World Series Game 7 highlights: Dodgers beat Blue Jays 5-4 to win back-to-back titles

Sat Nov 1 • Rogers Centre

Game 7 • LAD wins series 4-3

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LAD

TOR

11/02/25 01:38

Opinion: Congrats on the loss, Toronto. It was a masterpiece

– Cathal Kelly

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The emblematic modern defeat of a Toronto team – the one that sent the city into a spiral of permanent doomsaying and self-pity – was a hockey loss in the first round of the playoffs. What’s Toronto going to do with choking a World Series away with two outs to go?

The Jays had Game 7 won. The crowd was certain of it. As it ended, just after midnight, you could tell that not a one of them could accept the result.

What do you like about baseball? Because this Game 7 had it. Ridiculous catches, a bench-clearing non-brawl, terrible gaffes, emotional farewells, huge hits, had it in the bag, let it out, got it back in, out again, back in again, back out. There was enough sturm und drang in this one night to fill a whole season of Bach.

With the Dodgers trailing by one in the ninth, it was set up so that Shohei Ohtani would be the last hitter of the game and then the Toronto celebration could begin. Perfect cinema. The man before him, Miguel Rojas, hit a solo home run to tie it.

With two out in the eleventh, Dodger catcher Will Smith put a ball over the wall in left. As he rounded the bases, the only other thing moving in the stadium was the Dodgers bench. All 40,000-plus other people were still.

In the bottom of that inning, the Jays had Vladimir Guerrero on third with one out. The game ended on a double play. The Dodgers won it 5-4.

I have watched a million games of all sorts over the years. I’ve never watched one that comes anywhere close to this one.

Read the full column here.

11/02/25 01:10

Dodgers’ Yamamoto named World Series MVP

– The Associated Press

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Yoshinobu Yamamoto was named World Series MVP for the Los Angeles Dodgers with one of the greatest pitching performances in Fall Classic history, including an epic relief appearance in Game 7 on Saturday night.

Yamamoto pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings in the clincher a day after throwing 96 pitches in a Game 6 win. He also threw a four-hitter in Game 2 that was the first complete game in the World Series since 2015.

“Yamamoto is the GOAT!” manager Dave Roberts shouted moments before the Dodgers hoisted the World Series trophy.

The 27-year-old Japanese ace pitched out of a jam in the ninth inning, leaving the bases loaded and the score tied at 4. After cruising through the 10th, he worked around Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s leadoff double to preserve a 5-4 lead and lock up LA’s second consecutive championship.

11/02/25 00:53

Jays will spend the off-season wondering what could have been

– Michael Snider

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What a game. What a heartbreaker.

Having been on the losing end of big games (ahem, perhaps not with the same stakes), the Blue Jays players and managers will be going over this one in their heads for weeks. Maybe months. They’ll be replaying at-bats they wish they could have back, or pitches they threw. The sting will fade gradually, but will never really disappear. The pride they should be feeling for an incredible season and a phenomenal postseason won’t mean much right now. While the rest of us may feel that pride, I’m sure the players will accept no excuses.

Pitchers and catchers report mid-February.

11/02/25 00:42

Blue Jays fans keep the faith after devastating loss

- Rebecca Zamon

Even as the Dodgers streamed onto the field in celebration, Blue Jays fans in the stands started one last “let’s go Blue Jays” to show their team some last love.

The crowd on the street was less angry and more resigned, talking about ump calls and missed opportunities. The most noise came from the cars making their way to the Gardiner, which felt very Toronto.

But the camaraderie this team created remained, with one guy in his 30s yelling “2026, baby” to cheers. Looking at my despondent son, he said with confidence, “You’re going to see a win, buddy. I saw them lose against Minnesota in 1991, and then the wins 1992 and 1993! Believe in it!”

11/02/25 00:36

Disappointed fans in Calgary share hugs after Blue Jays’ loss

– Alanna Smith

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Kesha is blasting at Trolley 5 in Calgary. The TV channels have changed to hockey and people are quickly paying their tabs. It wasn’t the outcome anyone here wanted.

One fan tried to get the crowd to chant in support of the Blue Jays after a disappointing loss. No one joined in.

In one corner of the bar, superfan Arthur Gallant is sharing hugs with other fans. He’s disappointed but hopeful for next year.

“People were saying it was David versus Goliath but it was David versus David,” he says. “The Jays held their own.”

11/02/25 00:34

We lost the game, but gained so much

– Graham Isador

I’m disappointed. But I loved the energy Toronto had during this playoff run. I loved chatting with random people on the street and feeling a sense of community across the place I live. As much as this stings, I hope for the sake of everybody we can hold on to as much of that as we can. Go Jays.

11/02/25 00:30

‘I am going to cry’

– Erin Anderssen

“It was so close,” says Norah Urbach, 20, a server at the Nelson Pub in Ottawa. She was hoping to see the Jays win their first World Series in her lifetime. “Now I am going to cry.” Tears are already glistening in her eyes. The crowd at the Nelson is trudging out the door, heading home. She takes a breath. “Next year.”

11/02/25 00:20

Dodgers win the World Series

– Michael Snider

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After Jays led all game, Dodger homers in the eighth, ninth and 11th first narrowed the lead, tied the game and then put L.A. out in front. Yamamoto faced Guerrero, who led off with a double – Vladdy’s first hit of the night. IKF placed a perfect bunt to move Vladdy to third, and Barger walked. With runners at first and third, Alejandro Kirk, not known for his blazing speed, grounded to Mookie Betts, who touched second and threw to first for the double play. Ball game over. Season over.

11/02/25 00:08

Dodgers pull ahead with home run in the 11th inning

– Michael Snider

The Dodgers have taken the lead, 5-4, on a solo home run from Will Smith. L.A. leads for the first time in this game. Shane Bieber entered the game to face Rojas, who tied the game in the ninth, and then with one pitch sat down Ohtani. But Smith, with his second home run of the postseason, hit a hanging slider over the left field wall.

11/01/25 23:59

Three up, three down for Jays in 10th

– Michael Snider

After 10 it’s still tied 4-4. Yamamoto got Giménez to ground out for the first out of the 10^th and then struck out Springer. Myles Straw,, who is batting in Nathan Lukes’s spot, pops out. Three up, three down. This is beginning to feel like a long one.

11/01/25 23:59

Blue Jays shut down Dodgers in top of 10th

– Michael Snider

We’re going to the bottom of the 10th still tied 4-4.

Seranthony Domínguez started the top of the 10th getting Freeman to fly out before walking Mookie Betts. Max Muncy singled on a ground ball that almost took Domínguez’s head off and Teoscar Hernández walked to load the bases with no outs. Andy Pages, who just made the third out to catch Clement’s fly ball the inning before, hit a ground ball to Gimenez who threw out Betts at home plate. Kiké Hernández hit a slow chopper to Vladdy, who tossed to Domínguez. This is tense, people. Tense!

11/01/25 23:55

Jays fans gather in Chicago

– Kate Wilkinson

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Just south of Chicago’s Miracle Mile, a little slice of Canada: Guerrero Jr. jerseys and enthusiastic chants of “Let’s go Blue Jays!” filled the packed Sweetwater Tavern and Grille on Michigan Avenue, near the city’s iconic Riverwalk.

“The level of support in this bar is insane,” said Blue Jays fan Catherine Ince, who was in town with her family for an international rugby game earlier in the day (Ireland vs. New Zealand). “It’s the same as being in Canada.” The crowd at the bar had kicked off the game with a rousing rendition of O Canada.

Toronto resident Sydney Carey and her husband, Taylor Brophy, were also in town for the rugby game and had seen the Sweetwater pub mentioned on Reddit as a place where Jays fans might gather. Both 30, they haven’t seen the Jays win a World Series in their lifetimes, but said the games had felt reminiscent of the electric atmosphere of the 2019 Raptors NBA Championship run.

It was a fitting setting — a hub of Canadian excitement in the midst of iconic American landmarks, in a World Series that has felt more like Canada vs USA than Dodgers vs Jays.

11/01/25 23:54

‘I have never been this nervous in my entire life’

– Erin Anderssen

Norah Urbach, 20, is bouncing on her feet, running her hands anxiously through her red hair. “I want to throw up right now,” she says, taking a quick break between serving tables at the Nelson. The university student is wearing a royal blue Jays jersey, the same one she got for Christmas, when she was 10, after going to her first game. She’s been a Jays fan “all my life,” she tells me. Now watching her team on the precipice of the first World Series win in her lifetime, she says, “I have never been this nervous in my entire life. I can hardly breathe.”

11/01/25 23:48

Are we still watching?!?!?!

– Evan Annett

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With the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, hundreds of people were watching the screen with rapt attention at the University of Toronto’s front campus. Suddenly the screen froze. A prompt appeared. “Are you still watching?” The crowd yelled in disbelief while a cursor quickly scurried to click “yes.” The action resumed.

11/01/25 23:46

Fans at Rogers Centre still feeling optimistic

– Kathryn Blaze Baum

There’s a 12-year-old kid in the 500s that has been designated the extra-innings good-luck charm. No pressure, kiddo! Apparently people “feel good,” but are questioning the out at home that, if it had been a run instead, would have ended it all.

