Soakin’ in the Tubb: Blue Jays have opportunity to write generational moment

By JAMES TUBB on October 24, 2025.

The Toronto Blue Jays have long been a franchise built on memories.

Flashes of Mike Timlin fielding the final out of the 1992 World Series, the first title in franchise history. A moment in history followed up with the organization’s crowned swing, Joe Carter’s belt to left field, where he touched ’em all en route to a back-to-back World Series.

Two seasons of moments that have kept the Blue Jays passion burning as more often than not, summer has dimmed into autumn far too soon. There have been chances to create new legacies, the 2015 AL East division title re-invigorated a fan base as fast as Jose Bautista chucked his bat aside after his three-run home run to down the Texas Rangers.

But for a long time, the draw of the Blue Jays has been a push for replication. Trying to re-live the legacies of the early 90s, yearning for new heroes to shine like Carter, Pat Borders, Paul Molitor, Juan GuzmÃ¡n, Todd Stottlemyre and others did so long ago.

For many Jays fans, myself included, the idea of a World Series could only be achieved through video games or through more experience fans recount of the glory days. This season, the 49th rendition of Blue Jays baseball, the boys in blue have created a summer that stretches halfway through October.

They’ve also put themselves within reach, four lousy wins from reaching the pinnacle of baseball and enshrining themselves among the Blue Jays greats. The 173 games of Toronto baseball this season have brought many moments to unite fans across the country.

A four-game sweep of the New York Yankees on Canada Day weekend, to take first place in the division. They beat up on the Tampa Bay Rays to hold onto the division in the last week before decimating the Yankees through four games of the Division Series to advance to the ALCS.

That series win over New York, as did the seven-game win over the Seattle Mariners to punch the World Series ticket, brought new heroes into the Blue Jays mix.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the year before his $500-million contract kicks in, tied the franchise playoff home run record and has found his knack for the big moment in his seventh season. The grizzled 26-year-old has also shown his emotion for the team and the city, shedding tears as they’ve surmounted rung after rung toward eternal greatness.

George Springer has wound back the clock, reminding the baseball world of his ability to succeed in the playoffs, no trashcan help needed. He knocked the decisive blow of the ALCS, the third decisive three-run home run in the playoffs by a Blue Jay, joining Carter and Bautista. The elder statesman of the lineup looks to scourge the Los Angeles Dodgers’ hopes for a second time.

Shane Bieber has lived up to his trade value, he’s the hired gun and he’s slung it. Kevin Gausman has made good on his five-year contract, getting his first true moment to shine in the playoffs.

No Blue Jay has stepped into the moment like 22-year-old Trey Yesavage. He knows no different, making three regular season starts before making three playoff starts, the latest coming in an elimination game. He’s shown no signs of wary, carrying himself like his 41-year-old teammate Max Scherzer, who’s already won two World Series.

Yesavage will make his seventh major league start tonight, getting the ball for Game 1 of the World Series exactly 199 days since he made his pro debut at the Single-A level.

It’s been an unthinkable rise for the righty, dropping splitters from an arm angle unseen, tempting his opposition to put themselves down in the primal battle of man with a rock and man with a stick.

Yesavage and the Blue Jays will be in tough, they’re facing the juggernaut of baseball in the Dodgers, who have spent, can spend more and likely will drop more cash this off season.

They’ve already beaten the Blue Jays three times over the last two seasons, out-offering them in the pursuits of Japanese free agents Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki and baseball’s best, Shohei Ohtani.

The Dodgers can roll out a three-pack of hall of famers to lead their lineup in Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. They won the World Series last year, rather convincingly over the Yankees, and look to capture a third in the last five years.

For the Blue Jays, it’s setting up and painted as a battle of David vs. Goliath. How can they beat the Dodgers? By playing ball as they have all season. Passing the torch, the right moves from manager John Schneider and having the right players step up when needed.

Guerrero Jr. and Springer have already have made their moments, imprinted themselves on a path to the World Series. It could simply be either of them coming up big in another moment, on the biggest stage the sport has. Maybe Bo Bichette is able to return and go on a one-series legacy run with just one knee.

More than likely, as poetic as it can be, it will be another Blue Jay stepping up and making the series their’s – Nathan Lukes, Alejandro Kirk, Kevin Gausman, Ernie Clement or Addison Barger.

In the eyes of the baseball world they may just be another name in the Blue Jays lineup or arm on the pithing staff. From what we’ve seen all summer in Toronto, there’s a team of Davids lying in wait.

James Tubb is sports reporter with the Medicine Hat News. He can be reached at jtubb@medicinehatnews.com