Baseball Manitoba rooting for Blue Jays, upswing of interest in the sport ahead of World Series

Baseball Manitoba is hoping the Blue Jays’ appearance in the World Series will inspire the next generation of players.

The first World Series game played on Canadian soil in 32 years goes Friday night in Toronto, and if history repeats itself, the sport of baseball should see a surge of interest here in Manitoba.

Jason Miller, Baseball Manitoba’s executive director, says the Toronto Blue Jays’ back-to-back World Series wins in ’92 and ’93 inspired a generation of baseball players and hopes this Jays team does the same.

“I hear about how it got people interested in baseball and increased numbers back in the mid-90s,” Miller told CTV News. “There’s no doubt that it created excitement.”

He said Baseball Manitoba doesn’t have registration numbers from the 1990s on file but said the Blue Jays’ postseason runs in 2015 and 2016 provided a significant boost.

“Our membership numbers had plateaued, and they really did surge up in the next three to four years,” Miller explained. “Of course, the pandemic squashed all that and we’re still trying to trend our way back up.”

According to the Associated Press, the Blue Jays’ Game 7 win in the American League Championship Series pulled in around 6 million viewers across the country.

“More Canadians are watching our sport, which is obviously great for promotion, and it should drive an increase in [Baseball Manitoba] membership for 2026,” Miller said.

Miller, a self-described lifelong Blue Jays fan, said there’s a lot to like about this year’s team, headlined by the likes of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Kevin Gausman. However, Miller added utility players like Ernie Clement and bullpen arms like Louis Varland are crucial pieces for a franchise looking to win its first championship in more than three decades.

“It’s the camaraderie for one—like the way they seem to have banded together,” Miller said. “They’ve stuck together and they just seem to be playing for each other, playing for the city, and even playing for the country. It’s really fun.

“It’s also the multiple ways they can win. They’re not dictated by the home run.”

Miller said the Jays’ ability to play small ball—an offensive approach concentrated on contact hitting and moving runners along—pairs well with a dynamic pitching staff.

He said the Blue Jays’ focus on fundamentals over flash is encouraging for young Manitobans learning the game and honing their skills.

“For a long time, baseball revolved around the home run and stealing bases was frowned upon 10 years ago,” Miller said. “It’s so refreshing to see a resurgence of those other tools and other things that make baseball exciting.

“I think when kids see that, they don’t only want to go up to hit the ball hard and try to hit home runs. They see the excitement around stealing or playing great defence and throwing runners out.”

He used Guerrero Jr.’s defensive prowess at first base as an example of how routine plays throughout a nine-inning game can have a big impact on the outcome.

“Practice fielding a ground ball and throwing it to your pitcher on the run to first—those things have been made exciting again and it’s fun.”

Miller said those types of plays emphasize the importance of teamwork and highlight why he considers baseball to be the “ultimate team game.”

“Although there’s a pitcher on the mound and a hitter in the box… you can’t win a baseball game without getting contributions from every member of the team,” he said. “And any one member of the team with a lapse of focus or a physical mistake can cost your team the game too.”

He said baseball takes a unique combination of physical skill, mental preparation and focus, and a vast understanding of the game. That’s why Baseball Manitoba hosts a series of training programs and clinics throughout the off-season to help young players develop, including its Spring Break Camp.

“It’s a great way to learn and try to play the game,” Miller said. “And then we would obviously connect you to the local associations where the real, real baseball happens in the spring. You can join a team and get out there and play in the summertime.”

First pitch in Friday’s game is slated for 7 p.m. Central. Blue Jays rookie phenom Trey Yesavage takes the hill for Toronto, while the Los Angeles Dodgers will counter with Blake Snell.