11/01/25 23:43

The series that just doesn’t want to end

– Michael Snider

And we’re going to extras. The score remains tied at 4-4 after 9.

Snell got Guerrero to fly out, gave up a single to Bichette, who was replaced with pinch runner Isiah Kiner-Falefa, but then walked Barger. Snell was replaced by Yamamoto to face Kirk, who was hit by a pitch, loading the bases with one out. Daulton Varsho hit a choppy grounder to Rojas, who stumbled and made a throw home to get IKF at the plate. And then Clement, swinging on first pitch, smashed a high fly to the outfield wall. But Andy Pages, put in the game for his defence, made an incredible catch.

11/01/25 23:23

Sportsnet streaming app suffers another outage

– Simon Houpt

Blue Jays fans blasted Sportsnet on social media for an outage of the company’s SN+ streaming app around 10:30 p.m. on Saturday night, just as the Dodgers were coming up to bat for the seventh inning. Users posted photos of error messages they were receiving that read: “We have detected an issue with your network. Please check your connection and try again (Code 22.” It is the same error message users received during an outage in Game 5, as the Jays were mounting a comeback. At that time, users who inquired with the company were told they could watch the game free on Sportsnet.ca. It is not known how widespread the outage is. Sportsnet did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

11/01/25 23:18

Dodgers tie the game in top of ninth

– Michael Snider

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Dodger Miguel Rojas ties the game in the top of the ninth inning, 4-4, with a home run on a full-count slider from Jeff Hoffman. Buckle your seatbelts.

11/01/25 23:11

Blue Jays hold 4-3 lead entering ninth inning

– Michael Snider

The Blue Jays are three outs away from their first World Series in 32 years. They’re holding on to a 4-3 lead going into the ninth.

Clement led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a ringing double, knocking Sheehan out of the game. It was Clement’s third hit of the night, and that sets a new postseason record for hits. Is he the World Series MVP? Starter Blake Snell entered in relief to face Giménez with Clement in scoring position at second base. Giménez slapped a liner right to Max Muncy for the first out. Springer struck out for the second out. Davis Schneider pinch hit for Nathan Lukes – didn’t think he was going to see a first-pitch fastball. Snell struck out Schneider on a steady diet of soft stuff.

11/01/25 23:08

Crowd around Rogers Centre is singing ‘O Canada’

– Patrick White

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With three Dodger outs to go for the Blue Jays to triumph, thousands of people are streaming into the area around Rogers Centre. A spontaneous rendition of O Canada just erupted outside the entrance closest to the CN Tower. Everyone has a phone out to record the moment. There are Canadian flags, beers, and nerves. Will it happen? If it does, this place will explode.

11/01/25 23:06

Hoping to recapture that 90s feeling

-Tavia Grant

In Yellowknife, the bar is getting loud. Simon Whitehouse, 45, remembers watching the last time the Blue Jays won the World Series, when he was a kid at home with his brother, back in Prince Edward County, Ont. “It was quite something.”

He’s been here in Yellowknife for about a decade and works in communications. And he’s been seeing the excitement build as the playoffs have gone on.

“People really appreciate the symbolism, because they are essentially our only Canadian team left. I also think there’s a bit of nostalgia, too. People remember how it felt in the 90s after the Joe Carter home run and so on, and people are wanting to recapture that.”

11/01/25 23:03

Torontonians by way of Japan cheer the Jays, but revere Ohtani

– Colin Freeze

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Yumi Tokuyama, a 25-year-old from Okinawa, watches sheer joy illuminate Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s boyish face as he engineers a crucial double play that ends an inning.

“I like him, I like him,” she says. “He’s like a bear – so cute!”

She and her co-worker, Misaki Hirooka, a 28-year-old from Kobe, are watching the game through windows outside a downtown Toronto bar that is closed but kept its TV on.

The two have been working at a Japanese bar in Toronto for three years. Now that they are Torontonians, they are rooting for Guerrero and the Jays.

But even though they want the Dodgers to lose, they hasten to add one thing – they have nothing but respect for Shohei Ohtani, one of the biggest celebrities Japan has ever had.

11/01/25 22:56

Cross-country unity between father and son

– Alanna Smith

Josh Lau, who was born and raised in Toronto, is texting his dad from Calgary so they can share what he hopes is another World Series win together.

He was a teenager when the Blue Jays won back-to-back World Series in 1992 and ‘93. He says they were core memories for him growing up, sitting with his dad on the couch and “losing their minds” when the Jays clinched victory.

While he wishes they were together, he said there’s still a feeling of unity not just between them but all of Canada.

“All of Canada’s connected right now. It’s a really beautiful thing,” says Josh who has nearly lost his voice from cheering.

“The Dodgers are, no question, a good team … but the Jays have a real camaraderie in the dugout and on the field.”

11/01/25 22:52

Family to the rescue when the stream stops

– Josh O’Kane

People across social media, and also me, are reporting outages on their Sportsnet streams. I pray that you all have sisters-in-law like mine (shoutout Mackenzie) who are live-texting updates as your hearts are in your throats.

11/01/25 22:50

Toronto’s lead narrows in the eighth

– Michael Snider

The Dodgers won’t die. Max Muncy has brought L.A. to within one, narrowing the Jays lead to 4-3 in the eighth, with a home run off the right-field foul pole. Trey Yesavage made quick work of Betts, forcing a ground out to Giménez for the first out, but Muncy tagged his fastball. After getting Teoscar Hernández on a grounder, Schneider brought in closer Jeff Hoffman, who induced Tommy Edman to ground out. The Muncy hit means Ohtani will get a plate appearance in the 9th.

11/01/25 22:46

Singing loud and proud

– Rebecca Zamon

I’ve been going to baseball games for four decades, and have never heard the words to the seventh-inning stretch song absolutely belted, getting louder than the speakers through the song.

The crowd found a new level when Yesavage took the field and maintained it through the three outs he managed at the top of the seventh.

My whole section is high-fiving with every play, sharing Halloween candy and making the most of being in the presence of October November baseball.

11/01/25 22:38

3-6-3, easy as 1-2-3

– Michael Snider

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Wow. 3-6-3 double play to end the top of the 7th. Guerrero to Giménez to Guerrero to keep the score 4-2 for Toronto. Manager John Schneider went to Trey Yesavage to start the top of the 7^th but the rookie pitcher, who has had such a remarkable year, promptly walked Ohtani. Yesavage got Will Smith to fly out for the first out and then Freddy Freeman to hit into the inning-ending double play.

11/01/25 22:35

The real athlete tonight is me

– Graham Isador

Even with the lead I absolutely cannot sit still. According to my phone, I’ve added an extra 2,500 steps pacing around since the start of the game. Combined with an elevated heart rate, I’m pretty sure this counts as cardio.

11/01/25 22:34

The crack of Giménez’s bat is heard in Vancouver

– Andrea Woo

Chaos. Andrés Giménez hits a double to score Ernie Clement from second, and the Jays third baseman slides into home.

At the Shark Club Sports Bar in Vancouver, Max Thiele leaps to his feet and lets out a primal roar, pressing his hands on his buddy’s shoulders and jumping up and down with a crew of friends that match his energy.

He’s been a ride-or-die fan of the Jays his entire life, he tells me, “through the ups and – actually, not a lot of ups, mostly downs.” So this is a pretty special moment.

I ask him what it feels like to see the Jays leading in Game 7.

“It’s pretty surreal, but I’m not gonna feel good until the final pitch is thrown, because the Dodgers can do anything,” he said. “And I’m trying to soak in every moment here.”

11/01/25 22:34

Ode to joy

– Kathryn Blaze Baum

Ernie’s slide at the plate just had the place erupt into a fit of joy. Let’s put that on a replay loop, please!

11/01/25 22:30

Blue Jays score in the sixth, extending their lead

-Michael Snider

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The Jays are up 4-2 after second baseman Andrés Giménez smoked a clutch RBI double off Tyler Glasnow. Ernie Clement opened the bottom of the sixth with a liner to left. The knock by Clement tied Randy Arozarena for the most hits in postseason history. Giménez had tried to sacrifice bunt Clement to second base, but Clement stole the bag, putting himself in scoring position when Giménez hit his double. With Giménez on second and still no outs, Glasnow got Springer, Lukes and Guerrero.

11/01/25 22:26

‘The Jays are Canada’s team’

– Alanna Smith

It’s easy to mistake Ernie Tsu as another regular, standing and cheering with the crowd in a Blue Jays jersey.

But he’s the owner of Trolley 5 in Calgary. The restaurant is located in the heart of the Red Mile, a stretch of 17th Avenue known for hockey playoff celebrations. It’s an Edmonton Oilers bar, but only when the Calgary Flames aren’t going for Stanley .

But, tonight, Ernie says the sport and city don’t matter. It’s about team Canada.

“It’s go Canada here on this whole street,” he says. “The Jays are Canada’s team, everyone knows it, the team knows it, and we’re looking forward to this win.”

