Blue Jays' Stunning Collapse Delivers Generational Trauma to Toronto Sports Fans

Or: Mariners fans enjoy one of the most epic MLB comebacks of all-time.

Facing elimination. Two outs in the 8th. Bases loaded. Up three. Bloop hit to the outfield. Then this. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)

I.

I wasn’t sure whether to title this post “Toronto Catastrophe” or “Seattle Miracle.” Both things happened during the same event, so it’s really a matter of perception. If you’re a Mariners fan, yesterday’s improbably comeback win gave you literally the best moment in the history of baseball in the Pacific Northwest. If you’re a Blue Jays fan, you may have thrown up and passed out.

Since we all remember our traumas way more vividly than our W’s, I’m leading with Toronto here. Up seven runs in an elimination game only to lose and the biggest play involves a collision on a bloop with two outs that allows three runs to score? That’s enough to scar every Canadian between the ages of 9 and 99 for life.

I don’t know what shortstop Bo Bichette was thinking as he charged into the outfield on what was clearly centerfielder George Springer’s ball. Actually, I do. He was thinking: If we let this ball drop it will terrorize a nation already reeling from having to recognize Prince Charles as its new king. And so Bichette went barreling toward Springer, as Springer sprinted toward the ball. They smacked into each other, with Springer’s head taking the business end of Bichette’s elbow. It was a scary scene as the two men lay flat on the outfield turf, neither with the ball, while three Seattle runners scampered home to tie the game.

There was no doubt at that point who would win it:

Sarah Langs @SlangsOnSports

THE MARINERS 7-RUN COMEBACK WIN - Largest comeback in postseason road game - Largest comeback to clinch a PS series - Tied for 2nd-largest comeback win in any postseason game

For any Blue Jays fans reading this: I am so sorry. What happened to you was baseball witchcraft, and when the Gods of the sport unleash their wrath like this there is nothing to be done. Don’t blame Bichette, who was ready to give his life to catch that ball, while some players can’t even be bothered to show up to the field for a workout. (More on that later!)

And if you’re a Mariners fan? Well, the whole world is rooting for you to knock out the Astros. Godspeed.

---

This is a reader supported newsletter. Both free and paid versions are available. The best way to support me and my work (and to buy me some Red Bulls during October) is to take out a paid subscription now:

---

II.

Speaking of not showing up!

Lindsey Adler @lindseyadler

Aroldis Chapman will not be on the ALDS roster, Aaron Boone says. Chapman was supposed to be here on Friday for team workouts but did not show up.

Chapman was obviously having a down season, but this is a man taking the heel turn too far. You can never have too much pitching in the playoffs. On the other hand, the sheer number of Yankee fans who have liked this post leads me to believe the team might be better off without him.

III.

I was happy to see Jacob deGrom shine last night, not because I have any rooting interest in the Mets vs Padres series, but because I am exhausted by the “Ace Chokes in the Playoffs” narrative. Mets ‘starters have to face Manny Machado and Juan Soto multiple times a game. Those two are in the top 10 of the best hitters on planet Earth. It is not deGrom’s job to throw a no-hitter against a lineup like that. All he needs to do is fire 6-ish innings and give up zero to two runs to be worth whatever money New York is paying him. He did exactly that, and the Mets offense finally woke up, delivering them a 7-3 win that got scary in the ninth but turned out fine.

Those of you who were in our live chat last night know I was calling for Buck Showalter to bring in Edwin Diaz to face Juan Soto and Manny Machado in the 8th. Especially after what we saw in Toronto with manager John Schneider waiting too long to go to his best reliever, Jordan Romano. Showalter did one better, bringing Diaz into the game in the seventh with Soto due up fourth. Maybe he didn’t want a situation where Diaz would have to come in mid-inning with a runner on to face Soto? Maybe he’s still scarred from that time he was managing a tied playoff elimination game and forgot to bring in his best reliever and then lost.

