When the Blue Jays' season ended in heartbreak Saturday, Hela Makiling was surprised to find herself sobbing outside a Toronto bar.
The 30-year-old web designer started watching the playoffs just to bond with her baseball-loving partner, but somewhere along the way she fell in love with the game—and the nightly ritual that brought them together.
As the Los Angeles Dodgers cruised to a 5-4 victory in 11 innings to win Game 7 of the World Series against the Jays, Makiling watched from the Drake Hotel with her boyfriend, overcome by the melancholy that had swept through the city. The game attracted an average viewership of 10.9 million viewers on Sportsnet.
“I just started crying and I was in shock because until that moment I didn’t think I was an athletic person,” the Toronto resident recalls.
“And then my boyfriend turns to me and says, 'I'm so grateful I got to spend this entire postseason with you,'” she adds, breathless.
With her partner soon moving to Switzerland for work, watching the Jays' playoff game became a treasured routine, making the loss especially bittersweet.
“I'm not dealing with it in the smartest way because I keep watching videos of Vladdy (Guerrero Jr.) looking sad after the game.”
For many Toronto fans, the Jays' postseason was about more than just baseball – it was a reason to gather with friends, family and teammates night after night. Now that the season has ended in a crushing defeat, fans like Makiling are left to wander in silence, reflecting on the overall experience and figuring out how to fill the sudden void.
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For Guy Felicella, a 56-year-old father of two from Vancouver, the postseason has become a multi-generational ritual, sparking a newfound love for the game in his youngest son, five-year-old Leo.
“He just became a fanatic. He loves Bo Bichette. He started asking all these questions about how to play the game. It was such a good bonding experience for me,” the speaker says.
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Felicella watched every game with Leo and his 11-year-old brother Noah, and the kids didn't even sleep until the end of the 16th inning of an 18-inning Game 3 thriller against the Dodgers.
When the Jays lost Game 7, Felicella says he was “devastated.”
“I just turned off the TV. I didn't want to see any of this.”
Luckily, his sons took the loss of Jay pretty well. They fill the void by watching NHL games. But Felicella says he can't commit to just one sport like baseball: “There are 162 games a year in the regular season, and hockey is about 82. When you get caught up in that, it takes a physical and mental toll.”
Meanwhile, Leo is optimistic about next season. He's looking forward to attending his first Jays game.
“After the loss, I put him to bed and he was still wearing his Jays cap. He told me he loved me. I mean, that's it. He'll be a Jays fan for life, but the most important thing is that it brought us closer together.”
While Leo is just discovering the thrill of playoff baseball, Cecilia Reyes has been there for it all. At 94, she has followed the Jays for decades, attending games when she can and watching every postseason game since moving to Canada in 1973. She watched the Jays win back-to-back World Series titles in 1992 and 1993 and hoped they could recreate that magic.
“I've been watching the game for a long time and I really love the Jays, but I'm so disappointed that we lost,” said Reyes, who was born in Trinidad.
She followed every playoff game with her daughter and son-in-law, cheering when the Jays beat the Dingers and quietly mourning with them when the team fell behind.
“Whenever we won, we laughed, we jumped, we clapped,” she says.
“We were very, very sad when we lost. But I told my family, 'That's the way of the game.' There must be a loser and a winner.”
Reyes says he will root for the Toronto Raptors and Maple Leafs.
“I love sports. Any game that's on TV, I'll watch.”
However, Jace holds a special place in her heart. She's already counting down the days until spring training.
“I hope the good Lord will give me life to see them play again next year,” she says.
“If they continue to train, learn from their defeat and give their best, I think good things will happen.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 4, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