11/01/25 22:25

No ticket? Just one problem

– Patrick White

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Outside Gate 1 at Rogers Centre is a window that offers a free view of the field. But it’s a little hard on the knees. With a little crouching and squinting, you can see the pitcher’s mound and home plate.

“When I first saw people here, I thought they were praying,” says Peter Muscat, who’s watched three of the four World Series home games from this spot. “You have to bend and duck, but that’s part of the charm.”

There are a bunch of TV screens inside the building visible to those outside who didn’t pay the onerous ticket prices, but the several seconds of delay don’t provide the authentic live experience for purists like Muscat.

About 20 other fans perch in the same spot. “It’s not the best,” he says, “but it’s free.”

11/01/25 22:17

Dodgers get one before Jays get out of a sticky sixth

– Michael Snider

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The Dodgers have clawed their way back into the game, scoring on a sacrifice fly to Daulton Varsho in the top of the sixth. The Jays are up 3-2.

Jays starter Chris Bassitt, who has been a star these playoffs coming out of the bullpen, had a shaky first batter, walking Mookie Betts and then giving up a single to Max Muncy. Teoscar Hernández’s fielder’s choice got an out, but Tommy Edman’s sac fly scored Betts. Kiké Hernández followed with a single to right before Bassitt got Miguel Rojas to ground out.

11/01/25 22:12

Baseball mixes with patriotism in Yellowknife

– Tavia Grant

At Yellowknife’s Black Knight Pub, the crowd is getting more jubilant as the night goes on.

Bartender Jean-Luc Amirault is keeping a close eye on the game between pouring drinks. He has been watching Jays games all season, and seen the excitement grow. “Definitely with the tensions going around the world, a Canadian USA battle is always fun,” says Amirault, who works as a ski instructor in the winter season.

Everyone he knows is tuning in to tonight’s game. “Game 7 of any World Series, everyone’s emotionally invested…there’s a spark, for sure,” he says. “A lot of people don’t see it as the Blue Jays vs. the Dodgers. They see it as Canada versus the USA.

“So that patriotic drive is definitely there more than ever.”

11/01/25 22:09

Canadians in New York cheer on the Jays

– Graham Isador

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Friends have been watching the game from all over the world. Kelly McCormick, known for roles in Letterkenny and Amazon’s A League of their Own, sent over these photos from The Canuck in NYC, where Canadians are spilling into the street to watch the game.

11/01/25 22:08

American picks Jays over Trump

– Colin Freeze

Four hours into her first trip to Canada, American Holley Rumbarger, 32, watches the Blue Jays build their lead over the L.A. Dodgers.

Sitting near a fireplace at C’est What, a downtown Toronto bar, she says a World Series win by a Canadian team could help humble U.S. President Donald Trump and erode his aura of American chauvinism.

“It’s an important game – not just for Canada but for the world,” she says. “Our President doesn’t respect the talents of other countries, like Canada.”

A Blue Jays win, she says, would send a message to the White House. “Just because Canada doesn’t speak the loudest, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a large impact.”

Rumbarger says that like many of her fellow Americans, she simply cannot stand the Trump administration.

She drove up from Chicago to arrive in Toronto at around 6 p.m. Saturday just to see the game in Canada and plans on leaving at 11 a.m. Sunday morning.

11/01/25 22:00

Fans who attended the 1993 World Series hope for a repeat

-Kathryn Blaze Baum

I’m sitting next to a guy in the 500s who was at the 1993 World Series when the Jays won. He and his buddy ended up driving up Yonge Street, with one of their dads, sunroof open, relishing in the win. Tonight, his buddy is here at the game with his 13-year-old son -- the same age they were, back in the 1990s. He’s hoping for a sunroof voyage down Yonge with his son. The fandom lives on!

11/01/25 21:59

For some, the Jays are a family tradition

– Samritha Arunasalam

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Hey! I’m Samritha Arunasalam, a digital editor at The Globe and Mail, and I’m here at the St. Louis Bar & Grill in Toronto, where the crowd is going absolutely nuts in the best way possible.

Carly Williams, who was two years old the last time the Jays won the World Series, said her dad proposed to her mother when the Jays played in the ALCS in 1985. They’ve been together 40 years now.

“This whole week has been absolutely stressful, exciting and just the craziest time. Feels like we’ve been living in a whole new dimension,” she said.

Her older sister Danielle remembers her grandfather in his nineties watching Jays games. “He was the ultimate Blue Jays fan,” she said, and now the family carries on the tradition.

11/01/25 21:57

Taking the Toronto bandwagon out West

– Andrea Woo

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Nischay Mohan moved to Vancouver from Toronto a decade ago, bringing his sports team allegiances with him. While he’s noticed that Vancouver isn’t much of a baseball city, he’s revelled in those hopping onto the Jays bandwagon during the playoffs.

“I’ve been through this with the Raptors, with the NBA title,” he said, as the crowd at the Red Card Sports Bar erupted in cheers in response to Bo Bichette’s three-run blast.

“Every time this comes around, the whole country comes together for one team. At some point, it will happen to the Leafs, too.”

11/01/25 21:51

Super-jacked Blue Jays fan returns for Game 7

– Samantha Edwards

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Do you see that hulking figure behind home plate in the stands? The young man with biceps like Christmas hams? That’s Dean Angelo, better known as the very jacked Blue Jays fan, who has become a viral sensation on social media throughout the team’s remarkable World Series run. The 28-year-old personal trainer and bodybuilder from Toronto has been attending Jays’ games since he was a kid and has made it to nearly every playoff game this year.

11/01/25 21:47

Scherzer leaves the mound to a loud ovation from fans

– Jamie Ross

Max Scherzer, the future hall of famer, is coming out of the game. What a gutsy performance. At 41, there was talk that he’d have a short leash. He got the Blue Jays through four-plus innings. Scherzer leaves to a loud ovation, and he gives a tip of the cap and pounding of the chest back to the Blue Jays fans as he walks to the dugout steps.

He’s being replaced by Louis Varland with a runner on first and one out.

11/01/25 21:41

Jays excitement extends well north of Toronto

-Tavia Grant

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The Black Knight Pub in Yellowknife, NWT sits on 49^th street, just beside Yellowknife Books, Canada’s northernmost bookstore. With cozy wood panelling and a knight in armor named Duncan, groups have gathered to watch over beer and pub food.

Not much Blue Jays paraphernalia here, but the crowd is very, very clearly pro-Jays.

“It’s mostly about the experience – it’s just a Canadian experience, especially in these days -- it would be sweet to beat an American team,” says Yellowknife resident Wade Carpenter. “I’m not really nationalistic - but I just want the Jays to win.”

The crowd here is mostly local, typically miners and pilots, government workers and teachers. A lot are transplanted from the East Coast, here for work.

People are erupting in cheers, clapping and yelling right now. Toronto may be 3,000 kilometres away from Yellowknife but today it sure feels like people are rooting for a home team.

11/01/25 21:39

My girlfriend is worried for me

– Graham Isador

No clue what to do with my hands at any point during the fifth. When the benches cleared, I started shadowboxing. My girlfriend noted the rest of the time I’ve been “wringing my hands like a wife waiting for her husband to return from sea.”

11/01/25 21:36

Bye-bye Wrobleski

– Jamie Ross

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Wrobleski leaves to the loudest chorus of boos I’ve ever heard at a baseball game. He’s being replaced by Tyler Glasnow, the 6-foot-8 righthander who was in line to start tonight’s game until he had to rescue the Dodgers late in Game 6.

11/01/25 21:34

A game of love and hate

– Erin Anderssen

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The crowd at the Nelson is like a lion ready to pounce, fixed on the television, muscles tense, murmuring under the announcer’s voice, until...

Bo Bichette swings, watches with calm certainty as the ball flies over the wall, and flips his bat, and the noise is deafening -- full tables leap up simultaneously, cheering and yelling, hands in the air in a home-run celebration dance. “That was extraordinary,” says Tina Sabourin, walking by with a plate.

Andrés Giménez gets gets hit by a pitch from Justin Wrobleski, and there’s a stream of players rushing onto the field to defend their guy. The Nelson hits peak volume. “It’s primal,” says Graham Reid, 22, watching the game with friends in the back room. “In that moment, I felt such hatred for their guys, and such love for my guys.” It’s not rational, he says. “I’m aware of that.” But roaring for your side also feels good.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. dives, catches a foul ball and gets the batter out. The cheers swoop up again, spontaneous congratulations for an amazing play. “The tension is high,” says Kennah Delage, 22, who first became a baseball fan when her grandmother took her to a double-header five years ago. She’s also in the back room, keeping her focus on the game. That catch is her favourite play so far. “It shows how hard the team is working, that you can overcome the pressure against you.”

11/01/25 21:33

Springer is also on fire

-Jamie Ross

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George Springer is on fire. Even though he missed two games with a nagging side injury, which is still affecting him, he can’t stop hitting. He is 3-for-3 tonight and had two hits last night. His third single moves Gimenez to second. The Blue Jays have two runners on with two out.

