If you were anywhere near a screen on November 1, 2025, you probably still feel that pit in your stomach. Sports can be cruel. One minute you're planning a parade route down Yonge Street, and the next, you're staring at a silent Rogers Centre. The Toronto Blue Jays last game wasn't just another loss; it was a Game 7 World Series collapse against the Los Angeles Dodgers that will be talked about for decades.
Honestly, it feels a bit surreal even typing that out. The Jays were two outs away. Two.
The Ninth Inning That Changed Everything
Let’s set the scene. Toronto is up 4-3. The dome is vibrating. Jeff Hoffman is on the mound, and he’s been a beast all postseason. He gets the first out. The crowd is basically doing the math on how many seconds until the field is covered in blue and white confetti. Then, Miguel Rojas—the No. 9 hitter, mind you—steps up.
Baseball is weird. Rojas isn’t exactly known for towering moonshots, but he connected on a 98-mph heater and sent it over the wall. Just like that, the lead was gone. Tied at four. The energy in the building didn't just drop; it evaporated. Hoffman looked devastated on the mound. Later, he told reporters he felt like he "cost everybody in here a World Series ring." That’s heavy.
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Toronto had a chance to walk it off in the bottom of the ninth. They actually loaded the bases. Imagine the tension. But a groundout and a fly ball ended the threat. We headed to extras.
Why the Toronto Blue Jays Last Game Still stings
The 11th inning was the final blow. Shane Bieber, who the Jays had picked up to be their high-leverage "ace in the hole," came in to relief. He actually looked great for two hitters. Then Will Smith happened.
Smith absolutely crushed a solo home run to left field. 5-4 Dodgers. The Jays couldn't answer in the bottom half. Game over. Series over.
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It’s easy to point fingers at the bullpen, but let’s look at the context. Bo Bichette was playing on one leg. Seriously, he was clearly hampered by a knee injury throughout the series, yet he still managed to blast a three-run homer in the third inning of this game to give Toronto that early 3-0 lead. He was the heart of the team, and even at 60%, he was making plays.
A Season of "What Ifs"
The 2025 season was actually incredible if you zoom out.
- They won 94 games.
- They beat out the Yankees for the AL East title on a tiebreaker.
- They survived a 7-game war with the Seattle Mariners in the ALCS.
Vladdy Jr. was the ALCS MVP for a reason. He was hitting everything in sight. But in the Toronto Blue Jays last game, the Dodgers' pitching staff—specifically Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who ended up as the World Series MVP—just found another gear. Yamamoto won three games in that series alone. That’s just dominance.
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Looking Toward the 2026 Season
So, where does the team go from here? The front office hasn't been sitting on their hands. We’ve already seen some moves this winter that suggest they are going all-in for 2026.
- The Kazuma Okamoto Signing: Bringing in a heavy hitter for third base means Ernie Clement likely moves to second. Clement was a postseason hero, batting .411 during the run.
- Bullpen Shuffling: After the Game 7 heartbreak, expect a lot of focus on late-inning depth.
- Internal Growth: Will Bo's knee be 100% by Spring Training? That's the biggest question in camp.
Most fans are still mourning that November night. It's tough. You don't get many chances to be two outs away from a title. But the "Davids" of the AL East proved they could go toe-to-toe with the "Goliaths" in LA.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're looking to keep up with the rebound, keep an eye on the Spring Training schedule starting February 21, 2026, against the Phillies. The roster is going to look slightly different, but the core remains.
Check the injury reports for Bo Bichette specifically. If he's moving well in February, the Jays are the favorites to repeat as AL East champs. Also, watch the waiver wire for any last-minute relief pitching additions—the team knows that's where the World Series was lost, and they won't let it happen again.