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A feeling of uncertainty hung in the air at training camp last February when the Toronto Blue Jays began preparations for the 2025 campaign.
The team was coming off a last-place finish, its homegrown face of the franchise remained unsigned beyond the season and the possibility of playoff contention seemed iffy at best.
What a difference a year makes.
The Blue Jays completed a worst-to-first turnaround and rode the momentum into a memorable post-season that saw them go all the way to Game 7 of the World Series.
On Sunday, the Blue Jays were named the winner of The Canadian Press team of the year award in balloting by editors, writers and broadcasters from across the country.
The team had 29 of 53 votes (55 per cent) to finish well ahead of the women’s curling team skipped by Rachel Homan (10 votes).
“One of the things that made the run so special this year was seeing how it impacted and ignited and lifted the entire country,” Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro said. “And I think every single player and every person in this organization felt that and felt a great sense of pride about that.”
The Canadian women’s rugby team finished third with five votes.
The Canadian men’s 4×100-metre relay team that won Olympic gold at the Paris Games was named CP team of the year in 2024.
The Blue Jays’ fan base was invigorated last April when the team signed star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a team-record 14-year, $500-million US contract extension. It was a big statement from Canada’s lone big-league team, which endured a mediocre start before turning the corner in late June.
Another bold move came at the trade deadline in late July when general manager Ross Atkins acquired star pitcher Shane Bieber, who had a meaningful role down the stretch and in the playoffs.
Toronto spent most of the second half in first place and held off New York for the American League East division crown. Even without the services of injured shortstop Bo Bichette over the last few weeks of the season, manager John Schneider had his team peaking at the right time.
With Guerrero serving as a key anchor, the lineup looked strong, and there was depth on the mound.
Slugger George Springer was in form after a bounce-back season, catcher Alejandro Kirk had an all-star campaign, and rookie pitcher Trey Yesavage showed he was ready for the major leagues.
Toronto made wild-card appearances three times, going back to 2020, but hadn’t won a playoff game since 2016.
This time around, an American League Division Series win over the Yankees got people’s attention. In the AL Championship Series, Toronto dropped the first two games to the Seattle Mariners before coming back to win.
Springer hit a go-ahead homer in Game 7 to help the Blue Jays secure a berth in the World Series for the first time since 1993.
George Springer’s three-run home run that got Blue Jays to the World Series was quickly deemed the ‘Springer dinger’ and joined the bat flip as a part of team lore.
“They consistently faced elimination games,” Shapiro said. “They faced having to win the last four games of the season (after) losing one of their best players in September – and just kept responding.”
Toronto was swept up in baseball fever, and a new generation of baseball fans from across Canada was on board, too. Viewership numbers were through the roof.
“Captivated the entire country. Never seen teammates so invested in each other,” Toronto Star columnist Rosie DiManno said in the comment section of her ballot.
The favoured Los Angeles Dodgers, led by two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, had their hands full in a World Series that was considered an instant classic.
After splitting two games in Toronto, the Blue Jays overcame an 18-inning road loss in Game 3 and returned to Rogers Centre with a 3-2 series lead. The plucky Dodgers pulled even in Game 6 and came back for an 11-inning win in a Game 7 loaded with drama.
It was the sixth time that the Blue Jays have been named CP team of the year in the award’s 59-year history.
“I’ve just never seen a group of guys that talked as universally about how much they appreciated and believed in each other and how much they enjoyed being around each other,” Shapiro said. “That is a competitive advantage in a game where you play 162 games.”
Earlier this week, swimmer Summer McIntosh was named female athlete of the year and NBA star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named male athlete of the year.
The Canadian Press began recognizing male and female athletes of the year in 1932.