11/01/25 21:30

Jays defence is on fire tonight

– Michael Snider

Offence scores runs, defence wins championships

The Jays are known for their solid defence, but the diving grabs by Varsho and Guerrero were just incredible. Run-saving plays, both of them.

11/01/25 21:29

Saturday night’s alright for fighting?

- Jamie Ross

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After throwing two brush-back pitches against Andrés Giménez, Wrobleski hit him with a pitch. That caused both benches, and bullpens, to clear. There was a sea of grey and blue on the field and lots of booing and cheering from the fans, but no punches were thrown, and everyone retreated back to their places on the field and the bench. High drama.

11/01/25 21:24

Jays gloves get hot to get them out of a bind in fourth

-Jamie Ross

The Dodgers narrowed the lead in the fourth, but the damage was limited thanks to a diving catch by Daulton Varsho in centre field, and another one by Vlad Guerrero Jr. at first base to end the inning.

With the bases loaded and one out, Varsho made a stellar grab on a sinking liner from Teoscar Hernández. Will Smith scored from the third. Then, Tommy Edman ripped a line drive down the first-base line, but it was nabbed by Guerrero. Inning over. A huge escape for the Blue Jays, who hold a 3-1 lead.

The Dodgers narrowed the lead in the fourth but the damage was limited thanks to a diving catch by Varsho in centrefield, and another one by Vlad Guerrero Jr. at first base to end the inning.

With the bases loaded and one out, Varsho made a stellar grab on a sinking liner from Teoscar Hernández. Will Smith scored from the third. Then Tommy Edman ripped a line drive down the first-base line, but it was nabbed by Guerrero. Inning over. A huge escape for the Blue Jays, who hold a 3-1 lead.

11/01/25 21:13

‘History is being made here.’

– Alanna Smith

Mike Wilson jumped out of his chair at Calgary’s Trolley 5 bar as the Blue Jays took a three-run lead in the bottom of the third. “History is being made here,” he said.

Wilson added that he feels a special connection to the Blue Jays, because he went to school with pitcher Max Scherzer’s father in St. Louis, Mo. He moved to Calgary from the United States roughly 18 months ago but considers himself an honorary Canadian.

“We’ve become so enamoured with Canada and we love this game,” he said, as cheers continued to erupt around him. He added: “I hate the Dodgers. I’m from Texas.”

11/01/25 21:11

Every party is a Blue Jays party tonight

– Shannon Proudfoot

I’m at a Halloween house party in Ottawa where the theme is “SNL50.” We’ve got two Turd Fergusons, Mary Catherine Gallagher, Stefon, two Garths and one Wayne, two sets of Hans and Franz, and Debbie Downer (your humble correspondent). But who are we kidding, the real theme of this party is the Jays. All the furniture has been removed from the middle of the living room and about two dozen people are standing or sitting in two big horseshoes around the two TVs. Bo Bichette just homered to make it 3-0 and everyone in the place went completely bananas. Apologies to the townhouse neighbours.

11/01/25 21:09

New levels of loudness

– Rebecca Zamon

I retract all previous statements about Bo Bichette – and how loud Rogers Centre can get!

That three-run home run has taken a previously electrified crowd nuclear.

11/01/25 21:07

Cheering on their favourite Jays

-Rebecca Zamon

The crowd gets loud for their favourites.

I’m now very jealous of the guys two rows ahead of me with earplugs, because it is deafening in here when the Jays are up to bat.

Now that we’ve been through the full lineup, you can see who gets the fans going. In the first inning, the crowd was on its feet from the moment Springer took position and erupted with his single. Vladdy got his own cheer, and even through his strikes the fans were going strong.

In the second, Bichette got a more muted reaction starting the inning, but Barger had people roaring again. Kirk, Varsho and Clement were beneficiaries of his performance, but Gimemez’s unfortunate at-bat with the bases full put some folks back in their seats. I’d like to think they’re just taking a rest while they can.

11/01/25 21:04

Jays take 3-0 lead with Bichette’s first career playoff homer

-Jamie Ross

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Bo Bichette opened the scoring with a three-run shot in the bottom of the third inning, his first career playoff homer. Bichette took the first pitch he saw from Ohtani and went deep, giving the Blue Jays a 3-0 lead. That was the end of the line for Ohtani, who was lifted in favour of left-hander Justin Wrobleski.

11/01/25 21:01

You can walk softly when you carry a big stick

– Michael Snider

You don’t need to run when you hit them far. Bo Bichette is clearly hurting – Ernie Clement’s two-out single should have scored a runner on second base, but because of Bo’s wonky knee he was stranded at third. So, just hit it out of the park, Bo, and don’t worry about running. Just trot.

11/01/25 21:00

For one fan, the Jays’ run is a memory of mom

– Alanna Smith

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Arthur Gallant, a Blue Jays superfan, is a familiar face at Trolley 5, a downtown Calgary bar. He has a special seat reserved for him, but he considers it a spot for two.

Gallant’s love for the Toronto team comes from his mother, Marilyn, who died in 2019 en route to watch the Blue Jays play in Pittsburgh. His best memories with her are under stadium lights or in front of the television watching their favourite team play ball.

“My biggest fear when my mom died was would I still remember her, or would I still bring her with me? I feel like she’s very much with me right now,” said Gallant.

It’s not just a metaphor: Gallant is carrying a homemade flag in memory of his mom. Sealed between two pieces of paper is a small bag of his mother’s ashes. He has also spread ashes outside of Rogers Centre, a place he described as a respite when his mother got really sick.

“It was just three hours of forgetting about what was happening outside of the stadium,” he said.

After his mother’s passing, he attended games as often as he could. For months straight, he said, people continuously came up to him to offer their condolences. “I didn’t realize how many people she knew and she touched.”

If the Jays win the World Series, Gallant jokes that he hopes there is a defibrillator nearby. He’s thankful, win or lose, that the series run has reminded him of the many wonderful memories he shared with his mother and has helped him work through the grief that continues to linger.

“This is something that I’ll have for the rest of my life,” he said. “It’s almost like my mom, even though she is not physically here, has taken on a second life in a different way.”

11/01/25 20:57

Stress by the slice

– Graham Isador

During the bottom of the second, I realized that I had been stress-eating my pizza, finishing eight slices in about 10 minutes. I’m anxious like one of those overweight house cats, completely unable to control their impulses even if it’s making them sick. If we have the bases loaded, I need the Jays to follow through. For my stomach if nothing else.

11/01/25 20:56

Reflections after the first few innings

– Michael Snider

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Scherzer’s first inning didn’t have much swing and miss. It’s always good to see hitters a little more baffled. But he got the job done. Second inning was much better, striking out Max Muncy and quickly getting Teoscar Hernández and Tommy Edman. Velocity on his fastball looked good and his slider is crisp. Ohtani, on the other hand, is having some issues with command, missing three consecutive curveballs on Springer to start the game. He’s relying on his fastball, but clearly it’s been good enough. Can’t keep missing opportunities though.

11/01/25 20:53

Downtown Toronto bars are packed

-Colin Freeze

Outside the Jason George bar in downtown Toronto, 37-year-old Jordan Brown winces as Andrés Giménez strikes out.

The out, seen on a patio TV pointing streetward, marked the end of the bottom of the second. The Jays left three men on base.

“When the bases are loaded you want something big,” Brown said. He added that he was hoping for a grand slam, but would have settled for a double. “We needed that.”

Brown had also struck out, in a manner of speaking. The bar he had planned to go to was full, so he was looking for somewhere else to watch the game. The Jason George is also packed, even on the patio, as the temperature drops toward freezing.

11/01/25 20:51

Blue Jays still scoreless after the second inning

– Jamie Ross

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The Blue Jays threatened in the bottom of the second, loading the bases with two outs.

To kick things off, Bo Bichette walked, and then Addison Barger singled to right field, moving Bichette into scoring position.

After Alejandro Kirk fouled out, and Daulton Varsho flew out to right field, Ernie Clement singled to centre, which normally would be enough for a runner to score from second.

But Bichette, who is still recovering from a knee injury he sustained in the regular season, held up at third, and the bases were loaded.

That brought No. 9 hitter Andrés Giménez to the plate. He struck out. Crisis averted for Ohtani and the Dodgers.

11/01/25 20:48

The Blue Jays’ World Series run earns them a new fan in Vancouver

– Andrea Woo

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Baseball has always been a big part of Brooke Whitaker’s life, but she didn’t watch it regularly — until the playoffs united her family behind Canada’s only MLB team.

“We watched every game,” she told The Globe from her table at the Vancouver pub Hero’s Welcome. Referencing the marathon Game 3, she added: “We did the 18 innings. I fell asleep in 14 and 15, but I got back up and finished it off.”

Whitaker takes credit for converting her baseball-agnostic husband, Paul Whitaker, into a Jays fan.

“It was a bit of the Canada-U.S. thing,” Paul said, “but also getting to know the players as the series progressed.”

11/01/25 20:44

A dose of national unity

-Erin Anderssen

While waiting for Game 7 to begin, I chatted on the phone with Chris Bell, a 36-year-old epidemiologist. He was arriving at his best friend’s family Blue Jays party in Alta Vista, a neighbourhood in south-central Ottawa. They’re expecting more than 20 people, including an uncle who is driving in from Montreal.

