Blue Jays Clinch AL East with 94 Wins: A Season to Remember
Nobody saw this coming back in May. At 26–28 and sitting below .500, the Toronto Blue Jays looked more like a team searching for answers than one destined to raise a banner. The lineup was inconsistent, the bullpen shaky, and the Yankees and Orioles were hogging all the headlines.
Fast forward to the end of September, and the story couldn’t be more different: the Blue Jays are American League East champions with 94 wins — their highest total since 1993, the year they last won the World Series.
This has been more than a turnaround. It’s been a phenomenal season that showed resilience, chemistry, and the payoff of sticking together.
Fast forward to the end of September, and the story couldn’t be more different: the Blue Jays are American League East champions with 94 wins — their highest total since 1993, the year they last won the World Series.
This has been more than a turnaround. It’s been a phenomenal season that showed resilience, chemistry, and the payoff of sticking together.
George Springer: The MVP of 2025
The best player on this Blue Jays team was clearly George Springer. He set the tone all year long with his bat, his glove, and his leadership — and he’s going to earn some regular-season MVP votes because of it.
Springer carried the Jays in stretches when the offense was sputtering, delivered big hits when they were needed most, and gave the clubhouse the confidence of someone who’s been to the mountaintop before. His shirtless postgame interview after clinching the East will go down as a classic Jays moment, but what matters most is the example he’s set.
Springer carried the Jays in stretches when the offense was sputtering, delivered big hits when they were needed most, and gave the clubhouse the confidence of someone who’s been to the mountaintop before. His shirtless postgame interview after clinching the East will go down as a classic Jays moment, but what matters most is the example he’s set.
Leadership and a New Culture
Last season’s disappointment forced some tough conversations. In the offseason, manager John Schneider emphasized that things had to change. The focus? Communication, clarity, and accountability.
Schneider turned to a senior leadership group of Chris Bassitt, Kevin Gausman, George Springer, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, Danny Jansen, and Alejandro Kirk. These were the voices he leaned on to help get the clubhouse on the same page. The message was simple: everyone needed to understand their roles, everyone’s voice needed to be heard, and the plan had to be clear.
That shift in culture paid off beautifully. The Jays didn’t just play as individuals — they played as a connected unit, lifting each other up and fighting through adversity together.
Schneider turned to a senior leadership group of Chris Bassitt, Kevin Gausman, George Springer, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, Danny Jansen, and Alejandro Kirk. These were the voices he leaned on to help get the clubhouse on the same page. The message was simple: everyone needed to understand their roles, everyone’s voice needed to be heard, and the plan had to be clear.
That shift in culture paid off beautifully. The Jays didn’t just play as individuals — they played as a connected unit, lifting each other up and fighting through adversity together.
The Supporting Cast Steps Up
Adison Barger had a breakout September, proving he belongs on this stage. Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. found their strokes in crunch time, while Alejandro Kirk’s consistency remained a quiet but critical piece all year.
On the mound, Kevin Gausman was the rock, leading the Jays in ERA and strikeouts as the most reliable arm in the rotation. Max Scherzer brought his World Series pedigree, Shane Bieber is a former CY young winner and looks like he will get the start on Sunday and rookie Trey Yesavage flashed the kind of talent that makes fans believe the future is only getting brighter.
On the mound, Kevin Gausman was the rock, leading the Jays in ERA and strikeouts as the most reliable arm in the rotation. Max Scherzer brought his World Series pedigree, Shane Bieber is a former CY young winner and looks like he will get the start on Sunday and rookie Trey Yesavage flashed the kind of talent that makes fans believe the future is only getting brighter.
From Struggles to Statement Wins
The Jays had to dig themselves out of an early-season hole. At one point, they were below .500 in late May, and the questions about their ability to contend were loud. But this team never fractured. They stuck together, got healthy, and found their rhythm.
To clinch the East, they had to win their final four games of the season — and they did just that, capped by a 13–4 drubbing of the Tampa Bay Rays on the final day. It was the kind of response championship-caliber teams make.
To clinch the East, they had to win their final four games of the season — and they did just that, capped by a 13–4 drubbing of the Tampa Bay Rays on the final day. It was the kind of response championship-caliber teams make.
Setting the Stage for October
By winning the East, the Jays not only claimed bragging rights in baseball’s toughest division — they also earned the chance to set their playoff rotation exactly how they want it.
That likely means Gausman leading the way in Game 1 of the ALDS, with Bieber and others lined up behind him. Whether it’s the Yankees or Red Sox who survive the Wild Card series, the road now leads through Toronto. Rogers Centre will be buzzing this Saturday and Sunday as a five-game ALDS gets underway.
That likely means Gausman leading the way in Game 1 of the ALDS, with Bieber and others lined up behind him. Whether it’s the Yankees or Red Sox who survive the Wild Card series, the road now leads through Toronto. Rogers Centre will be buzzing this Saturday and Sunday as a five-game ALDS gets underway.
Echoes of ’93
The Jays’ 94 wins are their most since 1993, even greater than their AL East-winning club in 2015. After that, Toronto reached the playoffs in 2016 as a Wild Card team, but this year feels different.
That ’93 season was defined by a team that peaked at the right time, mixed veterans with rising stars, and gave Canada a moment that still echoes three decades later.
This group hasn’t won a playoff game together — not yet. But Springer, Bichette, Guerrero, Kirk, and Barger have the chance to change that story. Add in Gausman’s consistency, Scherzer’s experience, and Yesavage’s potential, and suddenly Toronto looks like a team with all the ingredients to write a new chapter.
That ’93 season was defined by a team that peaked at the right time, mixed veterans with rising stars, and gave Canada a moment that still echoes three decades later.
This group hasn’t won a playoff game together — not yet. But Springer, Bichette, Guerrero, Kirk, and Barger have the chance to change that story. Add in Gausman’s consistency, Scherzer’s experience, and Yesavage’s potential, and suddenly Toronto looks like a team with all the ingredients to write a new chapter.
The Phenomenal Season Continues
From 26–28 to 94–68. From overlooked in May to East champions in September. This Blue Jays team has been defined by resilience, leadership, and belief.
And at the heart of it all was George Springer — the star, the leader, and the player who set the standard.
Now, the city of Toronto is buzzing with excitement. The East belongs to the Blue Jays. The Rogers Centre is ready.
Bring on the Yankees. Bring on the Red Sox.
Bring on October.
Bring on destiny.
And at the heart of it all was George Springer — the star, the leader, and the player who set the standard.
Now, the city of Toronto is buzzing with excitement. The East belongs to the Blue Jays. The Rogers Centre is ready.
Bring on the Yankees. Bring on the Red Sox.
Bring on October.
Bring on destiny.
About Junior's Notebook
What is Junior's Notebook?
A lifelong student of the game, Coach Junior Graham turned his passion for basketball into purpose. As a teen, his dedication and work ethic led him to become a starter on several championship teams and earn a reputation as a streetball legend. Today, he’s the founder of Elite Omega Academy, a respected trainer, head coach, and culture builder. Known for his ability to develop players and his unmatched generosity with time and mentorship, Coach Junior is driven by a mission to help every athlete unlock their full potential—on and off the court.
