It Doesn't Get More Painful Than Waking Up As a Blue Jay Fan Today - Reliving All Of Toronto's Golden Opportunities To Win The World Series

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Honest to God, I don't know how you wake up today as a Blue Jays fan and go about your life. If you're a true diehard who has been through the slog this franchise has endured of the years, got to witness this incredible postseason run, only to watch it all burst into flames like that? You'll never mentally recover from that kind of heartbreak. This is on the same level as the Falcons blowing a 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl, but I actually think it's worse. Let's relive the razor thing margin moments where Toronto had golden opportunities to win their first World Series in three decades. 

Game 6: LAD 3 TOR 1 - Bottom 9, 1 out, 2nd and 3rd

After Barger's hit to left center wedged in the wall for an automatic double, the Jays had runners on 2nd and 3rd with nobody out as they tried to tie the game. After Ernie Clement swung first pitch and popped out to the infield, Andres Gimenez then sent a sinking liner out to left. For whatever reason Addison Barger didn't freeze on contact like you're taught in little league and was doubled off 2nd to end the game. Tyler Glasnow entered with 2nd and 3rd nobody out and needed just three pitches to win the game and keep the series alive. Don't sleep on the pick by Rojas on the throw to second. 

Game 7: TOR 4 LAD 3 -Top 9, 1 out, 0 on

Jeff Hoffman giving up the game-tying homer in the 9th inning of Game 7 of the World Series is beyond tough. Miguel Rojas knew he was going to get something to hit with Shohei on deck and boy did he connect. A near carbon copy of Rajai Davis from 2016. So close to winning it all and you let the 9 hitter beat you. That'll live with Hoffman for the rest of his life.  

Game 7: TOR 4 LAD 4, Bottom 9, 1 out, bases loaded

Bases loaded, tie game, 1 out with the runner on 3rd representing the World Series title for Toronto. Ground ball to Rojas, who had one play to keep the World Series going and that was a throw to the plate. Initial bobble and all, he gets it in there with virtually no time to spare. Will Smith kept his foot on the plate barely to record the out. 

Here's the extra cruel part of this play, and honestly when you look back at everything it might be the most inexcusable. IKF's primary and secondary leads from 3rd were basically non-existent. He got a poor jump on contact as well and to cap it all off, he slide feet first instead of running through the plate on a force out play. 

Look here, the ball is half way to Rojas and IKF has barely started his sprint to home. Good time to note that IKF came into the game this inning as a pinch runner. This is BRUTAL. Like what the fuck, man? 

IKF said after the game they were scared of being doubled off the bag similar to what happened with Barger the night before. That's great, but with the 3rd baseman positioned where he is you have to get a better lead than that. No shot Will Smith is going to try and throw behind you in that spot either and risk losing the game with a bad toss. Also you've got a lefty pull hitter up in Varsho. You simply have to be more aggressive. You're not playing to win by doing this. The numbers paint a painful picture. 

A game of millimeters and his lead made all the difference. Get a bigger lead, a better jump, or run through the plate and the Jays are World Series champs right now. 

I'm seeing way too many people come to IKF's defense like Whit Merrifield below. 

At no point does IKF's lead match the distance Muncy was from the bag. 

Game 7: TOR 4 LAD 4, Bottom 9, 2 out, bases loaded

As if that Rojas play at the plate wasn't bad enough, the next batter Ernie Clement put a jolt into one that had Andy Pages and Kiké Hernandez colliding in left field. If this falls the Blue Jays are champions. 

The crazy part here outside of the collision is that Pages entered the game for defense two batters prior. If Tommy Edman is out there instead are the Dodgers the champs right now? What a great move by Dave Roberts to make the switch. Hell of a job by Pages to take control, especially since he was a total zero at the plate in the WS. No one cares about that anymore. 

Game 7: LAD 5 TOR 4, Bottom 11, 2 out, 1st and 3rd

And for good measure, one last tease. Toronto is one fly ball away from tying the game. They're a double in the gap from walking it off. Instead Kirk breaks his bat and Betts turns the double play to win it for the Dodgers. One last twist of the knife. 

Factor in the 18 inning loss in Game 3 and yeah that's just about the most painful championship loss I've ever seen. You go from being proud to hang in with the mighty Dodgers like they did to immense devastation. So many fucking chances. If one thing breaks their way with what I said above or in that 18 inning marathon they're the champs. That's the difference. But as Joe Davis said on the call, if you wanna beat the champs, you gotta knock em' out. 

This Toronto core may never get this close again. You just never know. This game is so fucking hard to succeed in and there are zero assurances of anything. Yes you have core guys like Vladdy Jr. and Trey Yesavage locked up for years, but what about impending free agent Bo Bichette? Ernie Clement is a nice ball player, but this dude just set the single postseason record for hits. You're getting that again? In theory they'll improve the bullpen and maybe the the SP as well, but repeating this kind of run is very fucking hard. Toronto is +2000 to win the World Series in 2026. There might not be a 2027 season. That was your golden opportunity. I don't know how I'd live with myself today after going through that. I was only 8 when 2001 happened so I can't entirely relate, but I guess it falls under similar devastation. The big difference is that the Yankees had won 3 titles in a row heading into that WS while Toronto had a multiple decades long drought. 

I'd rather lose how the Yankees did in 2024 than this and it's not particularly close. Baseball is a sick, sadistic, twisted sport that we love for some reason. Why do we do this to ourselves?