Bell says he has seen firsthand how the Jays have united the country, setting old team rivalries aside, muting regional differences. He watched Game 1 in an Edmonton Bar, surrounded by patrons in Blue Jays colours. On Halloween night, for Game 6, he sat on a couch, dressed like Billy Ray Cyrus, booing the nail-biting ninth inning stuck-ball call with one of the two Justin Trudeau-Katy Perry pairs at the party. Now, he’s off to what he expects will be a noisy family gathering.

“Regardless of where you sit on the political spectrum,” he says, “and what you do for your life, everyone can come together.”

Plus, as a devoted Senators fan, he points out, “I can get behind the Jays and my disdain for the Leafs doesn’t get in the way.”

The gloves come off again once hockey season starts. In the meantime, the country is sharing a moment, creating a common memory, and having fun – the kind of experience that gives more definition to our national identity.

It would also be great to beat Americans at their own “national pastime,” says Bell. “It would be the cherry on top of the whole Canada-American kerfuffle.”

11/01/25 20:42

Waiting more than a lifetime for this moment

– Andrea Woo

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It’s a full house at Hero’s Welcome, a former veterans’ club in Vancouver turned Blue Jays fan home base during the World Series.

Among those clad in blue is Olivia Pagnottaro, who’s sitting with a table of girlfriends, all in Jays gear. She says her parents were “massive” fans, and that she followed the team across the U.S. during its gripping 2015 playoff run.

Pagnottaro calls this run “unbelievable.”

“They’ve never done this in my lifetime before,” she said. “I’m 30, and the last time they did this was 32 years ago. It’s insane. They were coming off such a bad season last year, and to turn it around and be playing the World Series this year is crazy.”

11/01/25 20:33

Tough end to the first inning for Jays

– Jamie Ross

The Blue Jays had a tough end to the bottom of the first. George Springer had the crowd on its feet when he laced a leadoff single. Ohtani then struck out Nathan Lukes, which brought Guerrero to the plate with one out.

After working a full count, Guerrero watched strike three go past him. Springer ran on the pitch and was caught stealing by a mile at second base. He didn’t even slide, and eased up well before arriving at the bag.

It’s not clear if Springer is still feeling his back injury, if he thought Guerrero walked, or if he thought there were two outs.

11/01/25 20:20

Blue Jays keep Dodgers at bay in first inning

– Jamie Ross

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Despite some well-hit balls, Blue Jays starter Max Scherzer escaped the first inning without allowing a run. After Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers starting pitcher and leadoff man, kicked off the game with a well-struck single to right field, Vlad Guerrero Jr. made a diving grab on a Will Smith grounder to save a hit. Ohtani then advanced to third on a sac fly from Freddie Freeman, bringing cleanup man Mookie Betts to the plate. Betts grounded out to shortstop, stranding Ohtani on third base.

11/01/25 20:09

Altogether now in Ottawa

– Erin Anderssen

Hello everyone, I’m Erin Anderssen, the happiness reporter for The Globe and Mail. I will be writing about the joy and energy of the fans during the game. A happiness reporter in Blue Jay-themed sequins has to be good luck, right?

I’m settled in at the Nelson, a cozy pub in a historic building in Ottawa’s Sandy Hill neighbourhood that attracts a mix of university students and older residents. People are piling in now, with every table booked for the game, and clips of cheering fans from past games already loud in the room.

Co-owner Tina Sabourin, 51, is wearing a new Blue Jays jersey, a gift from her brother. “I have been waiting for this moment for 30 years,” she says. “The vibe is amazing.” The timing could not be better, she says, with the Jays and Canadian fans proving that we are not a 51^st state. “We come together, we cheer together, we stand together,” she says.

As she heads off to polish the cutlery, the anthems start on TV. At the tables, no one appears to notice - that is, until Noah Reid from Schitt’s Creek reaches the last line of O Canada.

At “we stand on guard for thee,” the room fills with claps and cheers. Game on.

11/01/25 20:06

Another (short) tale of two anthems

- Cathal Kelly

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Tonight’s national anthem comparison:

Star-Spangled Banner: Jeans very spangled, in the American style. Flawless execution. Huge pipes. Chill-inducing crescendo. Hand over heart. Just the way they draw it up at Anthem U in Orlando. 2/10

O Canada: Sung by a guy I’ve never heard of who looks like he got the nod while he was parking his car 10 minutes before first pitch. Voice: average. Presentation: average. Total effect: average. 5/10

Overall I think I get it now. Knowing that they could not compete with Los Angeles on a singing/entertaining level, the Rogers Centre gave up. Instead, they have pushed out a series of everymen/women who could be your cousin, if your cousin loved fame. A sneaky ju-jitsu move. In three hours or so, we’ll know if it worked. 8/10

11/01/25 19:59

The view from the (not so cheap) seats

-Rebecca Zamon

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It’s 7:48, and to my untrained eye Rogers Centre is about 90-per-cent full, with fans still streaming in. From the 500 level, the stadium looks essentially the same as it would during any other game, albeit filled with fans completely dressed in blue, breaking out in “Let’s go Blue Jays” chants whenever possible - and giving standing ovations to every player shown on the jumbotron.

Hi, I’m Rebecca Zamon, head of audience growth at The Globe, and I’ve spent most of the past week behind the scenes keeping the live blog running. But tonight, I’m at Game 7 of the World Series with my family. I’ve been going to Jays games since Exhibition Stadium and cannot believe I’m here.

Intermittent boos rang out as the Dodgers lineup was announced, but it was every fan on their feet for the Jays.

11/01/25 19:50

In search of tickets, part 2

– Patrick White

A few feet away from Lucky Singh, I see Aaron Hately and Todd McBride, two high school friends of mine who’ve flown from B.C. to catch the game. The only problem: no tickets.

They furiously scan online ticket vendors for seats. “By the time we decide on buying one, they’re gone,” says Hately. Hately has seen every game of the World Series live so far except the marathon Game 3 and dropped close to $20,000. When some decent seats online dip below $10,000, he pounces. “We’re in,” he proclaims to me.

11/01/25 19:42

Fans cheer as Max Scherzer begins warm up before Game 7

- Marty Klinkenberg

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Fans at Rogers Centre rise and begin cheering as Max Scherzer makes the long walk from the Blue Jays dugout to the bullpen to begin warming up before tonight’s game.

11/01/25 19:39

The Jays and Dodgers have plenty of pitching options tonight

-Michael Snider

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What can you expect tonight from Jays and Dodgers pitching?

There’s nothing like a Game 7. It’s the only date on the baseball calendar when both teams know for sure there’s no game tomorrow. No need to save arms, everyone’s available, leave it all out on the field. The way the pitching is managed tonight will be fascinating to watch. L.A. manager Dave Roberts and Jays manager John Schneider, along with Jays pitching coach Pete Walker, will have their game plans.

My guess is L.A. will be looking to ride Shohei Ohtani as far as they can, but will also be watching carefully for any signs he doesn’t have command of his pitches. Ohtani is throwing on three days’ rest - one day less than a pitcher usually sees between starts - but you can’t rely on that to be a major impediment. His last start came a day after he played 18 innings, and although he made one critical mistake, giving up a home run to Vladimir Guerrero Jr., he threw 93 pitches over six innings.

Point is, exhaustion doesn’t affect this guy as much as it would a normal human being. Behind him, Tyler Glasnow is fresh after throwing only three pitches last night. Don’t be surprised if Blake Snell comes out to face Addison Barger or Daulton Varsho or Andrés Giménez.

Max Scherzer, on the other hand, is 41, and would normally pitch five or six innings in a game. He pitches with fury and adrenaline and I’m guessing he’ll throw two or three innings. Why so few? A couple reasons.

One, just like L.A., the Jays have arms, too. Trey Yesavage will be available, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him follow Max. I’d never bet against “Everyday” Louis Varland appearing in a game - he has pitched in almost every single playoff game this year - and would expect to see Chris Bassitt and Jeff Hoffman tonight as well. In fact, it’s my hunch that the Jays set up the rotation to have Scherzer start Game 7 because they trust him to have good stuff early. They can turn to anyone after that.

Two, it can be a detriment to hitters to see a new pitcher every time they come to the plate. I say can be because there are always exceptions, but generally a pitcher’s effectiveness against the same hitter declines the more times they see him. My guess is the Jays will be looking for Max to go through the Dodgers lineup once and, depending on the situation, they’ll follow with Yesavage and look to him to go through the order at least once as well. After that, Schneider’s MO has been to try to start a reliever at the top of an inning, particularly Bassitt, but if Ohtani comes up to bat with two outs and a runner on in the 7th, I’d look for Mason Fluharty to come into the game.

While the Jays and Dodgers have ample quality arms waiting in the wings, which can be an advantage, there’s a little wrinkle in there, too. The more pitchers a team uses during the course of a game, the greater likelihood there is that one guy might just not have their best stuff that night.

