The Toronto Blue Jays have secured their spot in the 2023 postseason after a long and exhausting playoff push. Although they suffered a loss to the Rays earlier in the day, a loss by the Mariners was enough to secure their spot. The Blue Jays will now have a chance to erase their past brief visits and quick exits from the playoffs in 2020 and 2022.
Despite the loss, the Blue Jays had the support of a sellout crowd of 42,097, making it the finest crowd of the season. The crowd’s energy was palpable as Cavan Biggio stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the ninth with George Springer on second base. The entire stadium was on its feet, creating the loudest at-bat of the season.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider expressed his appreciation for the support from the crowd, saying, “You want those moments. You want that feeling. I thought the crowd was great tonight.”
While the loss was disappointing, it forced the Blue Jays to utilize their best bullpen arms and make strategic pitching decisions. They surprised everyone by pitching Jordan Romano in the eighth inning instead of their usual closer Jordan Hicks. Despite the unexpected twist, the Blue Jays managed to hold off the Rays and send the game into extra innings.
The Blue Jays faced a risky situation on Saturday, as they flirted with the possibility of needing Kevin Gausman to start Game 162. However, thanks to a loss by