Canadian Names and Teams Making an Impact in the MLB Postseason
+ World Para Athletics Championships recap, Canadian weightlifter wins silver, trending jobs in sports, tech, media, and business, quick hits
The MLB playoffs are here — and it started with a bang!
Let's break down three Canadian storylines that have shaped the MLB Playoffs in the first week of October:
SPREAD THE NEWS (Jays To The ALCS)
The Toronto Blue Jays are back in the ALCS!
The Toronto Blue Jays won their first playoff series since 2016, defeating the New York Yankees 5–2 in Game 4 of the ALDS last night in the Bronx. In a series that saw the Jays dominate the first two games — winning Game 1 by a score of 10–1 and Game 2 by a score of 13–7 — Game 1 also marked their first playoff win since Game 4 of the 2016 ALCS.
After Game 3 heroics from the Yankees, which saw them overcome a 6–1 deficit and avoid the series sweep, the Jays bounced back with confidence, getting on the board early in Game 4, and later taking the game 5–2 to win the series 3–1.
Why this is special: Nobody expected the Blue Jays to be here. They finished at the bottom of their division in 2024 with a 74–88 record and started the season with a 42% chance of making the playoffs with a projected record of 83–79 (according to FanGraphs), finishing fourth in the AL East.
What ended up actually happening? The Jays went 94–68 in the regular season, and edged out the Yankees to win the division. This is seventh division title in franchise history and their first since the 2015 season - where they broke a 22-year playoff drought.
Key performances in the series included:
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who, after a disappointing end to the regular season, has surged back to form, going 9–17 in the series with three home runs and 9 RBI, with a massive grand slam in Game 1.
Ernie Clement earned his postseason stripes in his first playoff series, going 9–14 with a home run and 5 RBI in the series.
Jays 22-year-old rookie Trey Ysevage showed up in Game 2 of the ALDS, striking out 11 and allowing no hits in five innings, making all types of history. The Jays’ right-hander set a new franchise record for strikeouts in a postseason game. At 22 years of age, he is the second-youngest pitcher with a double-digit strikeout game in playoff history, and his 10 strikeouts in four innings were tied for the most in a four-inning span in postseason history.
The Jays will take on the winner of the Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners, whose series finale is scheduled for tonight at 8:08 p.m. ET.
Do the Jays have what it takes to win it all?
Mississauga Boys Making Their Postseason Mark
Mississauga’s own Josh and Bo Naylor have both delivered key moments in the postseason so far. Bo Naylor recorded his first career postseason home run in Wild Card action for the Cleveland Guardians, while his brother Josh recorded the final out for the Mariners in what was their first franchise postseason win since Game 5 of the 2001 ALDS.
McGill Alum on Blue Jays Coaching Staff
Yes - there’s a U SPORTS presence in the MLB Playoffs.
Former McGill University right-handed pitcher Sam Greene is an assistant pitching coach on the Blue Jays’ staff. Greene played four seasons with the Redbirds, graduating in 2020.
The MLB Playoffs certainly take on a different feel when Canadian names and teams are in the mix.
World Para Athletics Championships Roundup 🇨🇦
Canada cashed in at the World Para Athletics Championships, which concluded this past weekend in New Delhi.
The Canadian team struck gold in three different events, en route to winning a total of nine medals.
Here’s a look at the Canadians who made the podium:
🥇 Anthony Bouchard — Men’s T52 100m
🥇 Greg Stewart — Men’s F46 Shot Put
🥇 Nate Tucker — Men’s T38 1500m
🥈 Marissa Papaconstantinou — Women’s T64 200m
🥉 Austin Smeenk — Men’s T34 400m and Men’s T34 800m
🥉 Julia Hanes — Women’s F33 Shot Put
🥉 Katie Pegg — Women’s F46 Shot Put
🥉 Marissa Papaconstantinou — Women’s T64 100m
Greg Stewart and Katie Pegg are both U SPORTS alums: Stewart from Thompson Rivers University and Pegg from Saint Mary’s University.
Maude Charron Continues to Stack Medals 🏋️♀️
Two-time Canadian Olympian Maude Charron secured silver at the World Weightlifting Championships this past weekend in Forde, Norway.
The Quebec native has two Olympic medals to her name — a silver from Paris 2024 and a gold from Tokyo 2020. Charron also served as Canada’s flag bearer alongside fellow Olympian Andre De Grasse at the opening ceremonies of the Paris 2024 Games.
She competed at both the 2016 and 2018 FISU World University Championships for Canada, winning bronze in 2016 and gold in 2018.
ICYMI - Trinity Western MBB Defeated a Chinese Pro Team
During their preseason trip to China, the Trinity Western men’s basketball team defeated the Tianjin Pioneers of the Northern Division of the Chinese Basketball Association.
The Spartans also faced off against Tsinghua University, Tianjin University, and Guangzhou Sport University.
For clips of their win against the Tianjin Pioneers
Quick Hits:
Memorial University’s Zoe Rowe cannot be stopped. The fourth-year forward has amassed 13 goals in 11 games, including a three-goal performance this past weekend against Moncton.
The reigning U SPORTS national champion Brandon Bobcats are representing Canada at the NORCECA Final Six in Ponce, Puerto Rico. They are 1–1 in the tournament after beating Suriname 3–0 and losing in four sets to the USA.
UBC’s triple threat: Three UBC receivers notched 100-plus receiving yards in a 35–31 loss to Manitoba — Trey Montour (128 yards), Colby Johnson (121 yards), and Shemar McBean (105 yards).
McGill’s QB is running the show — literally. Eloa Latendresse-Regimbald has averaged 107 rushing yards per game (RPG), with a total of 646 rushing yards on the season.
The battle of the East: Five OUA East women’s soccer teams currently sit at seven wins — Nipissing, U of T, Queen’s, Carleton, and Ottawa — with three of them ranked in the U SPORTS Top 10 (#3 Ottawa, #6 Nipissing, #10 Queen’s).
5 Trending Jobs in Sports, Tech, Media, and Business 👔
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Don’t worry — we’ve got you covered.
Click on the links below for current job postings and internships in sports, tech, and business.
CBC News Journalism Internship Program - Winter 2026
Global News: Digital Broadcast Journalist
Vancouver Canucks: Brand Manager