Blue Jays close to matching Diamondbacks’ 2001 World Series feat

The 2025 World Series has been a roller coaster, with the Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers trading blows for the championship. Toronto had a golden opportunity to seal the series in the bottom of the ninth.

With runners on second and third, no outs and trailing 3-1, the Blue Jays needed a single or a bloop hit to tie the game. They were also one powerful swing away from a home run to take a 4-3 win and capture their first championship since 1993.

Unfortunately, the most improbable double play ended their bid for history that night.

After Toronto’s Ernie Clement popped out, Andrés Giménez hit what looked like a sinking line drive into left field. Dodgers outfielder Kiké Hernández made a quick catch for the second out, then threw to second baseman Miguel Rojas to double off Addison Barger for the third out.

If Toronto had completed the comeback, it would have been the first team since the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001 to win the World Series with a walk-off.

Left fielder Luis González was the last player to deliver a series-winning hit off New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, giving the Diamondbacks a 3-2 victory and a 4-3 series win.

The World Series has been won on a walk-off only 10 other times, including in 1993 when Toronto’s Joe Carter hit a walk-off home run to seal a 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 6.

While history was on the verge of being made, the moment underscored how quickly a game can change. The Blue Jays appeared poised to at least tie the game, but they came up empty after putting runners in scoring position.

Now, the series is tied 3-3. While the Blue Jays aren’t looking to make walk-off history, many will remember Game 6 as a “what if” if the Dodgers go on to win the series.

For now, the Diamondbacks still hold the distinction of being the last World Series clincher. However, depending on how the gam goes, Toronto’s Game 7 could look eerily similar to the one the Valley witnessed in 2001.

The Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers play Game 7 of the World Series on Saturday, Nov. 1, at 5 p.m.