Everyone's favourite former manager says Blue Jays remind him of World Series-winning team
Photo credit: https://www.bloomberg.com
John Gibbons has seen this kind of team before.
The beloved former manager of the Toronto Blue Jays thinks this current team reminds him of one that won the World Series, and beat Toronto in the process.
Gibby says he sees a lot of similarities between the 2025 Blue Jays and the 2015 Kansas City Royals that beat him in the ALCS a decade ago.
That K.C. team that beat us, I think they're very similar to the Blue Jays right now. They had great pitching, they put the ball in play, they played stellar defence and they could really run the bases.
If you examine the numbers, Gibbons may be onto something.
For one thing, the Blue Jays hardly ever strike out. They had the second-least strikeouts among hitters in the American League this season. The 2015 Royals? The whiffed less than any other team that year.
John Gibbons says current Blue Jays remind him of 2015 Royals team that beat Toronto
Kansas City was second in team batting average in 2015, the Blue Jays were first in 2025.
Neither team were known for their power. They Jays finished 7th in home runs this year, while the Royals were 14th in 2015. However, both teams were doubles machines, with Toronto finishing third in doubles in 2025, while KC had the 2nd most in 2015.
2015 Blue Jays similar to the 2025 New York Yankees
The team that the Royals beat in 2015 was very similar to the current New York Yankees, whom the Jays sent packing on Wednesday. Both the 2015 Jays and 2025 Yankees were power-hitting clubs who went dry in the playoffs and who go so-so performances from their MVPs.
None of this surprises Gibby, who managed the team from 2004-2008 and again from 2013-2018.
When you put as many balls in play as the Jays do, good things happen,» So much of today's game is all about home runs, but you can get around that by putting balls in play.
Like much of the baseball, Gibbons will be watching the ALCS closely.
TRENDING NOW
