The Toronto Blue Jays experienced a devastating Game 7 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, culminating in an emotional aftermath for the team. On Wednesday night, the match opened with a fireworks show. The Blue Jays came out firing, taking a decisive 3-0 lead after just three innings. The Dodgers rallied back, ultimately winning the game and the World Series with a decisive home run in the 11th inning.
For Max Scherzer, the 41-year-old starting pitcher for the Blue Jays, the loss weighed heavily on him. Following the game, tears were flowing as he processed everything he was feeling. He could not contain his overwhelming love for a game that broke his heart.
“I’m 41 years old and I never thought I could love baseball this much,” – Max Scherzer
Despite their strong start, the Blue Jays were not untouched by the injury bug. That bad momentum changed all the way back to the Dodgers when Jeff Hoffman came in and immediately gave up a tying home run to Miguel Rojas. Cleveland ace Shane Bieber pitched in the game, and he had a memorable matchup with Will Smith in the 11th inning. Sadly, that’s when he surrendered the walk-off home run. After the game, Bieber was hard on himself, saying that he was upset about making a critical pitch that resulted in the home run.
“Hung a slider to a great guy who hits sliders well,” – Shane Bieber
In a display of sportsmanship and unity, Ernie Clement emphasized that the team gave everything they had throughout the series. He set an MLB record with 30 hits during this postseason. Beyond the outward manifestations, he struggled internally to deal with the absence. As with Scherzer, he was so moved that he broke down and wept for an hour once the game was over.
Trey Clement explicitly stated that he doesn’t fault his teammates for what went down. The Blue Jays were feeling good coming into Game 7. After all, they’d only recently rallied from a 3-2 series hole to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers. Their journey came full circle with a surprise twist in a matchup that featured the highest level of grit and determination.
Fellow entrepreneur Jeff Hoffman articulated that sense of loss in stark terms, saying, “It sucks to lose.” This feeling struck a profound chord with the squad, who had battled so defiantly through the entire postseason.
Though they lament the taste of this stinging defeat, the Blue Jays will hopefully have the acquired wisdom in years to come. Even though they did not win the championship in the end, their journey reflects their unshakeable spirit. Unsurprisingly, their passion for the game shines through in every step they took.