Friendship took centre stage for the Toronto Blue Jays during an incredible 2025 season
The Toronto Blue Jays captured hearts in 2025. It wasn’t just their incredible play; it was the camaraderie between the players that made the Blue Jays one of the most enjoyable teams to watch last season. After a heartbreaking loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series, one of the strongest sentiments from the players was how much they enjoyed playing baseball together.
“I’ve been crying for an hour. I thought I was done with the tears. I just love these guys so much. It was so much fun coming to work every day,” Ernie Clement said in the locker room after Game 7.
“It’s hard to replicate true love. You can try to replicate this, and a lot of people will try, but it’s not really possible. This group is really, really special,” said Chris Bassitt, who has entered free agency.
“I may be 41 years old, but I never thought I could love baseball this much,” said Max Scherzer, another free agent, who has been in MLB since 2008, has won two World Series and two Cy Young awards.
Camaraderie at the heart of the Blue Jays success in 2025
The love the players had for each other and for baseball was a big part of what made the Blue Jays so captivating. They seemed to have as much fun playing the game as the fans had watching them. The players weren’t the only ones to praise the closeness of the team. In the days following the World Series, several of the players’ wives took to social media to share how meaningful the season had been.
There are a lot of people who deserve credit for the culture within the Blue Jays clubhouse. The character of players is something that general manager Ross Atkins has prioritized during his tenure with the Blue Jays. Since joining the team in 2015, Atkins has focused on creating strong relationships within the Blue Jays organization.
“I’ve always felt there’s a big group of people here that I’m working with that will, for sure, be lifelong relationships and lifelong friendships,” Atkins said in a press conference ahead of the World Series.
Atkins’ focus on relationships and character is something he shares with manager John Schneider. Schneider’s leadership was a key reason the team went from last in the AL East in 2024 to just centimetres from winning the World Series in 2025. The Blue Jays will get more of that in 2026, with the team exercising Schneider’s option for 2026. Throughout the season, he maintained trust in his team, even when the team struggled.
“I think that’s what forms a good team. It’s talent and it’s players, but it’s people,” Schneider said in a press conference prior to the World Series. Schneider couldn’t have been more correct. Throughout the Blue Jays’ postseason run, the players credited their success to the camaraderie they shared.
“We got the power of friendship,” Clement said after winning Game 5 against the Dodgers.
One of the most important moves for the Blue Jays in 2025 was signing a contract extension with Vladimir Guerrero Jr.. On top of being an exceptional baseball player, Guerrero’s leadership anchored the Blue Jays during both the regular and postseason. Before Game 6 of the World Series, he told his teammates, “If you’re nervous, look at me.”
Perhaps one of the biggest endorsements of the culture within the Blue Jays organization came just days after losing the World Series. Pitcher Shane Bieber, acquired at the trade deadline from the Cleveland Guardians, opted in to his player option with the Blue Jays for the 2026 season.
Keeping Bieber for only $16 million next year benefits both him and the Blue Jays. Bieber can increase his stock heading into free agency next season. The Blue Jays get a strong arm in the rotation while saving money to spend on other offseason targets.
Still, Bieber likely could have made a lot more money had he opted out. That he chose to stay in Toronto for that amount after only three months with the team says a lot about the culture within the organization.
The closeness of the 2025 Blue Jays will be hard to replicate. It’s a rarity in professional sports for a team to be as close as the Blue Jays were. However, Atkins’ emphasis on character will serve the team well going forward. The Blue Jays have created an environment that makes players want to stick around, and maybe make new players want to join the fun.