11/01/25 19:30

The sign game ahead of Game 7 is strong

– Globe staff

One way that fans have consistently shown their support for the Toronto Blue Jays throughout the World Series has been through creative signage. The sign game ahead of Game 7 has been especially strong.

From a Drake-inspired slogan to a Titanic tribute with a Jays spin, supporters are out and about around the Rogers Centre before the start of the game.

Jays own October November baseball

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‘It’s been 32 years’

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Jays in 6ix (sorry) 7

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11/01/25 19:26

Guerrero chooses a ‘Captain Clutch fit’

– Graham Isador

Hey, I’m Graham Isador. I’m usually the healthy living reporter at The Globe. Leading up to start time, I’ve been anxiously shifting between my social feed and group chats. One of the bigger stories out of both has been Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s game day fit.

Guerrero showed up for Game 7 in a Marie-Philip Poulin Team Canada jersey. A three-time Olympic gold medallist and four-time world champion with the national team, Poulin was named IIHF Female Player of the Year in 2025.

Poulin has been dubbed “Captain Clutch” by fans — due to her track record of scoring game-winning goals and showing up big during crucial moments. Looks like Guerrero hopes to channel some of that energy tonight against the Dodgers.

11/01/25 19:06

In search of one ticket, any ticket

– Patrick White

Lucky Singh is desperate to see Game 7, but finding a reasonably priced ticket has been impossible. So he’s walking laps around Rogers Centre with a sign affixed to his Edwin Encarnacion jersey: “Looking for 1 ticket!! (Rock my blue turban inside!).”

He explains that when he immigrated from India he was a devout cricket fan but decided to give baseball a chance because the games seemed similar. During the first game he saw live, the great Roy Halladay was on the mound for the Jays. “I fell in love with the Jays right there,” he says.

His favourite Jays moment remains Jose Bautista’s bat flip. He’d like to replace it with a bigger, better moment — if only he can find a ticket.

11/01/25 19:04

The support for the Jays in Vancouver is palpable

-Andrea Woo

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Hi, it’s Andrea Woo in downtown Vancouver. It’s a busy sports day here, with the BC Lions, Vancouver Canucks and Vancouver White Caps all playing. But the Jays support is palpable.

I just spoke with Colleen Nelson and Dan Townrow, long-time Jays fans, at Malone’s Taphouse. Mr. Townrow says they’re the only Toronto team he cheers for.

“I’m a die-hard Canucks fan, die-hard White Caps fan, and I’m not a big Toronto fan – but when it comes to baseball, it’s Canada’s team,” he said.

They’re feeling confident going into Game 7, but said win or lose the run has been incredible because of the way it has brought people together.

“It really gets the city going,” Ms. Nelson said.

11/01/25 19:02

Yesavage ready to come out of the bullpen if needed

-Rachel Brady

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Blue Jays rookie starter Trey Yesavage has made five playoff starts and is ready to come out of the bullpen in Game 7 if needed.

“I think it’s kind of cool that he’s kind of done this in the minor leagues,” said Schneider. “He’ll be ready to go for whatever we need him.”

Yesavage has had a few days rest after pitching Wednesday in Game 5. Schneider said the Jays have targeted spots in the Dodgers lineup that they’d like to use Yesavage.

“I’m going to try to give him a clean inning,” said Schneider. “I think whenever a guy is used to starting an inning, you kind of want to do that with him, but I think he understands that that may not happen tonight.”

11/01/25 18:59

Revellers on the TTC don Jays gear while making their way to watch parties

– Rebecca Zamon

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On the southbound subway in Toronto, seemingly every other person is wearing Jays gear, with many heading to Rogers Centre or the watch party at Nathan Phillips Square, outside City Hall.

Two of those revellers heading to City Hall are Elijah Kamaras-Garland and his brother Josh, both born and raised in Toronto but not alive for the last World Series run.

“During the 2016 playoff run we watched games, but outside the stadium because we couldn’t afford tickets - kind of like now,” Elijah said with a laugh.

Elijah donned his homemade costume, Falco from the video games Star Fox and Super Smash Bros., who looks a lot like the Jays’ mascot Ace.

His prediction? “Obviously the Jays!”

11/01/25 18:44

Crowds soak in the carnival atmosphere outside Rogers Centre

– Patrick White

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The bare patches of cobblestone outside Rogers Centre are quickly filling up as the sun sets. On the stairs outside Gate 5, Spyros Karelis sways to a DJ’s beat, holding a Canada flag and wearing a Team Canada jacket. “I’m here to celebrate the unity of Canada,” he says. “Americans monopolize the sport. It’s ours, too. This is nothing to do with Trump or anything.”

Aaron Bast, 42, and his son Carter, 12, wanted to soak in the carnival atmosphere outside Rogers Centre before heading inside. “I feel like I’ve been chasing this feeling for 32 years,” Aaron says. He was his son’s age the last time the Jays won the World Series. He remembers watching with family as Joe Carter’s home run cleared the fence in 1993 to win the game. It remains one of the highlights of his life, a moment so big he passed it along to the next generation. “You wouldn’t be named for Joe Carter, would you?” I ask the younger Bast. “Yup,” he smiles. “Joltin’ Joe.”

11/01/25 18:39

N.S. mayor sticks to superstition in hopes of Game 7 win

- Erin Anderssen

On the first night of the World Series, Jamie Myra, the mayor of Lunenburg, N.S., watched the game in his living room with his 24-year-old son, Bryden. The TV glowed, the only light in the room. He was wearing his Vernon Wells jersey and his favourite vintage Jays hat.

Myra had a meeting for Game 2, and Bryden watched Game 3 with friends. Back-to-back losses. They returned to the living room. Two wins.

Guess which pair of devoted Blue Jays fans weren’t together Friday night?

So tonight, Mr. Myra promised, “we’ve returned to our winning ways.” He and Bryden will be, once again, alone in the living room with the lights out, in their usual assigned seating, having turned down all other invitations. To further boost the odds, Myra will be back in his jersey and cap from the first game. Father and son even topped up the generator with gas, so they don’t have to move if the power goes out.

Myra has been a Jays fan since 1977, the year the team joined the league. He was the 8-year-old school kid wearing the team swag sent by Ontario relatives, enduring the merciless mocking of his friends, who were all Red Sox fans. But he stuck by the Jays even during those rough, early years. He remembers Joe Carter hitting that magical home run in the bottom of the ninth in ‘93, not least because “it was my turn to gloat.”

This World Series, he said, feels even more momentous: a hardscrabble, underestimated, hard-working team from Canada holding more than their own against the richer, glitzier Americans.

The parable is not lost on him. “They have proven the little guy can win,” he said. “Like Canada, they are not lying down and saying we can’t compete.”

The Jays, he said, have brought the country – and even his Red Sox friends – together, energizing the renewed patriotism that Canadians have already been showing since the trade war with the United States began. He hopes to replace the Blue Jays flag flying in town with a World Series one tomorrow, but win or lose, he said, “it’s been a great ride.”

As he made clear to an American tourist who tried this week to buy his Bo Bichette jersey, proudly displayed in a local store window with a Canadian flag, you can’t put a dollar value on that kind of treasure.

11/01/25 18:12

Ernie Clement tied for Jays’ longest postseason hit streak

- Marty Klinkenberg

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Blue Jays infielder Ernie Clement has hits in 12 straight games in the playoffs, matching Pat Borders (1992) for the longest streak in the postseason in club history. He said this afternoon that he is so excited for Game 7 that he was unable to sleep last night and arrived at Rogers Centre earlier than usual.

“This is what you dream of as a kid,” Clement said. “I’ve played in quite a few Game 7s in my backyard over the years as a kid, so it’s going to be a lot of fun. It’s why I play the game. It’s everything I’ve dreamed of. It’s a chance to win a World Series. You know, not everybody gets to say that, so we’re going to enjoy that.”

11/01/25 17:49

Max Scherzer is the oldest pitcher ever to start a World Series game

- Marty Klinkenberg

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At 41 years and 97 days, Max Scherzer will be the oldest pitcher to start a World Series game when he takes the mound for Toronto tonight against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7. It will be his 33^rd career appearance in the postseason and his 28^th start.

Manager John Schneider appears to have no doubt that Scherzer, who is very competitive, will be ready. “I walked past him last night after the game and he looked like he was going to kill somebody,” Schneider said this afternoon.

11/01/25 17:45

How the Jays fare when it comes to winning in the seventh

- Jamie Ross

The thrill of a deciding seventh game is unmatched – in sports, anyway. That it’s happening at the World Series makes it all the more exciting. This is the 45th Game 7 in World Series history.

According to the MLB, the Blue Jays are 1-1 all-time when they have played in Game 7 of a playoff series. They won this year’s ALCS against Seattle, but lost the ALCS in 1985 to the Kansas City Royals. In winner-take-all playoff games, Toronto is 3-1 all-time.

“It’s a good mix of nerves, excitement,” Blue Jays infielder Ernie Clement said. “I mean, this is what it’s all about, so we’re ready for the moment.”

