The Toronto Blue Jays have given it some thought. their painful loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series.
The Blue Jays looked poised to get their first win. World Series since 1993, when they entered the ninth inning tied 4–3. But with one out and Toronto's Jeff Hoffman facing Dodgers No. 9 hitter Miguel Rojas, the pitcher threw a hanging slider that Rojas launched for the tying home run. Will Smith then hit the game-winning home run in the 11th inning off Shane Bieber, giving the Dodgers the lead for the first time all night.
“It sucks,” Hoffman said after the 5-4 loss. “It should have ended differently. It was just one pitch. I cost everyone here a World Series ring. It's pretty crappy.”
Bieber had his own regrets. “Give 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 will 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 led the seven-game series 3–2 before losing their final two games at their stadium. They also loaded the bases in the ninth inning Saturday night but couldn't find the winning hit. Ernie Clement, installer Major League Baseball record with 30 hits this postseason, said he cried for an hour after the game. He added that he didn't blame any of his teammates, despite the team leading 3–0 after the third inning.
“We gave him everything we had,” Clement said. “When you fail but can say you left it all there, there is something to be proud of.
“I'd 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, these guys get the job done. Obviously, it wasn't our night.”
However, future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer, Toronto's starting pitcher in Game 7, reflected on how far the team has come since finishing last in the 2024 AL East.
“I’m 41 years old and I never thought I could love baseball so much,” Scherzer said, wiping away tears. “My love for the game was so strong because of their love for the game.
“This loss is so hard because you are so close to everyone. There was such closeness, such camaraderie on this team. We had such passion, not only for the game, but for each other.”
