TORONTO -- What a way to light the new year on fire.
The Blue Jays, 146 days after losing Game 7 of the World Series to the Dodgers, spilled onto the field to celebrate. They’ve waited so long to celebrate.
Andrés Giménez was the walk-off hero, sending a sellout crowd of 42,728 into a frenzy with a single back up the middle after Kazuma Okamoto and Ernie Clement reached base in front of him with two outs. Just 10 days after winning the World Baseball Classic with Venezuela, Giménez was right back in the middle of a mob on the infield, all of his teammates jumping and screaming around him.
The 3-2 victory was just the second walk-off win on Opening Day in Blue Jays franchise history and Gimenez’s first walk-off hit with Toronto.
It capped an emotional night for this ballclub, the dugout full of players and coaches who have felt oddly nostalgic over the past few days. The last time they were on this field, it was the greatest baseball heartbreak of their lives. Frankly, it was one of the greatest baseball heartbreaks we’ve seen. The road back won’t be easy and the 2025 World Series will never leave them, but the only way out of this is to move forward, and what a brilliant first step Friday night was.
Prior to the game, memories of that 2025 season played on the scoreboard, some of them projected right onto the infield, the two biggest screens in Toronto. The clip of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. saying “Daaa Yankees lose!” played and the stadium lost its collective mind. Then came George Springer’s home run in Game 7 of the ALCS against the Mariners, which brought another roar from the crowd.
The Blue Jays wanted to thank their fans, but that goes both ways. Messages from fans played, thanking these players for what they’d given them. Players’ families walked onto the field to hold a massive flag, emblazoned with the 50th anniversary season logo and “American League Champions.” While they were introduced, some of their families were in the dugout, watching on.
“Toronto. Canada. On behalf of everybody, we love you,” Springer told the crowd, taking the mic just prior to first pitch. “We thank you for all your support and everything you do. I promise that we will give you everything we have every single day until the season is over, whenever that is. We love you.”
Next to him was Vladdy, the “perfect franchise player” who has taken over this city.
“We love you guys,” Guerrero said. “Thank you for always bringing the energy. Without you guys, we’re not doing last year. We need you.”