Centimetres.
That’s how close the Toronto Blue Jays were to a third World Series championship. Centimetres. But it wasn’t meant to be.
Jays fans across Prince Albert watched in shock as the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied from a 4-2 deficit to beat Toronto 5-4 in extra innings in Game 7 of the 2025 World Series on Saturday.
A win would have given the Blue Jays their first title since 1993 when they won their second of back-to-back championships. Instead, it was the Dodgers celebrating back-to-back titles, the first time a team has won two straight World Series’ since the New York Yankees won three in a row from 1998 to 2000.
“I remember the last time they (the Jays) won,” said local Jays fan Rowland Corrigal. “I remember exactly where I was (in ’93) so if that moment had happened again tonight, I’d probably remember this 30 years from now too.”
Corrigal said this World Series was about more than baseball for many people. Relations between Canada and the US have been frosty since the recent election of U.S. president Donald Trump, and that’s brought more attention to sporting events like the NHL’s Four Nations Cup, and the Toronto vs Los Angeles World Series.
“Obviously there’s a lot of political tensions right now, so I think a lot of Canadians were really looking forward to not just getting a win after 32-years, but also seeing us upset the country below us,” Corrigal said.
“There was a lot of chances on both sides. Sometimes it’s just luck. I think in the end it was two really good teams that met up.”
Despite the heartbreak, Jays fans across Prince Albert focused on the positives. Longtime Jays fans Koby Nelson and Joshua Stephani watched the game at The Canadian Brewhouse in Prince Albert. Both said they were proud of what the team accomplished.
“I’m disappointed, but it was a good season,” Nelson said. “This is the best year they’ve played in like 32 years. I’ve been watching for about 11 years now and I think that this is their best year.”
“Tonight was disappointing, but it was still a pretty good season in my opinion,” Stephani added.
Saturday’s loss revived the age old question about whether it’s better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all. The Jays weren’t blown out on Saturday. Instead, they entered the top of the ninth clinging to a one run lead, and needing only three outs to secure the title.
After LF Enrique Hernandez struck out swinging, Dodgers 2B Miguel Rojas silenced sports fans across Canada with a solo home run off reliever Jeff Hoffman.
Even then, the Jays had a chance to win the game in the bottom of the ninth when they loaded the bases with only one out. With the infield drawn in, Toronto CF Daulton Varsho hit a chopper back to Rojas, who threw out Jays pinch-runner Isiah Kiner-Falefa trying to score from third.
In Prince Albert, fans at the Ches Leach lounge jumped into the air thinking Kiner-Falefa had beaten the throw. Those celebrations were abruptly silenced before he was called out. While many initially thought Dodgers catcher Will Smith failed to touch home plate, replays showed he did, by mere centimetres.
“From some angles it looked like he was safe, but I could see the tip of his foot hit home plate there,” Nelson said. “It’s a call that was tough, but I think it was the right call.”
The final dagger came in the top of the 11th, when Smith hit Los Angeles’ third solo home run of the night to put the Dodgers up for good. Jays put runners on the corner with one out, but catcher Alejandro Kirk grounded into a double play to end the game.
When this season started, the Jays hadn’t been in a World Series for 32 years. Prince Albert sports fans are confident it won’t take another 32 for them to get back.
“I hope they can learn from what happened this year and build off that and we’ll see them maybe next year,” Corrigal said.
“I feel that if we keep going with the team and don’t let go of anymore players, I think that we can pull through next year and come back,” Nelson added.
