Can Toronto Blue Jays shake off World Series hangover? 'Team being hunted'
Can Toronto Blue Jays shake off World Series hangover? 'Team being hunted'
Bob Nightengale, USA TODAYMon, April 20, 2026 at 9:46 AM UTC
0
PHOENIX — Music blared in the clubhouse, laughter filled the air, and for the first time in what seemed like an eternity Sunday afternoon, the Toronto Blue Jays looked like their old selves.
They lit up the scoreboard in their 10-4 rout over the Arizona Diamondbacks tying franchise records by opening the game with seven consecutive hits and eight consecutive baserunners. They scored eight runs in the first inning. They produced five extra-base hits. They dominated on the mound with ace Kevin Gausman cruising for six innings. And they played errorless for nine innings.
“That was the Blue Jays that everyone saw [last year]," Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes said. “That’s what we were missing. Now, just got to take it with us moving forward."
It was the kind of baseball that led the Blue Jays within “a blade of grass" of winning the 2025 World Series.
It’s also the kind of baseball that has been AWOL in the Blue Jays’ dreadful 8-13 start.
“We did the same thing last year, and look what happened," Blue Jays All-Star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. told USA TODAY Sports. “We’ll be fine. Really, we will be just fine."
George Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. after a win in Arizona.
The Blue Jays have looked anything but fine these first three weeks.
They are sitting in last place in the AL East, having lost 12 of their past 16 games, and haven’t won a series since the opening weekend against the Athletics.
Their offense has lacked pop. Their starting rotation has been battered with injuries. And they have a serious closer problem.
They’ll tell you it’s still early. They’ll point out that no one is playing particularly good baseball in the AL East. And they’ll remind you that they also stunk last year coming out of the gate.
They had a 26-28 record on May 27, eight games out of first place, and went 68-40 the rest of the way to win the AL East, the American League pennant, and were two outs away from knocking off the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series.
“We didn’t start well last year, either," injured Blue Jays DH George Springer said. “Not to say that’s an excuse. But everyone in here understands that you’ve just got to keep going, play hard, and we’ll see what happens."
So is it comforting they’ve been in this predicament before, recovered, and played all of the way to November?
“No, because you can’t just rely on last year," Max Scherzer, the future Hall of Fame pitcher, tells USA TODAY Sports. “This is 2026. It’s not 2025. That was a great year. I’ll celebrate that. Talk all you want about that, but this is 2026. This is the American League. It’s tough. The AL East is tough. It’s not going to happen the same way. We’ve got to win.
“Obviously, we want to play better. We want to be winning more ball games. But we’re not that far away. So as frustrating as it is, it’s not time to start panicking or anything of that nature. It’s more, “let’s just pick up the focus.’
“We know we can play with anybody in this league. We just need to start doing it."
1 / 02025 World Series: All the best moments from Dodgers vs. Blue Jays Game 7Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) prays before Game 7.World Series hangover for Blue Jays?
Maybe, it was suggested, the Blue Jays simply are recovering from a World Series hangover. It was a long season. A short winter. And they’ll tell you it did take a bit to recover this spring, just as Springer, who played for two World Series teams in Houston, told his teammates in a meeting when they gathered for the first time in Florida.
“We definitely felt it coming into spring training," said Lukes, who had struggled with vertigo since spring training, but after seeing a specialist in Phoenix, produced six hits the past two games. “It was quick. George pretty much told us what to expect, and everything he said was true. But it’s over now. We’re just not playing our game right now."
Says Springer: “Guys have to understand that we accomplished something really, really special last year. Last year, we were the team that was trying to hunt everybody. And this year, we are the team being hunted. When you’re not firing on all cylinders, stuff is going to happen."
Advertisement
Scherzer, who has pitched in four World Series, winning two championships, insists that instead of any World Series hangover – the Blue Jays’ first Fall Classic appearance since 1993 – should instead be a motivation to return to greatness.
“It’s not a hangover," Scherzer said. “It should be, 'Holy cow!, that’s what you’re playing the game for.’ It kind of gives you a bounce in your step because you know what the top is like, and all you want to do is get back to that.
“So, I never liked the hangover narrative. If we hadn’t been to the World Series last year, you’d just say we suck. Let’s call a spade a spade. It’s not a World Series hangover. We’re playing bad baseball, not a World Series hangover, just bad baseball.’’
The Blue Jays realize there’s plenty of time to get their act together. They’re playing without Springer (broken toe), catcher Alejandro Kirk (broken thumb), outfielder Addison Barger (sprained left ankle), who are all on the injured list. They’ve also been without starting pitchers Shane Bieber (right elbow inflammation), Trey Yesavage (shoulder impingement) and José Berríos (stress fracture in right elbow). They lost Cody Ponce, who they signed to a three-year, $30 million contract, after pitching just two innings when he tore his ACL.
The calvary is slowly expected to come back beginning with Yesavage, the prized rookie who was dominant in the postseason last year. He’s scheduled to make his final rehab start Tuesday and rejoin the Blue Jays the following week.
“Obviously, we’ve been taking our lumps a little bit," Springer said. “We know last year is over. Every team is different. Every identity is different. But I think we’re starting to find our own."
Still, the Blue Jays have flaws. They have scored the second-fewest runs in the American League entering Sunday, scoring three or fewer runs in 10 games. Just 30% of their hits have been for extra-bases, tied for the third-lowest in baseball. No one on the team has more than three homers. Guerrero, the $500 million man and best power hitter, is hitting .333 but has just five extra-base hits with one home run.
1 / 0See the top 30 highest paid players in MLB baseball
(Salaries in present-day value calculated by MLB Labor Relations Department, impacted by deferrals and signing bonuses)1. Juan Soto, Mets - $61,875,000
Jeff Hoffman's ninth-inning woes
And, then there’s the closer’s dilemma, with the Blue Jays already blowing nine leads, the most in MLB.
Jeff Hoffman, who gave up the game-tying home run in the ninth inning of Game 7 to Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas, has struggled with a 7.71 ERA this year. He has given up 13 hits and 19 baserunners in 9 1/3 innings. Opposing hitters are batting .310 with two homers.
“It’s heavy," Hoffman said. “It’s usually the reason we win or lose. It definitely carries some weight. You feel terrible.
“I’ve got to go out there and do what I do, and get back on track."
Schneider says that Hoffman will continue to be their closer. Well, at least for now. The leash, however, may be short.
“He’s going through it," Scherzer said. “He’s got to figure it out and come out the other side. When you do, you’re better for it. You learn something about yourself.
“It’s the 'evolve or die' mentality. You’ve got to find a way to get better.’’
Really, it’s the same mantra for the Blue Jays, who are now headed to Anaheim for a three-game series beginning Monday against the Angels.
“Obviously, we’ve dealt with a lot of adversity," said Blue Jays starter Dylan Cease, their $210 million free-agent signing during the winter. “But it’s early. There’s still a lot of time to make up ground and ultimately show what we’re really capable of.
“But we’re not just waiting for it to happen. We can’t afford to do that.’’
Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Toronto Blue Jays try to get over World Series hangover with ugly start
Source: “AOL Sports”