11/01/25 17:43

From 2025’s opening day to now, a different lineup for the Jays

- Marty Klinkenberg

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Four players from the Blue Jays’ opening-day lineup are not on the team’s World Series roster. José Berríos was their starting pitcher and Anthony Santander was in left field. Both are now injured.

Also, Alan Roden started in right field and Will Wagner was the designated hitter. Roden was traded to Minnesota in the deal that brought Louis Varland and Ty France to Toronto. Wagner was dealt to the San Diego Padres in July for minor-league catcher Brandon Valenzuela.

11/01/25 17:39

What’s it like to cheer for the Dodgers in Toronto? ‘Never met nicer fans’

- Patrick White

Three hours before game time, lines are already forming outside the gates at Rogers Centre. In a city where any signs of Dodgers support are conspicuously absent, Kevin Calhoun sticks out in his Dodgers hoodie and matching hat. He lives in North Carolina, Atlanta Braves territory, but his dad was a Brooklyn Dodgers fan growing up, so he’s carried on the tradition.

“I went to Game 6 last night and I’ve never met nicer fans,” he says. “I was alone out there in a sea of birds and they treated me civilly despite the intensity of the game.”

When asked to predict the outcome, he refuses to answer, saying it’s bad karma. “I will say that my dad’s gone now but it’s his birthday today,” he says, looking skyward. “Do what you can, Dad.”

11/01/25 17:34

Dodgers appreciate the Jays wearing number 51 for Dodger Alex Vesia

- Globe staff

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During Game 6, the Toronto Blue Jays’ relief pitchers had number 51 written on their hats, a tribute to Dodger Alex Vesia, who has not been playing in the World Series because of what the team has described as “a deeply personal family matter.”

The Dodgers’ relief pitchers have had his number on their hats since the beginning of the series.

Asked about it at a pregame press conference, Dodger Kike Hernández said the Jays’ gesture was taken with gratitude.

“I didn’t notice ‘til Bassitt, actually after Bassitt struck me out … and then after the game I saw that everybody had [the numbers on their hats].

“For those guys to do that, it’s incredible. They’re trying to win a World Series but they understand that life is bigger than baseball, and baseball is just a game. And for them to do that, with the stakes, hats off to them. And I want them to know that we appreciate them. Regardless of what happens tonight, we appreciate what they did.”

11/01/25 17:17

An update on Alejandro Kirk’s hand after Game 6

- Rachel Brady

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Hi, I’m Rachel Brady, a sports reporter in Toronto. I’ve been covering the Jays daily throughout the postseason. I’ll be inside Rogers Centre before, during and after tonight’s game, reporting from the press conferences, the Jays clubhouse and up in the press box.

Jays manager John Schneider said the Jays star catcher Alejandro Kirk is feeling okay today, after he was hit by a pitch during his at-bat in the ninth inning on Friday and left Game 6. A splitter thrown inside by Roki Sasaki caught Kirk in the left hand.

Kirk had X-rays on the hand, which were negative for any fractures. He will be in the starting lineup for Game 7.

11/01/25 17:14

Yes, the baseball gods are real

– Michael Snider

Baseball gods turn against teams that squander opportunities, take their foot off the gas, or when they just want to see a Game 7. Sometimes they send every line drive directly to a fielder. Sometimes they let a little cue shot drop beyond the reach of an outstretched glove. Sometimes they lodge a ball under a fence for a ground-rule double. How else to explain the lucky breaks and freak accidents that seem to happen in baseball more often than any other sport?

Praying to the baseball gods doesn’t work. You can’t plead with them, you can’t trick them – you can only sacrifice to them (as in a bunt).

If you hit 10,000 balls in the Rogers Centre right to the same place Addison Barger’s liner landed last night, you would never see that again. Did the baseball gods intervene, robbing the Jays of a dramatic come-from-behind win? Nah.

Barger’s rocket to left-centre landed right at the base of the wall and wedged between the padding and the warning track. Dead ball, two bases only. Myles Straw would have scored, narrowing the Dodgers’ lead to 3-2, but would Barger have made it to third on that hit, let alone score? Unlikely, not unless the ball took a wild bounce and skittered away from the centre fielder.

Most of the line drives that hit the Rogers Centre wall are stunned by the padding. But maybe a short-hop ricochets so high in the air Barger tries for third? Who knows. Now that would have been the baseball gods.

What I do know is we’re here because there’s one thing that’s guaranteed when it comes to the baseball gods. When there’s a chance for more baseball, they’ll make it happen.

11/01/25 16:51

The hunt for the perfect merch

– Andrew Willis

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For Game 5 of the World Series, my wife borrowed my baby-blue Vladdy Guerrero Jr. jersey to wear to the pub in east-end Toronto where we’re watching games. The Blue Jays won, in part because Addison Barger mashed a grand-slam home run in the sixth inning.

Barger’s batting prowess, or chiseled good looks, prompted my wife to offer to hand back the Guerrero jersey, if I could find her a Barger shirt in a flattering women’s cut.

I spent the next day scouring downtown Toronto for Barger swag, in women’s sizes. Sold out, everywhere. Late Thursday, I waited in line for 20 minutes to get into the Jays store in the Rogers Centre. No Bargers. My wife wore Guerrero again for Game 6.

On Saturday morning, in the build-up to the deciding game in what has truly been a Fall Classic, we walked the dog in Regent Park. We passed a store, Pro League Sports, with Jays gear in the window, walked in and grabbed what might be the last Addison Barger jersey in Toronto. My wife will wear it as an expression of affection for both a team and a player. Let’s go Blue Jays.

11/01/25 16:41

A Jays fan watches from Japan

– Adrian Lee

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Owing to an ill-timed press trip, I – a Jays fan since I was a child – found myself in Japan for the duration of this World Series.

With the Jays on the brink of potentially winning it all, my wife had to indulge me in yet another thing on Saturday morning: traveling to the suburbs of Fukuoka, Japan’s fifth-most-populous city, to watch Game 6 at the MLB Café, the weirdest baseball experience of my life.

The restaurant was about two-thirds full, and while the attendees were clearly all Dodger partisans – the Japanese are ultimately fans of their hometown players, and L.A. boasts three – they showed it only by offering light polite claps after a hit or a strikeout; otherwise, they were completely, surreally silent.

The guests may have adhered to Japanese etiquette during the game, but the rules were different when it came to Shohei Ohtani. There was a light but distinct rumbling throughout his at-bats, audible groans to his outs, and the only cheers were reserved for his successes. The room felt like it was physically tensing, with hands clasped in prayer as if for the health of a family member. Given how his face endorses every other product here, he may as well be one.

Read the full column here.

11/01/25 16:22

The Dodgers’ starting lineup for Game 7 tonight

– Globe staff

The Dodgers have released their starting lineup. Here’s the full list:

1. Shohei Ohtani (L) P
2. Will Smith (R) C
3. Freddie Freeman (L) 1B
4. Mookie Betts (R) SS
5. Max Muncy (L) 3B
6. Teoscar Hernández (R) RF
7. Tommy Edman (S) CF
8. Enrique Hernández (R) LF
9. Miguel Rojas (R) 2B

11/01/25 15:54

The Blue Jays’ starting lineup for Game 7 tonight

– Globe staff

The Blue Jays revealed their starting nine. Here’s a full list of the lineup:

1. George Springer (R) DH
2. Nathan Lukes (L) LF
3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (R) 1B
4. Bo Bichette (R) 2B
5. Addison Barger (L) RF
6. Alejandro Kirk (R) C
7. Daulton Varsho (L) CF
8. Ernie Clement (R) 3B
9. Andrés Giménez (L) SS

11/01/25 15:50

Schitt’s Creek’s Noah Reid to sing O Canada tonight

– Globe staff

Toronto-born actor and musician Noah Reid, best known for his role as Patrick on “Schitt’s Creek” (and a memorable performance of Tina Turner’s “Simply the Best”) will be singing the Canadian national anthem at Game 7.

It’s not his first time up at plate – he also did so at a Blue Jays vs. Yankees game back in April 2024 in New York. Here’s a preview of what his performance might look like:

American singer Pia Toscano will be singing the American national anthem.

11/01/25 15:44

Opinion: Heading into Game 7, the Blue Jays allow the Dodgers to regain their mojo

– Cathal Kelly

It went wrong in the third, and in a hurry. It started with a Tommy Edman double – the first hit by either team in the game. Shohei Ohtani was then intentionally walked.

In the first five games, this is the point at which the Dodgers’ engine stalls. Mookie Betts was going so poorly he’d been moved from second to third and eventually fourth in the order.

Will Smith hit a double. One run in. Freddie Freeman walked. Bases loaded, and Betts up.

If things had continued on the way they’d been going, this is where Betts swings and misses at a ball being thrown to the mound by the catcher.

Instead, Betts hit a darting single through the left side of the infield – his first RBIs of the series.

Everyone in the building was having the same idea at once: ‘Oh no, they’re awake.’

Game 7s are a toss-up, always. Momentum goes out the window, until someone scores, and then momentum’s the only thing that matters. The team that thinks it’s going to win often does. That’s certainly how the Jays beat Seattle in the ALCS. They trailed the whole time and you just knew they knew. When Springer homered, it wasn’t a relief, so much as a confirmation that what you were feeling about this team was real.

