Toronto Blue Jays' improbable last-to-first run

As perpetual also-rans the Toronto Blue Jays clawed their way back into Major League Baseball's World Series after another comeback win last night against the Seattle Mariners, many people are probably wondering,"How the hell did that happen?"

Toronto has pulled off an improbable last-to-first stunt. After a horrible 2024 season, the Jays won the American League East Division this year, ahead of a strong and highly-fancied Yankees team. They also went on to beat the Yankees reasonably easily in the first round of the post-season, before dismissing Seattle in a roller-coaster seven games in the AL Championship Series.

What's interesting, though, is that they have done it with pretty much the same team as had such a dismal season just a year ago. Same manager too.

This year's stars, like Vladimir Guerrero Jr., George Springer, Alejandro Kirk, Bo Bichette and Addison Barger, all played for the Jays in 2024. They just didn't play that well (Guerrero Jr. excepted). This offensive nucleus just seems to have turned it around this year. 

After a bad season, the Blue Jays had a pretty active time trading at the Trade Deadline and in the off-season. But it wasn't those acquisitions that has made the difference this year; it was the existing roster players. In fact, most of their big trade plays (Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto, Roki Sasaki) came to nothing, and one big one they did make, Anthony Santander, proved disappointing, even before his injury.

Yes, they acquired some quality on the mound, with Max Scherzer and Jeff Hoffman, but it has mainly been Toronto's hot batting that has got them where they are today (and, in the post-season, they have even done it without Bo Bichette, who is still off injured).

So, the old guard are getting it done. Don't ask how, just go with it. They now face the defending championship - and huge favourites - LA Dodgers next. Oh, and Shohei Ohtani... But it still feels pretty nice being in the World Series again after all those years (I'm still wearing the 1993-4 sweatshirt from last time).