The Thanksgiving weekend in Toronto two years ago looked very different- and not in a good way. Manager John Schneider was simply reeling after GM Ross Atkins had publicly pinpointed the blame for the Blue Jays’ wild-card sweep in Minnesota on him. The direction of the team and also Schneider’s future in Toronto seemed a long way from certain. But now, fast forward to this Saturday, and the scene couldn’t be any more different. The Jays are just four wins away from a World Series appearance, and they are gearing up for their first ALCS trip since 2016. They have a chance to get rid of that championship drought they have had since 1993—a more than three-decade-long wait!

But honestly, the turnaround that the team has made is fantastic. They have toppled even the Yankees and the Red Sox to be where they are now. All this after finishing last in 2024. So what changed? Well, the Blue Jays dug in deep and asked the tough questions about what really went wrong. Schneider recalled that the clubhouse motto was honesty and self-assessment more than anything.

When asked when the turning point for the franchise was, Schneider said, “This is going to sound funny, but last September. We were still playing and not where we wanted to be. I think (that month) gave us a chance to dive into some of the ways to get better as opposed to when the season ends, not the way you wanted it to.” So by openly assessing every facet of the team, from the defense to the pitching, the team had laid the groundwork out in the open for making an impact.

Ace Kevin Gausman, who has been nothing but lights out this season, revealed the team’s frustration vividly. He said, “Everybody was like, ‘We’re way too good to be playing like this, to have the season we had with the talent we have.’ Everybody was pissed. A lot of conversations were had, and it was like, we need to fix a lot of stuff.” George Springer also emphasized how the team’s belief in themselves never wavered, no matter what came. They knew they had enough guys in the locker room who knew how to navigate what went wrong and turn the page. And this is exactly the reflection that set the stage for a complete reset.

Players embraced the process; they scrutinized everything, and Kevin Gausman even described that they delved into the details to ensure that the defense and pitching were aligned. There were multiple Zoom calls with coaches and the front office. Plus, even offensively, their new hitting coach, David Popkins, and assistants Lou Iannotti and Hunter Mense had a new method and combined situational hitting strategy with motion capture insights. So the result was a jump from a .241/.313/.389 slash line to .265/.333/.427. Truly, their journey has been one of careful analysis and resilience. Now they are to face the Mariners next, and they have a clear edge over them, allowing them to reach further.

Also, maybe they can finally win the WS this time around—but they might need help from a pie shop, maybe?

Maybe a coconut cream pie can help the Blue Jays win the World Series

On the morning of October 23, 1993, Joe Carter was not thinking about making history—at least not yet. All he could think about was Game 6 of the World Series and a slice of coconut cream pie. Long before he would swing a three-run homer that would make him clinch the World Series and etch his name as a Toronto Blue Jays legend, he was craving a pie from Wanda’s Pie in the Sky. It was a local bakery he fell in love with!

Carter had found out about Wanda and David Beaver’s bakery when he tasted their pie in another restaurant. And so he quickly arranged for personalized deliveries. On that game day, David was asked to deliver Carter’s 11-inch coconut cream pie straight to the clubhouse, a journey that was full of security passes, winding cement ramps, and fans swarming the stadium outside.

When David reached Carter, the slugger reached for his wallet. David, however, according to the Toronto Sun, said, “You don’t owe me anything. But when you win the World Series, bring the pie plate back to our bakery. That’s the deal.” So Carter agreed, and then the rest is history. However, the story doesn’t stop here. Beavers actually missed a voice call that Carter had left them before the game. He apologized for not returning the player soon and promised to keep it safe in his locker. Well, that coconut cream pie he so loves has been immortalized in Wanda’s cookbook as the pie that won the World Series.

So, Toronto is still waiting for another championship, so maybe a slice—or a whole pie—could do the trick.