Advantage Blue Jays, as They Head Home for Game 6 (and Possibly 7)

[Sam Charles]

This is not the best Blue Jays team ever. Not even close. However, the 2025 Blue Jays are only the third team in franchise history to be a win away from being world champions. And they sure are fun to watch.

Game 5 started with a bang. Two bangs, in fact, with both Davis Schneider and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homering to start the contest. Those home runs were the first back-to-back jacks in the first inning of a World Series game ever. That’s all that Trey Yesavage would need to place his team on the verge of a championship.

Every player who has suited up for the team this season has made their mark. This group doesn’t rely on one or two stars, and it doesn’t have to, because so many players have contributed, from Eric Lauer to Paxton Schultz to Joey Loperfido, and everyone in between. That collective effort has brought the Jays to one win away from winning it all. This season has been a masterclass in chemistry, adaptability and belief.

Are they as good as the teams in the mid-eighties with Dave Stieb, Tom Henke, Jesse Barfield and George Bell, or the early nineties squads with Juan Guzman, Pat Borders and Joe Carter? No.

Are they as good as the 2010s teams that featured Jose Bautista, Josh Donaldson and David Price? No. Yet, with a resiliency and a camaraderie that have been on full display in the playoffs, the 2025 Blue Jays have been able to keep the line moving.

Through so many tight games and comeback wins, the Jays have displayed a steady emotional balance. They never seem to get too high after a win or too low after a setback. That even-keeled mentality has become their signature, and it’s paying off when it matters most.

There is no question that Guerrero is already one of the best Blue Jays of all time, and he has solidified that standing after a playoff run (so far) for the ages. This postseason has been a defining stretch of his career. It has been a stretch that has elevated him from star to icon. His clutch hitting, leadership, and emotional intensity have ignited the team. He’s already earned his big contract and become the face of this new generation of Blue Jays baseball. If the Jays can complete the job, he’ll be immortalized alongside names like Joe Carter, Roberto Alomar, and Paul Molitor.

The rest of the roster has played well beyond expectations throughout the regular season and playoffs. Bo Bichette, seemingly playing on one leg, has provided an extra boost these last few days. It is very reminiscent of Kirk Gibson in the 1988 World Series. Now, Bichette and his team sit only a win away from the franchise’s third world championship.

The Los Angeles Dodgers brought their $350 million roster loaded with All-Stars and MVPs to the World Series. The Jays, on the other hand, have a $251 million payroll. If anything, what we’ve seen over the first five games of the World Series is that these teams are closely matched.

On paper, the Dodgers have an advantage when it comes to starting pitching and top-of-the-lineup power, but in action, that advantage has seemingly flipped. Despite splitting the opening two games at home and dropping Monday’s 18-inning game, the Jays leave Los Angeles in the driver’s seat.

In Game 5, Yesavage was just as dominant as Yoshinobu Yamamoto earlier in the series. He found his splitter, and that made every Dodger hitter look uncomfortable at the plate all night. After less than 10 games in the majors, he may have already solidified a spot in Blue Jays’ lore.

The Jays have outscored the Dodgers 29-18. Their combination of solid starting pitching, timely hitting, and airtight defence has quieted the Dodgers’ advantage in star power. And as we go to bed tonight, the Jays have pulled within just one game of ending a drought of 32 years.

The Blue Jays' 2025 formula has been simple yet effective: aggressive early offence, reliable defence, and just enough relief pitching to close the door. Their bullpen, viewed as a potential weakness during the regular season, has stepped up when it's mattered most.

Even Monday’s 18th-inning loss didn’t seem to faze this club. Instead, they rebounded with two games on the road where they were clearly the better team.

So many people watching this team have commented on what a joy it is to watch them. They act like they are playing a game and sincerely enjoy playing together. That’s not always the case in professional sports. Without question, that chemistry is at the heart of their success.

The World Series trophy will be presented in Toronto on Friday or Saturday. That has only happened once before. It was the Jays’ second World Series championship in 1993, won on the unforgettable walk-off home run by Joe Carter.

For fans who weren’t around back then, 2025 offers a new chapter, a chance to create October memories. The Rogers Centre will be packed and electric on Friday for Game 6.

Until then, enjoy the day off and have sweet dreams of what Friday (and Saturday, if necessary) might bring. The Jays are lined up with every pitching option they could ask for. Yesavage going seven innings on Wednesday means the entire bullpen will be well rested. Shane Bieber will probably also be available, and with the way Chris Bassitt pitched on Tuesday, the Jays are looking as good as they possibly could, needing to win just one back home. Kevin Gausman is slated to start for the Jays on Friday, with Max Scherzer scheduled for Saturday if necessary.

In baseball, a team has to earn every out, every run, and every victory. The 2025 Toronto Blue Jays have earned their shot, and if they can close it out at home, they’ll do more than just win a championship. This team will remind everyone what makes this game, and this franchise, so special.

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