Last-place Blue Jays cap disappointing season with 5-1 victory over Reds

TORONTO – Some memories were made Sunday as a season to forget came to a close for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Max Scherzer was in vintage form and George Springer was feted as well in Toronto’s 5-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Rogers Centre. 

Brandon Valenzuela and Charles McAdoo homered for the Blue Jays (79-83), who missed the playoffs this year after reaching the seventh game of the World Series last fall.

Underperformance and injuries were big factors in the team’s tumble from first to worst in the American League East. Those struggles were largely forgotten Sunday as feel-good vibes took over on a brilliant autumn afternoon with the roof open.

Scherzer got things started by acknowledging the sellout crowd of 42,131 at the start of the game. Another standing ovation followed when Springer led off for the Blue Jays. 

Both veterans played key roles in Toronto’s deep October run last year but their contracts are expiring.

Pitching on short rest, Scherzer – who will be a slam-dunk Hall of Famer – had seven strikeouts over seven-plus innings. Manager John Schneider pulled him after a leadoff walk in the eighth. 

“I told Max on the mound when he was coming out, ‘Just thank you for letting me be part of your unbelievable career,'” Schneider said. ‘”I wouldn’t want any other 42-year-old psychopath on my team other than you.'”

Valenzuela hit a two-run shot in the second inning off Reds starter Brandon Williamson and Toronto tacked on two more runs in the third. McAdoo added an insurance run with a solo shot in the eighth inning.

Springer was replaced by a pinch-runner after a double in the third inning. He received a standing ovation and fought back tears as he made the slow walk to the dugout before embracing his teammates.

“I just wanted to make sure that he had a moment with the fans because he’s had so many huge moments here with us,” Schneider said.

Scherzer, who had a season-high 19 whiffs, threw a whopping 114 pitches on short rest. 

After walking from the mound, he capped a series of hugs in the dugout by heading into the stands to embrace his family members.

“That was amazing,” Scherzer said of the day. “The adrenalin started kicking in, the fans started getting into it and that’s when I could start feeding off of the crowd here at Rogers Centre. 

“I really could just reach back and just felt like I was unlimited.”

The Blue Jays briefly held the final wild-card spot earlier this month but a recent stretch of seven losses in nine games sealed their fate.

Equipment bags were scatted around the team’s locker-room after the game as players said their goodbyes. A season that started with such promise ended with a sub-.500 record and plenty of question marks.

First baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., a key offensive linchpin throughout his career, never found his rhythm at the plate this season. 

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

The Warm-Up

Winnipeg Jets Game Days

On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.

Sign up for The Warm-Up

Sign Up

I consent to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies.

I consent to CASL agreement.

The injured list always seemed full and a number of starting pitchers spent time on it. Schneider was forced to use regular bullpen games to cover innings over the last two months. 

The relief crew was one of the best in Major League Baseball but the bats never provided the needed pop. Team defence also regressed after a stellar 2025. 

“There’s a lot of stuff we did right and a lot of stuff we did wrong,” said closer Louis Varland. “We just did not end up where we wanted to be and we’re going to learn from that.”

It was the third time in seven seasons that Toronto has missed the playoffs. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2026.