Toronto Blue Jays could be first MLB team in 53 years to snap strange drought
Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider said it best after a disappointing Game 6 defeat.
“It’s Game 7 of the World Series at your home stadium,” Schneider said. “I mean, what the hell else do you want?”
Well, busting a 32-year World Series drought would be nice.
The Blue Jays will get the chance to do that on Saturday at Rogers Centre, playing in their first-ever World Series Game 7 in franchise history.
Toronto was in the enviable position of having a 3-2 lead before losing Game 6.
Even then, you would think that teams who lose Game 6 should have a decent chance at bouncing back in Game 7.
Oddly enough, it’s been a long time since an MLB team has accomplished that.
As first dug up by The Athletic’s Jayson Stark, the last six teams that have lost Game 6 after holding a 3-2 series lead have gone on to lose Game 7 as well.
Here’s a list of those teams that couldn’t bounce back in Game 7.
- 2016: Cleveland Indians lost to Chicago Cubs
- 2011: Texas Rangers lost to St. Louis Cardinals
- 2002: San Francisco Giants lost to Anaheim Angels
- 1991: Atlanta Braves lost to Minnesota Twins
- 1986: Boston Red Sox lost to New York Mets
- 1982: Milwaukee Brewers lost to St. Louis Cardinals
The last team to actually bounce back and win Game 7 after losing their 3-2 series lead was the Oakland Athletics, who did so way back in 1972 against the Cincinnati Reds.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider was yet to be born back then. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was four months old.
It’s an odd streak that has to end eventually, right?
One of the most thrilling World Series in recent memory will end on Saturday, with Shohei Ohtani reportedly battling against three-time Cy Young winner, Max Scherzer, in Game 7 of the World Series.