? Can you imagine the pandemonium on the streets of downtown Toronto if we’d won it all in game 6? Also, with it being Halloween night, it would have been quite the spectacle!

But alas, it wasn’t meant to be.

The Dodgers did their thing and forced a game 7 – sending all Jays fans into a tailspin of nerves and anxiety for one more night.

Game 7 was an experience on its own. Incredible, intense, and close are the best ways to describe it. I was nervous the whole time, but once the Dodgers tied us at the 11th hour, sending us into extra innings, my anxiety-o-meter just went off the scale.

Fans in attendance could be seen with their hands over their faces. The collective anxiety was real. The unpredictability of what could happen next could be cut with a knife. We were either going to erupt in immense joy or feel the weight of defeat in any moment.

And then it happened. We literally lost by inches. Gutted.

Almost immediately, the wave of sadness and defeat could be felt everywhere. We weren’t going to get our Joe Carter moment. Not this year, at least.

But, when we look back on this entire run, I think we can safely say that this was an absolutely epic World Series. So dramatic, so emotionally-charged and definitely one for the books.

Some notable highlights:

Dominant Game 1 Victory

As if going to the World Series wasn’t thrilling enough, being able to kick it off in our hometown and win game one, 11-4, only sweetened the pot. A particularly memorable moment was when Blue Jays, Addison Barger came off the bench to hit the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history as part of what would be an explosive, nine-run, sixth inning for Toronto in game 1.

You can catch that moment here:

I truly believe this win set the tone for the entire series and made it clear to the ‘Dodgers in 4’ crowd, that the Jays meant business.

Trey Yesavage’s STELLAR Game 5 PERFORMANCE

So, first off, I can’t believe this guy is only 22! He’s a total beast. Rookie Blue Jays pitcher, Trey Yesavage, stunned fans (likely on both sides), in game 5 by striking out 12 batters in seven innings setting a new rookie record for strikeouts in a World Series game. One notable strikeout was Shohei Ohtani. For those who may not know, Ohtani is regarded as one of the greatest baseball players today. He is widely known for his incredible skills as not only a great pitcher, but also an exceptional hitter – a rare find among baseball players today.

Nonetheless, Yesavage’s performance helped secure a 6–1 win in Los Angeles, giving us the leverage we needed to go back to Toronto for game 6.

See the recap of all 12 strikeouts here:

Back to Back Homers to Kick off Game 5

Game 5 also saw one of the best openings of the series with Blue Jays’ Davis Schneider hitting a first-pitch home run, with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. himself following suit in an absolute epic start to the game.

You can catch that clip here:

18-Inning Marathon in Game 3

We won’t soon forget the game that stretched into oblivion! Game 3 tied the record for the longest World Series game at a whopping 18 innings. The last time this had happened was in 2018 when the Dodgers and Boston Red Sox set a record for an 18-inning game at Dodger Stadium.

Despite the Jays losing 6-5 to the Dodgers in the end, the game was a true testament to the strong defense and resilience from both teams. The game lasted until 3AM the next day. I remember checking my phone at around 2am and being astonished to not see an update. I thought that something was wrong with my alerts and was flabbergasted to find out that the game was in fact, still in progress! Safe to say that most people likely did not get a good sleep that night! lol

FUN FACT: The longest game in MLB history was back in 1981 between the Pawtucket Red Sox and the Rochester Red Wings. The game lasted 33 innings, totaling 8 hours and 25 minutes of playing time. Pawtucket eventually broke the tie and won the game, 3–2. Can you imagine?! How all the players (and fans for the matter) weren’t complete zombies after that is beyond me. lol

Bo Bichette’s 3-Run Blast in Game 7

During Game 7, Blue Jays’ Bo Bichette launched a dramatic 3-run home run off Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani giving Toronto an early lead and a ton of hope!

Catch the epic moment here:

Despite ultimately losing the World Series, this entire experience captivated fans and bandwagoners and united an entire nation. The collective optimism could be felt throughout the entire country as Canada’s baseball team was back in the World Series after 30+ years.

I think a special award should be given to the Blue Jays content team, as they regularly published super creative game-time graphics that were subtle but loud in their messaging, and only amplified the hype and anticipation we felt from one game to the next.

Adding to the sense of national unity, Toronto’s major sports franchises all banded together in solidarity for the Blue Jays by posting messages of support and by updating their social accounts with unique blends of their team logo and the Blue Jays logo.

I personally thought this was super cool and a real act of solidarity in representing the city on an global stage. It really created a sense of camaraderie among the different sports teams.

The day after we lost – boy could it be felt – in the air, and all around. It also didn’t help that the time had also changed earlier that morning. Although in our favour with an extra hour, it always has a way of messing us up. Later that day, I personally observed not one, but two traffic collisions. Thank God everyone was okay, but it definitely added to the overall sombre mood of the day.

When I went to the grocery store, people were talking about it in the aisles. At work, it was the only thing on everyone’s mind. The sting of defeat was truly palpable and felt throughout.

Now, a week later, the focus has now turned to off-season activity with potential trades, what free agents are going to stay, and who is going to go, etc. I’m finding myself keeping up with all of this, and believe me, this is a level of interest I never had before. lol

I think that now that I understand a bit more of the rules, I actually find the sport interesting – and this was totally unexpected. lol I still don’t understand everything, not by a long shot, but the complexities of the different plays and all the strategy behind them have added a layer of intrigue for me. If you asked me even a month ago what a ‘bullpen’ or DH or dugout was, I wouldn’t be able to tell you! True story. lol

Now I might just be watching in the regular season next year!

The big news fans are waiting on is whether Bo Bichette will stay with the Jays for another year. He’s been extended an offer. Sort of reminds me of the ‘Kawhi Watch’ of 2019. lol

I know the feeling of defeat won’t go away anytime soon, but knowing how poorly the season ended just a year ago with the Jays finishing last, to being on the verge of winning the World Series a year later, is an astounding 180 to absolutely be proud of.

I mean, talk about a comeback, and then some.

Although I am a newbie to it all, I am so proud of this team and look forward to what we can accomplish next year. Go Jays Go.