Why the Blue Jays Have More to Appreciate This Holiday Season Than Fans Realize — and What It Means for 2026 .MH
It is extremely hard to take a step back and look at all of the good that came from the year the Toronto Blue Jays had after coming up just short in the World Series. The team lost in a heartbreaking game seven to prevent what would have been the ultimate Cinderella Story.
However, it is important to take some perspective from 2025 as the team not only won their first division title in a decade, but posted their best season in over 30 years, as they had not made a trip to the Fall Classic since 1993.
Now the offseason is upon us, which is a large game of chess, but sometimes it is important to take a step back and appreciate what has gone on for the team up to this point.
Three Aspects to be Appreciated
1) Bo Bichette’s Time with TorontoOne cannot scroll through the news surrounding free agency without seeing speculation surrounding Bichette and where he could land. Even though he has been incredibly vocal about his desire to stick with the ballclub, it isn’t a guarantee he returns for 2026.
If their shortstop isn’t on the opening day roster, it is important to appreciate the career that he has had since he first put on a Blue Jays uniform for the first time, which was all the way back in 2019. This ballclub started his professional career when they drafted him in 2016 straight out of high school, and even if the Jays aren’t able to keep him there, there has to be some appreciation of him.
2) The Unfathomable Turnaround in One Off SeasonAnybody who hasn’t loyally stuck around with the Blue Jays over the years wouldn’t know that the team was a much lesser competitor than that was on the field just last year, even though the roster was nearly the same.
In 2024, the team sat well under .500 with a record of 74-88 as the worst team in the AL East. By the end of 2025, they had won 20 more games and were the victors of the division, despite everyone writing them out of the picture at the beginning of the year.
3) John Schenider is Locked Down as The ManagerSchneider emerged as one of the best managers in baseball this year and was arguably robbed as the AL Manager of the Year, but that is a tale for another time. He helped lead the team to their first division title in a decade with almost the same roster.
After the team’s success, the organization exercised its option on his contract, meaning he is now with the organization through 2031, which he rightfully earned.
It is hard to overcome the bitter taste that is left in someone’s mouth after the devastating ending that happened for the Jays in October, but there was plenty that the team had to be grateful for, with hopefully more to come in 2026.
