The Toronto Blue Jays have reflected on their agonizing loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series, a 5-4 defeat in 11 innings that saw them squander a late lead.
The Blue Jays looked set to win their first World Series since 1993 when they entered the ninth inning with a 4-3 lead. But reliever Jeff Hoffman threw a hanging slider to Dodgers No 9 hitter Miguel Rojas, who launched it for a tying home run. Will Smith then hit the winning homer in the 11th inning off Shane Bieber, marking the first time the Dodgers led all night.
“It sucks,” Hoffman said. “Supposed to end differently. Was just one pitch. I cost everybody here a World Series ring. It feels pretty shitty.” Bieber added his own regret: “Hung a slider to a great guy who hits sliders well. He was looking for it. I didn’t execute. This one stings. It’s going to sting for a while.”
Ernie Clement, who set an MLB record with 30 hits this postseason, said he was in tears for an hour after the game. “We gave it everything we had,” Clement said. “When you fall short but you can say you left it all out there, there’s something to be proud of there.” He defended his teammates, saying he would go to war with Hoffman and Bieber every day.
Starting pitcher Max Scherzer, 41, reflected on the team’s journey after finishing last in the AL East in 2024. “I’m 41 years old and I never thought I could love baseball this much,” Scherzer said. “This team had that closeness, had that camaraderie. We had that passion not only for the game but for each other.”
