Blue Jays: Top 5 most memorable moments from the 2021 season

Three home ballparks, multiple record breakers, four All Stars, superb rookie seasons and heart-wrenching injuries. Just a few of many ways that can be used to describe the Toronto Blue Jays 2021 season.

There were plenty of great moments. When the Blue Jays offence would drive in as many runs as a NFL team, when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was hitting yet another home run to lead all of the Major Leagues once again, when George Springer was living up to his salary or when we were witnessing the excellence of the likely Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray.

There were also numerous heartbreakers. Losses that should have been wins, ice-cold at-bats, stepped-on hands, being at “home” and getting booed or being only one single game too late for a possible postseason.

Three home ballparks, multiple record breakers, four All Stars, superb rookie seasons and heart-wrenching injuries. Just a few of many ways that can be used to describe the Toronto Blue Jays 2021 season.

Through all the ups and downs, it was a season to be proud of for this young team, and much to remember of the 2021 season. So, here are the top five most memorable moments of the 2021 Blue Jays season.

5. 24 hours to remember

Game 1 of the doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles on September 11 started the way a lot of Hyun Jin Ryu’s starts went this year, with Ryu giving up two runs in the first inning, followed by three in the second inning and two in the third before getting pulled and replaced by Ross Stripling. The Jays offence wasn’t silent though, but whatever runs they drove in never seemed to be enough to take the lead from Baltimore.

By the top of the seventh and final inning, the Blue Jays were down by four runs and it was looking like they were about to accept a loss to one of the last place teams. But as we have seen again and again this year, this team doesn’t give up and fights until the very last out. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. drives in one run, followed by a sac fly by Jake Lamb for the second run and finally the 2017 World Series MVP George Springer drives in a 2-run home run to give the Blue Jays the lead, winning the game 11-10.

The second game started the same way as the first, with the Blue Jays losing to the Orioles once again going into the top of the seventh inning, this time 1-0 for Baltimore. The bats became alive again, scoring 11 runs in the seventh, putting the finishing touches on a Saturday doubleheader sweep.

If these two comebacks weren’t enough of a successful weekend for you, the Jays also returned the next day to Camden Yards and scored 22 runs, including yet another Gurriel grand slam and a whopping 10 runs in the third inning.

Manager Charlie Montoyo was astonished with the comebacks from his team, stating, “I’ve never seen anything like that, these last three days. I’ve been in the game for 35 years and I’ve never seen anything like that, back-to-back, to score that many runs.”

Let’s just say that the Home Run jacket was definitely worn out over that 24 hour period.

2. Semien’s walk-off

Like many of us, I wasn’t sure about Marcus Semien when he was first signed with the Blue Jays in the offseason. But boy, were we all mistaken. Not only has he added a massive contribution to the Blue Jays team this year offensively and defensively, he has also became a leader to many of the young Jays.

The night of September 3 is just another one of the many reasons why Semien made such an impact on this team. The Jays were having a tough time against Marcus’ former team the Oakland Athletics, down 8-2 through the first seven innings until a six-run eight inning was put up by the Jays. The Athletics came back firing, scoring two more at the top of the ninth against closer Jordan Romano making it 10-8 for Oakland going into the bottom of the ninth.

With two on base, courtesy of a Breyvic Valera single and a Springer double, Marcus comes up to the plate and wins the game for the Blue Jays with one swing of the bat on a sinker and walks-off the game, winning 11-10 against Oakland.

https://twitter.com/TheAthletic/status/1433981039416786944

No doubt one of the most exciting, if not the most exciting, endings we have seen this year, and definitely one to remember, regardless of where Marcus Semien ends up next year. Little did we know that this game would launch a seven game win streak, two series sweeps and the start of a glimmer of hope for a potential Jays playoff run.

1. There’s no place like home

After nearly two years away from home and playing in Single-A and Triple A ballparks, the Blue Jays were finally allowed to come back home to Toronto and played their first real home game on July 30 against the Kansas City Royals.

After seeing the crowds of blue and white Jays jerseys make their way to the Rogers Centre, it felt like the city was alive again. The opening ceremony was one that had not only me holding back tears but also manager Charlie Montoyo and the players. The return to Toronto also sparked many offensive runs, with the Jays going 25-11 at the Rogers Centre, including sweeps against the Royals, Athletics, and Cleveland Indians.

https://twitter.com/BlueJays/status/1444805836337975300

Although the playoffs were just ever so slightly out of reach for the Blue Jays, the improvement from almost every batter and pitcher was clear, and there is so much good to take away from this season.

I have no doubt that the 2022 Toronto Blue Jays will continue to battle, improve and impress. If  this season shown us at least one thing, it was that this Jays team is always going to give it their all, no matter what team, pitcher, batter or odds are stacked against them.