Penton: Jays’ goal in ’26: Just one more step
By Bruce Penton
There’s only one way the Toronto Blue Jays can improve on their 2025 Major League Baseball season and fans don’t have to go to Google or Dan Shulman to find out the simple answer: Win the World Series.
Coming off a spectacular — and unexpected — season where they lost the Series to the L.A. Dodgers in the 11th inning of Game 7. Prior to the start of last year, the Jays were picked by most so-called experts to finish last in the American League East. After a slow start, they picked up steam and by mid-July, it was evident they were among two or three teams regarded as the class of the entire league.
This year, with pre-season expectations much loftier, can they maintain their winning ways and make it back to the Fall Classic?
Yes they can. Not only do the Blue Jays have most of their 2025 roster back for this season (except for infielder Bo Bichette, who signed as a free agent with the Mets), but management was aggressive in the trade and free-agent markets to fill a few holes. This spring, those so-called experts who had only bad things to say about the Jays this time last year, are crowing about the imminent repeat as American League champs. Canadian fans can only hope those experts aren’t as off-base as they were last year.
Hitting was not a problem for the Jays last year and it won’t be this year, either. Led by Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., George Springer and a strong supporting cast, including Japanese star third baseman Kazuma Okamoto, the Jays put up a team batting average in 2025 of .265, by far the best in MLB. (The Phillies and Brewers were next at .258.) It was on the mound where improvements were needed, so management went out and signed the top free-agent starting pitcher, Dylan Cease, and agreed to terms with Cody Ponce, who played the last few seasons in Japan and Korea. He posted a 1.89 earned-run average in the Korean Major League last year, and was chosen the league’s most valuable player. They also shored up the bullpen by signing submariner Tyler Rogers, slated to be the setup man for much-maligned closer Jeff Hoffman.
Toronto’s pitching stats ranked 21st in MLB last year, but with the addition of Cease, Ponce and Rogers, the numbers should be much better this season. Toronto’s starting rotation of Cease, Ponce, Kevin Gausman, breakout rookie star Trey Yesavage, and veterans Shane Bieber and Jose Berrios gives manager John Schneider pitching depth to go with talent.
With the MLB season barely under way, no one is crowning the Jays as A.L. champs just yet. New York Yankees will have something to say about that. Seattle Mariners, who lost to the Jays in the A.L. championship series, should contend again. The Red Sox are always tough. Detroit is strong.
But it says here that the additions made by the Jays in the off-season will be enough to get back to the World Series. A Dodgers-Jays’ rematch would be sweet.
RJ Currie of sportsdeke.com:: “Braves ace Chris Sale said he comes from ‘a long line of tall, skinny people.’ Skinny doesn't cover it: if he stuck out his tongue, you'd think he was a zipper.”
Flames Nation podcaster Dean Molberg, on Twitter: “If Hockey Canada, Hockey Alberta, Ringette Alberta, Baseball Canada, Gary Bettman, Daryl Katz, Stan Bowman, that ‘idiot Knoblauch’ or the Canadian government are looking for answers, they are in abundance in the breakfast area of our Leduc hotel.”
Jon McCarthy of Monday Morning Golf, on the breakout performance by Canadian golfer Sudarshan Yellamaraju at the Players: “In a sport more often dominated by gym rats and swing analysts these days, Yellamaraju is all knees and elbows as the lean 24-year-old strides down fairways with the physique of a 3-iron.”
Comedy guy Torben Rolfsen of Vancouver: “Canucks GM Patrik Allvin said he received no offers for Evander Kane or Teddy Blueger. Did he try Facebook Marketplace? People will buy anything on there.”
Rolfsen again: “I put ‘Gudas’ into Google Translate and it came out ‘dirty’.”
One more from Rolfsen: “I know Florida is backwards, but what’s with Bam Adebayo’s first name? What’s his girlfriend’s name? Pebbles?”
Headline at theonion.com: “Travis Kelce Bummed Fiancée Signed Him Up For NFL Again”
An entry from fark.com: “Former New York Rangers hockey star Ron Duguay (Sarah Palin’s boyfriend) claims he predicted the Rangers would lose because of Pride Night. Bleacher Report writer Adam Herman rebutted, saying 'Maybe this year's team lost because they lose most games.’”
Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun: “If Edmonton plays Vegas in the first round of the playoffs, will it be last shot wins? The goaltending on both teams is rather dreadful.”
Super 70s Sports, showing a Sports Illustrated cover of former Reds’ owner, an aging Marge Schott, smoking a cigarette: “Still generally regarded as Sports Illustrated’s worst swimsuit issue.”
Care to comment? Email brucepenton2003@yahoo.ca