Whatever the reason, Showalter has been radicalized by nerd thought, which is something I love to see. Unlike the rest of the Internet, I had zero problems with him using his best bullet with the season on the line. The Blue Jays failed to do that, and now their fans are stuck counting on the freaking Maple Leafs to perform well in the playoffs to salvage this mess of a year. (I know very little about hockey but I know the only sports fans who get nervous faster than Mets fans are Leafs fans.)

Showalter wound up looking like a genius. Diaz came into the game in the seventh and kept the Mets up by a run, then New York’s offense exploded in the bottom of the 7th for four insurance runs. He left Diaz in to face Soto and Machado in the top of the 8th with a five-run lead, which is also something I would do in an elimination game. (Just look at the mess Adam Ottavino made of the bottom of the ninth).

If the Mets lose today because Diaz implodes due to fatigue, that’s on Diaz, not Showalter. We tend to only notice managers and umpires when they screw up, but from my seat 3,000 miles away, Showalter was masterful last night.

We’re going to have another live discussion tonight during Game 3 of the Mets vs. Padres game, which begins at 4:07 PT/ 7:07 ET. The last two chats have been so much fun. As a reminder, our chats are only for paid subscribers. Come join us!

IV.

Paul Goldschmidt is probably going to win the National League’s Most Valuable Player award, unless it goes to his teammate Nolan Arenado. Goldschmidt built up a huge lead over the field and should have coasted to the award, but stumbled through a not-great September in which he hit .245 and slugged just two home runs.

He stunk in the wild-card series against the Phillies, too, going 0 for 7 with four strikeouts and no walks. Arenado was barely any better. He went 1 for 8 with two strikeouts and no walks.

Yadier Molina and Albert Pujols each singled in their final career at-bats to set up late rallies, but the Cardinals are built on the premise that Goldschmidt and Arenado will not go 1 for 15 combined with no walks and six strikeouts in a playoff series. There was never any formula for St. Louis to win with their two best hitters going AWOL.

Meanwhile, Aaron Nola shined for the Phillies and I’m happy for him.

Matt Gelb @MattGelb

No one has started more Major League Baseball games since the beginning of the 2018 season than Aaron Nola, and in his postseason debut, he dazzled for 6 2/3 innings. Here comes José Alvarado.

The Phillies were generally considered the worst of the 12 teams to make the playoffs this season. This probably means we will see them in the World Series in a few weeks.

V.

The Guardians and Rays contest went from a gorgeous 0-0 elimination game in the sixth inning, to a 0-0 elimination hellscape in the 15th in a matter of two hours. As someone who attended the seven hour and twenty-minute World Series game in 2018 and sat in the nosebleeds at Dodger Stadium, I was mostly concerned that Progressive Field would run out of food and drink like they did in L.A. on that dreadful night, forcing some of us to fill our beer cups with bathroom sink water to survive (yuck).

Tampa’s pitching remains the eighth wonder of the world, but they forgot to register for an offense last Christmas. I don’t care how good the Guardians’ pitching is: Tampa scored 1 run in 24 innings. Contraction is on the table. If Randy Arozarena refuses to shorten his swing, we must reconsider all the options so we never have to sit through watching a team strike out 29 times in two games ever again.

The Guardians (or “Guards” as Cleveland’s legendary radio broadcaster Tom Hamilton calls them, which I love!) will now also have the rest of the world rooting for them as they take on the New York Yankees in the second round.

I’m guessing the Guards’ pitching staff will look a little less dominant now that they have to face Aaron Judge and his friends, but I think the series will wind up being closer than most people think. I follow the Yankees and Mets about as closely as I follow the Dodgers, and the Yanks haven’t exactly been the scary team down the stretch that they looked like they would be back in April and May.

Will Aaron Judge cap off his historic regular-season run with a postseason performance for the ages?

I’m sure we’ll be talking about it either way for the next four months. So subscribe now so you don’t miss out on anything!