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The Toronto Blue Jays have reflected on their agonizing loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series.
The Blue Jays looked set to win their first World Series since 1993 when they entered the ninth inning with a 4-3 lead. But with one out, and Toronto’s Jeff Hoffman facing the Dodgers’ No 9 hitter, Miguel Rojas, the reliever threw a hanging slider which Rojas launched for the tying home run. Will Smith then hit the winning home run in the 11th inning off Shane Bieber, the first time the Dodgers had led all night.
“It sucks,” Hoffman said after the 5-4 defeat. “Supposed to end differently. Was just one pitch. I cost everybody here a World Series ring. It feels pretty shitty.”
Bieber had his own regrets. “Hung a slider to a great guy who hits sliders well,” Bieber said. “He was looking for it. I didn’t execute. This one stings. It’s going to sting for a while. This game is not for the faint of heart.”
The Blue Jays had plenty of chances to win their first title in 32 years. They had led the best-of-seven series 3-2 before losing the final two games in their own stadium. They also had the bases loaded in the ninth inning on Saturday night but could not find the decisive hit. Ernie Clement, who set an MLB record with 30 hits this postseason, said he was in tears for an hour after the game. He added he did not blame any of his teammates, despite the team holding a 3-0 lead after the third inning.
“We gave it everything we had,” Clement said. “When you fall short but you can say you left it all out there, there’s something to be proud of there.
“I would go to war with Jeff Hoffman every day of the week. I want him on the mound. I want Bieber on the mound. Ninety-nine times out of 100 those guys get the job done. Obviously, it just wasn’t our night.”
However, future hall of famer Max Scherzer, Toronto’s starting pitcher for Game 7, reflected on how far the team had come after finishing last in the AL East in 2024.
“I’m 41 years old and I never thought I could love baseball this much,” Scherzer said as he wiped away tears. “My love for the game was so strong because of their love for the game.
“That loss is so tough because you’re so close to everybody. This team had that closeness, had that camaraderie. We had that passion not only for the game but for each other.”