Does it feel that way to you this time?

Read the full column here.

11/01/25 15:38

Lifelong fan on the scene outside Rogers Centre

– Patrick White

Hi, I’m Patrick White. I was a 12-year-old Jays superfan when Joe Carter’s homer brought Toronto its last World Series.

Tonight, I’ll be down at SkyDome — sorry, the Rogers Centre — soaking in the scene as fans root, root, root for the Jays to win another.

11/01/25 15:36

Baseball’s memory-making abilities lives on

– Kathryn Blaze Baum

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Hi, I’m Kathryn Blaze Baum, and I’m a reporter on The Globe’s investigations team, based in Toronto. I’ll be at the game tonight, watching from the 500s.

About a week ago, my husband went through some of his keepsakes stored at his mom’s place. He found a small red duffel bag with the words “SkyDome, Opening Day, June ’89” printed on the outside. Inside were all his old baseball cards, baseball magazines, an old ball he caught at a Jays game as a kid, and a little gold keychain commemorating the Dome’s opening day. He was five years old -- a couple years before he would go to the World Series with his dad. A memory he cherishes to this day.

My love of baseball came into focus about a decade ago, when I had a debilitating concussion that took a year to fully recover from. Listening to the Blue Jays on the radio helped get me through -- the pace, the voices, the guys, the excitement, the reliability of there being a game most days during the regular season. It was comforting.

That red bag of my husband’s holds a lot of memories. And now we will make our own tonight!

11/01/25 15:31

TTC, Metrolinx add more service for World Series crowds

– Colin Freeze

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City officials have urged fans to take transit to the game and parties to avoid problems with traffic and parking, while the Toronto Transit Commission advised of increased service and potential disruptions.

The TTC said it will increase service on the two main subway lines and on downtown streetcar routes for Game 7. Planned subway closures tonight and over the weekend have been postponed to a later date.

“The TTC will also monitor series-deciding games and may need to adjust downtown bus and streetcar routes in the core,” spokesman Stuart Green said in a statement. “This could include diversions or short turns to avoid crowded streets.”

Metrolinx, which runs the region’s GO commuter rain and bus service, said it had additional trips planned.

“Metrolinx is adding additional GO services for Game 6 [and a possible Game 7] at Rogers Centre,” said spokesperson Andrea Ernesaks. The Kitchener Line, Barrie Line, and Stouffville Line will carry commuters home for around 2 a.m., she said.

- With a report from the Canadian Press

11/01/25 15:02

Where to find watch parties around the GTA

– Colin Freeze

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The game will screen in downtown Toronto tonight inside Scotiabank Arena (for a $15 entry fee, donated to MLSE Foundation), Nathan Phillips Square outside City Hall and at the University of Toronto’s Front Campus. Further north, the Aga Khan Park is hosting a public watch party.

Fans can also join watch parties in public squares in cities such as Brampton’s Garden Square, Mississauga’s Celebration Square and Aurora’s Town Square.

11/01/25 14:50

Shohei Ohtani to start for Dodgers

- Jamie Ross

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Shohei Ohtani, the US$700-million-dollar man, will earn his salary tonight. The Dodgers superstar gets the start on the mound in Game 7 of the World Series.

It’s not Ohtani’s normal turn in the starting rotation. But after Tyler Glasnow, the towering right-hander, was called into action to bail the Dodgers out of a jam late in Game 6, Ohtani gets the ball.

It’s a fitting storyline for the World Series finale: The biggest name in baseball pitching in the biggest game of his career. Of anybody’s career, really.

What’s known in baseball as the “Ohtani rule” most likely necessitated his use as a starter today. The provision allows a two-way player to hit for the entire game, even if he is removed as a pitcher.

The rule stipulates that a pitcher can remain in the batting order as designated hitter, even after he is removed from his defensive position.

11/01/25 14:45

Max Scherzer set to start for Blue Jays

- Jamie Ross

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‘Mad’ Max Scherzer will be starting for the Blue Jays tonight.

Scherzer, 41, has been on this stage before. He pitched Game 7 of the World Series in 2019, recording a no decision in the Washington Nationals’ win over the Houston Astros.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider said yesterday that Scherzer’s experience and his willingness to share it has been to the benefit of the entire team, himself included.

“He’s not afraid to be curious, he’s not afraid to share things that he’s been through that maybe I haven’t been,” Schneider said. “I’ve already had my 20-minute sit-down with him today and he’s been great. I think when you’ve been through things like this that not many people have, you can really offer some good advice and feedback.”

Scherzer has made two starts in these playoffs since being left off the roster in the American League Division Series against the Yankees. He pitched against the Mariners in the second round, recording a win, and in Game 3 of the World Series. He threw 4⅓ innings in the Blue Jays’ Game 3 loss. He has allowed five earned runs over 10 innings in the playoffs.

A two-time World Series champion, Scherzer’s intensity has become the stuff of legend across baseball, earning him the nickname Mad Max.

11/01/25 14:40

How a wedged ball thwarted a Game 6 Blue Jays comeback

– Marty Klinkenberg

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The Blue Jays seemed on the verge of another one of their stunning comebacks in Game 6 of the World Series on Friday.

Though they trailed 3-1 in the ninth inning, Roki Sasaki, the Dodgers’ closer, hit Toronto’s leadoff batter, Alejandro Kirk.

Kirk was then replaced by the speedy Myles Straw, who came on as a pinch runner. Addison Barger laced a double to left-centre field, but the ball landed at the bottom of the wall and got momentarily wedged beneath it.

As the crowd at Rogers Centre roared, Straw and Barger rounded the bases for an apparent 3-3 tie. However, the ball was declared dead, and the play was declared a ground-rule double. Straw was sent back to third and Barger to second.

Daulton Varsho, Toronto’s centrefielder, said the walls at Rogers Centre are very hard and almost always the ball caroms out.

This time, he said, it landed in a seam at the very bottom and got struck like a mouse in a glue trap.

“That is probably the only spot where that could have happened,” Varsho said. “It was a crazy inning. A couple of pitches and then it was over.”

11/01/25 14:30

Where to watch the Blue Jays game against the Dodgers tonight

– Globe staff

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Whether you want to beat the World Series crowds or the crowds beat you in the Ticketmaster race, there are plenty of options to watch Game 7 tonight at home.

Canadians can watch on television on Sportsnet or CityTV, or stream it online on Sportsnet+.

And if you’re on the move or want to listen on the radio, you can tune in to CJCL/Sportsnet 590 The FAN (590 AM) in Toronto. For fans outside the GTA, find your local Blue Jays Radio Network station here.

11/01/25 13:45

From ticket prices to uniforms, here’s what’s changed since the Jays’ last World Series in 1993

- Moira Wyton

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The last time the Blue Jays won a World Series, you had to line up or mail a cheque to buy tickets, Rogers Centre was still called the SkyDome and more than three-quarters of the team’s 2025 World Series roster hadn’t even been born.

The 1993 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies was the team’s second World Series win in a row, and holds a special place in the hearts of Blue Jays’ fans across Canada. But so much has changed for the team, its supporters and Toronto in the 32 years since.

From player salaries to uniforms and the price of hot dogs, take a look back at what’s changed since 1993.

11/01/25 13:30

The Dodgers’ official World Series roster

- Globe staff

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Los Angeles announced its full 26-man lineup for the World Series last week. Here’s a full list of the players that made the cut.

Pitchers:

• Anthony Banda
• Jack Dreyer
• Tyler Glasnow
• Edgardo Henriquez
• Clayton Kershaw
• Will Klein
• Roki Sasaki
• Emmet Sheehan
• Blake Snell (starting game 1)
• Blake Treinen
• Justin Wrobleski
• Yoshinobu Yamamoto
• Shohei Ohtani (also a designated hitter)

Infielders:

• Mookie Betts
• Freddie Freeman
• Max Muney
• Miguel Rojas

Outfielders:

• Alex Call
• Justin Dean
• Teoscar Hernández
• Andy Pages

In and outfielders:

• Tommy Edman
• Kiké Hernández
• Hyeseong Kim

Catchers:

• Ben Rortvedt
• Will Smith

11/01/25 13:30

The Blue Jays’ official World Series roster

- Globe Staff

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Toronto announced its 26-player lineup for the World Series against the L.A. Dodgers last week. Here are all the players who made it.

Pitchers:

• Chris Bassit
• Shane Bieber
• Seranthony Domínguez
• Braydon Fisher
• Mason Fluharty
• Kevin Gausman
• Jeff Hoffman
• Eric Lauer
• Brendon Little
• Max Scherzer
• Louis Varland
• Trey Yesavage (starting Game 1)

Infielders:

• Addison Barger
• Bo Bichette
• Ernie Clement
• Ty France
• Andrés Giminéz
• Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
• Isiah Kiner-Falefah

Outfielders:

• Nathan Lukes
• Davis Schneider
• George Springer
• Myles Straw
• Daulton Varsho

Catchers:

• Tyler Heineman
• Alejandro Kirk