TORONTO — Third baseman Ernie Clementeyes filled with tears as he spoke to reporters at one end of the clubhouse, and tears streamed down the pitcher's left side. Max Scherzerface on the other side of the room. Meanwhile, closer Jeff Hoffman– his voice trembled and cracked when he took the blame for Toronto Blue JaysA devastating loss in extra innings in Saturday's Game 7 of the World Series against Los Angeles Dodgers.
The team's emotions after the game were raw and unfiltered.
“It sucks,” Hoffman said after the 5-4 loss. “It should have ended differently. There was only one serve. I cost everyone here a World Series ring. It looks pretty shitty.”
Hoffman was two outs away from making a save that would have the nation celebrating. Instead, the Dodgers second baseman Miguel Rojas put him well ahead at 3–2, leveling the score. Two innings later, Dodgers catcher Will Smith did the same thing with the starter turned into a fuse Shane Biebergiving the Dodgers their first lead of the night and the eventual victory.
“Give a slider to a great guy who is good with sliders,” Bieber said. “He was looking for him. I didn't execute. This one stings. It will sting for a while. This game is not for the faint of heart.”
Scherzer said Saturday's loss was even more heartbreaking because of the camaraderie within the team.
“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.”
Scherzer, 41, pitched 4⅓ innings in Game 7, giving up just one run on four hits before leaving to a standing ovation. He vowed he didn't throw his last major league pitch, but said he was in no condition to expand his plans for the future.
Scherzer left the game with a 3-1 score thanks to Bo Bichette three-run homer in the third. Like Scherzer, Bichette is a free agent but has subsequently retained his desire to remain in Toronto.
“I want to stay here, but I just lost Game 7,” Bichette said, dodging further questions about his future. “I hit that homer, but the game wasn’t over at that point.”
The Jays held the lead until the ninth, when Hoffman gave it up to Rojas. The crowd fell silent, hoping the end of the inning would lead to the winning play. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.The blast to center field gave them a moment of hope, but even the Jays' star knew it wouldn't go away.
“People who know me know that I stand at home plate and watch them go,” Guerrero said through the team's translator. “I knew it wasn’t going to go away.”
After it was over, Guerrero walked to each locker room to deliver a message to his teammates.
“Told them how proud they were of their work,” he said. “I couldn’t be more proud of my teammates and everything we accomplished this year.”
It was the same message manager John Schneider delivered in what he called his first team meeting all season. This came after their heaviest defeat.
“I said thank you,” Schneider said. “I said thank you probably 10 times. And that was the main message.”
Perhaps the most emotional was Clement. He set the record for most hits in a single postseason with 30, although one more – in the ninth inning with the bases loaded – could have won the series. Instead, he was mugged against the wall by the Dodgers' center fielder. Andy Pages.
Clement said he cried and hugged his teammates for an hour after the game.
“We gave him everything we had,” Clement said. “When you fail and you can say you left it all there, that’s something to be proud of.
“I would 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.”
But this was their season, at least until the very end. Finished last in 2024, the Blue Jays won the AL East and reached Game 7 of the World Series. While it wasn't their desired ending, Blue Jays players said the journey was meaningful.
“Everyone here is very devastated,” pitcher. Kevin Gausman said. “We're a really good team. It took them a perfect game and a great last couple of innings to beat us, and that’s what happened.”
Bieber said: “This band is unlike any other I've ever been a part of. It’s a feeling we all feel personally.”
