The Blue Jays should take inspiration from the 2015 Royals

Over the past 65 years, only one team has managed to win the World Series after losing in seven games in the previous season's final. The Kansas City Royals achieved this feat in 2015 after suffering bitter disappointment the year before.

Will the Toronto Blue Jays rewrite history in 2026 after experiencing all kinds of emotions following their heartbreaking elimination against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2025?

The guys cried in the locker room after the loss, and seeing big, strong men give in to their emotions means that this end to their journey was hard to swallow and that the athletes, who are back in the lineup this season, will want to play in the same movie, but with a very different ending.

John Schneider will be the first to want to make people forget this sad ending and give Jays fans a third title since the franchise was founded in 1977. He, too, has been replaying the events of that decisive game over and over again, without being able to change the ending, for the moment.

“I've never been in a room full of grown men who were all crying.”

New from me:

It's possible the Blue Jays could be even better in '26 than they were in their magical run to the World Series.

But first they had to cope with the shock of losing Game 7https://t.co/Zw6i1w8WJ0

— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) February 27, 2026

When Max Scherzer decided to return to the team in 2026, he surely had a plan: to finish the job with the guys he came so close to doing it with in that famous Game 7. No stranger to big moments, he surely promised himself he would win the big prize before hanging up his glove for good, and he chose Toronto to fulfill that promise. The Blue Jays will once again be able to count on this warrior to battle relentlessly until the final out.

Youngsters Addison Barger, Ernie Clement, and Trey Yesavage have tasted the euphoria of going all the way, and they won't want to find themselves on the losing side again this time around. They will contribute energetically to the team's success with the goal of winning the World Series this season.

Another Blue Jays-Dodgers matchup is possible.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has lost his good friend Bo Bichette and will have to shoulder even more pressure, but he proved to us last season that he has matured and is capable of assuming his leadership role with panache. Young Vladdy has become a man and is ready to lead his team to the ultimate destination with conviction.

Before they can start dreaming again and draw an entire country in their wake, the Jays will have to take it one step at a time and once again overcome obstacles named Yankees, Red Sox, Mariners, and other American League teams that will also be vying for a spot in the final round. John Schneider's men will have to start the 2026 season in marathon mode, not as a sprint that is played out in a few weeks. Every move, every decision, and every play will dictate what happens next and send a positive or negative signal.

If the 2026 Jays want to emulate the 2015 Royals, they will have to set their sights on the long term while being careful not to trip over a banana peel, i.e., not to overlook the small details that often make the difference between victory and defeat.

A long and unpredictable season lies ahead in Toronto, but the reward could be even greater.

Created by humans, assisted by AI.