/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn-tor.buminteractif.com%2F2025%2F12%2F28180354%2FGuerrero-Jr-2-1024x678-1-1.jpg)
Let's transport ourselves to December 28, 2024, a year ago. What were people saying about the Blue Jays?
The club had money to spend, but the big free agents didn't want to sign in town. Shohei Ohtani (the year before) and Juan Soto in particular said no… but so did a lot of other guys.
Corbin Burnes, who took a discount to go to Arizona, is a good example.
The team had just missed the playoffs in 2024 and the path to success was hard to see, considering the very ugly season. That's why free agents were using the Blue Jays on the open market, but not really signing in town.
Anthony Santander was the exception.
What's more, the club was banding together to lose some big pieces on the free-agent market. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette were the faces of the guys who were going to be able to leave Toronto after the 2025 season.
But over the past year, everything has changed.
In my eyes, it all started with the huge contract extension ($500 million) signed by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. It gave him confidence, and in October, the Blue Jays focused on his performance instead of talking about his contract.
Top Plays of 2025: No. 21
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. CLOBBERS a grand slam in the ALDS! pic.twitter.com/TOvUFqP5CH
– MLB (@MLB) November 29, 2025
The youngsters who joined the club in 2025 performed well. Many veterans found the fountain of youth in the city. The locker room bonded in a way rarely seen from a team.
Everything clicked, and the Blue Jays, who had an ugly club in 2024, came within inches of winning the World Series in 2025.
Add to that the fact that since the season ended, many free agents have chosen to sign in Toronto. It's different from other years, let's face it.
And that's what makes the Blue Jays Canada's Sports Team of 2025.
What a run it was
The Toronto Blue Jays have been named the 2025 Canadian Press Team of the Year
pic.twitter.com/56aYKDynFE
– Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 28, 2025
Will this continue in 2026? Some veterans may not have the same kind of season in 2026, but the group is excellent and has a lot of depth.
And don't forget that another big signing is likely.
This content was created with the help of AI.
