Best Blue Jays Games of All Time
The Toronto Blue Jays have had some amazing moments since their birth in 1977. There was Opening Day at snowy Exhibition Stadium, the clinching of their first American League East title in 1985, and that amazing game in 2003 where Carlos Delgado hit four home runs in four at-bats.
But the best Blue Jays games of all time had even more highlight moments. Our latest top five list at Bodog Sportsbook takes you on a magical journey through the greatest games in the history of this proud franchise, starting at No. 5 with a day that was long in the making – and well worth the wait.
5. Dave Stieb’s No-Hitter (September 2, 1990)
Stieb was Toronto’s ace pitcher during their early years, leading the American League in 1985 with a 2.48 ERA; that was also the first year Stieb came achingly close to recording his first no-hitter, making it into the ninth inning before things fell apart. It happened three more times after that, including in 1989 when Stieb had a perfect game going with two outs in the ninth.
Finally, near the end of the 1990 campaign, Stieb took the mound in Cleveland and did what no other Blue Jay had done before – or since. In front of a mere 23,640 people at Municipal Stadium, Stieb threw 123 pitches and allowed just four walks as Toronto went on to win 3-0, with Fred McGriff hitting a pair of solo home runs to give Stieb all the cushion he needed.
Stieb played in parts of three more injury-plagued seasons with the Blue Jays and the Chicago White Sox before calling it quits, earning a World Series ring with Toronto in 1992 (more on that in a moment). Then he came back in 1998 at the age of 40 to pitch 19 more games for the Jays, going 1-2 in three starts and adding two saves for good measure.
4. Game 5, 2015 ALDS (October 14, 2015)
For a while there, the 2015 Toronto Blue Jays were unstoppable. They were among the top World Series betting favourites, just dripping with talent after acquiring Josh Donaldson in a major offseason trade with the Oakland A’s. Donaldson went on to win AL MVP honors as the Jays took the division for the first time since 1993.
Toronto’s opponents in the AL Division Series were the Texas Rangers. The Rangers won the first two games of this best-of-five series at Rogers Centre, but the Jays rebounded to take the next two in Arlington, setting up without question one of the best Blue Jays games of all time.
After the Rangers took a 3-2 lead on a controversial play, the Jays batted in the bottom of the seventh and loaded the bases on three Texas errors. Then Donaldson tied the game on a fielder’s choice, and Jose Bautista absolutely crushed what would prove to be the game-winning home run, emphatically flipping his bat in the process. Toronto won 6-3 to take the series, but sadly, their run ended in the ALCS at the hands of the Kansas City Royals.
3. Game 4, 1992 ALCS (October 11, 1992)
Now we get to the really good stuff. The Blue Jays had some quality teams in the 1980s, but they couldn’t quite get over the hump – not until they added Roberto Alomar, Joe Carter, Devon White, and a 40-year-old Dave Winfield to the mix. Their efforts brought the AL pennant up north for the first time in 1992, but to get there, Toronto had to beat the mighty A’s in the ALCS.
The pivotal moment in this best-of-seven series came in Game 4 at SkyDome, when Alomar went deep off Oakland closer and fellow future Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley to tie the game 6-6. The Jays won the game 7-6 in 11 innings to take a 3-1 series lead, and eventually won in six.
2. Game 6, 1992 World Series (October 24, 1992)
The end boss for Toronto that year was a team from Atlanta that had just won their second-straight National League pennant with incredible pitching (John Smoltz, Tom Glavine et al.) and a batting order featuring 1991 NL MVP Terry Pendleton, alongside David Justice and Ron Gant. And at the helm: former longtime Jays manager Bobby Cox.
Once again, Toronto dropped the first game of the 1992 World Series at home, but then they rattled off three straight wins to put Atlanta on the brink. After failing to close things out in Game 5, the Jays went to Fulton County Stadium and had a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the ninth, but couldn’t secure the lead.
Enter Dave Winfield. In the top of the 11th, with White on second and Alomar on first, Winfield laced a line drive to left field that cashed in both runners, and Toronto held on to win 4-3 for their first-ever championship.
1. Game 6, 1993 World Series (October 23, 1993)
It wouldn’t be their last. The 1992 World Series may have been franchise-altering, but this is the game Jays fans remember most fondly, and it’s because of four words from the late great Toronto radio announcer Tom Cheek: “Touch ‘em all, Joe!”
Joe, of course, was Joe Carter, and he had just hit the Series-winning home run off Philadelphia Phillies closer Mitch Williams in the bottom of the ninth. The Jays were down 6-5 at the time, but won 8-6 in front of a raucous SkyDome crowd, making this the first sayonara comeback in the long history of the Fall Classic.
It’s hard to believe Toronto fans had to wait 22 years for another trip to the playoffs, and that third World Series ring has proved elusive thus far, but maybe this will finally be the year. You can bet on it right now at Bodog Sportsbook; check out our MLB futures odds, and may the best (Canadian) team win.
Think we’ve missed out a night to remember in our list of best ever Blue Jays games/ get in touch on Twitter, we’d love to hear your lists.