September 29th, 2024 — Joey Loperfido. Anthony Bender. Rogers Centre.

That was the scene on the final day of the regular season just one year ago for the Blue Jays. Loperfido struck out swinging against the Miami Marlins reliever to end a miserable year where the Toronto finished with a 74–88 record — dead last in the American League East and the fifth-worst mark in all of baseball.

In that moment, it felt like the end of a chapter. Fans were calling loudly for Ross Atkins, Mark Shapiro, and John Schneider to lose their jobs. The offseason was filled with trade rumours surrounding franchise cornerstones Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, who both needed contract extensions at the time, and many believed the Blue Jays were headed for a full-scale teardown. You’d be forgiven if your excitement for the 2025 season was at an all-time low.

Fast forward one year later, and it’s almost impossible to believe where this franchise stands today. This is the ultimate 180° turnaround. The Toronto Blue Jays just wrapped up an ALDS victory in which they scored 34 runs over four games — eliminating the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium, no less.

For Blue Jays fans, this is as good as it gets. Aside from hoisting the Commissioner’s Trophy in November, nothing compares to winning a playoff series against them. Beating the Yankees simply means more.

Think back to the late 1990s and early 2000s, when the AL East was ruled by the Yankees and Red Sox. The rest — the Orioles, Blue Jays, and then-Devil Rays — could only watch as the two powerhouses traded division titles. There was just one Wild Card back then; expanded playoffs didn’t exist.

Fans remember the J.P. Ricciardi era — the “Angry Birds” logo, the half-empty Rogers Centre with 10–15,000 fans a night, and tickets going for as little as $7. There was a genuine sense of hopelessness. Competing in the toughest division in baseball with limited payroll meant the Blue Jays had virtually no chance against New York or Boston.

That’s why it’s so remarkable to see where the Blue Jays stand now — among the sport’s elite both in payroll and performance. The 2005 Blue Jays fan would never have believed this was possible. For that, Mark Shapiro and the front office deserve credit.

So yes, celebrate this moment. Celebrate it at full throttle. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

For the generation of fans born in the late 1980s and early 1990s, there have been 25–30 years of frustration and only a handful of moments like this. Toronto sports fans know heartbreak better than anyone. These opportunities to celebrate greatness don’t come often — if ever. And yes, the fact that it happened against the “big bad” Yankees makes it even sweeter. Anyone who says otherwise is simply lying.

If you need proof that this moment means more, just look at Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s reaction after the Game 4 victory. The man who always smiles somehow managed to smile even bigger.

This wasn’t just a playoff win — it was a statement of arrival, a declaration that the Toronto Blue Jays are no longer chasing the Yankees. They’re standing toe-to-toe with them.