‘We Were the Underdogs’: Blue Jays Fans Full of Anticipation as World Series Begins

Fans cheer during the sixth inning of the game between the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the 2025 World Series at Rogers Centre in Toronto on Oct. 24, 2025. Patrick Smith/Getty Images

TORONTO—Wearing a royal blue Toronto Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr. jersey, Justin Subaskaran says he couldn’t believe his home team made it to the World Series.

“We came in thinking that the Yankees or Dodgers would win, but eventually we made it. Even without Bo Bichette, we somehow made it,” Subaskaran told The Epoch Times at an outdoor viewing party at Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto on the evening of Oct. 24.

Blue Jays' Addison Barger (R) celebrates with teammates after hitting a grand slam against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the sixth inning of Game 1 of MLB's World Series in Toronto on Oct. 24, 2025. Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP

Baseball fans watch the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers World Series Game 1 displayed on the video board at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Oct. 24, 2025. The Canadian Press/Nick Iwanyshyn

Hundreds of Blue Jays fans gathered with high anticipation and excitement at the viewing party to watch the team’s first game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the World Series. The Blue Jays played a tough game against the mighty Dodgers, who are the defending champions, winning the opening game 11–4. The Dodgers evened the series the next day, beating the Blue Jays 5–1.

Subaskaran, 19, who has been a Blue Jays fan since 2015 during José Bautista’s record-setting season, said he had “100 percent faith” that the team would win the first game. He said even if the Blue Jays had lost the first game, he still believes they will win the World Series.

Justin Subaskaran watches the Toronto Blue Jays' first game in the World Series against the LA Dodgers at a viewing party at Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto on Oct. 24, 2025. Olivia Gomm/The Epoch Times

“They’re my hometown team. You still gotta stick with them. One game won’t set them back. They have multiple chances to try to win the series.”

The Blue Jays qualified for their first World Series in more than 30 years, after beating the Seattle Mariners 4–3 in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series on Oct. 20.

‘I Was Ecstatic’

Kazuo Nambara watches the Toronto Blue Jays' first game in the World Series against the LA Dodgers at a viewing party at Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto on Oct. 24, 2025. Olivia Gomm/The Epoch Times

Kazuo Nambara, 22, also sported a Blue Jays jersey while watching the game at the viewing party at Nathan Phillips Square on Oct. 24. Nambara told The Epoch Times he has been a Blue Jays fan since he moved to Canada at the age of 4 and his parents took him to a game.

“I was ecstatic,” Nambara said about how he felt when the Blue Jays beat the Mariners earlier this week, securing their spot in the World Series. “I was there for the Bautista game, so I was waiting for that moment for way too long.”

A general view of the interior of Rogers Centre during the playing of the national anthem before Game 1 of the 2025 World Series between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers in Toronto on Oct. 24, 2025. Emilee Chinn/Getty Images

Nambara said he was confident the Blue Jays would win against the LA Dodgers.

“I believe in the Jays. When the Raptors won, no one believed in them,” he said. “We were the underdogs, and we won. So I believe—I believe all the way.”

‘A Very Fond Memory’

Thousands of Blue Jays fans line up to watch the team's first World Series game against the LA Dodgers at the Rogers Centre in Toronto on Oct. 24, 2025. Olivia Gomm/The Epoch Times

Thousands of fans buzzing with excitement made their way to Toronto’s Rogers Centre stadium to watch the game in person, as Toronto hosted the first game of the World Series. Many fans arrived several hours before the game began at 8 p.m.

Lindsay Reed, a long-time Blue Jays fan, had tickets to see the game. She said it was “thrilling” to see the team make it to the World Series.

Reed said she was “cautiously optimistic” that the Blue Jays would win the first game, adding she would still be optimistic that the Jays would triumph in the series even if they didn’t win the early games. She noted the Blue Jays’ comeback while playing against the Seattle Mariners in the American League Championship Series.

“I think the Dodgers are just so, so talented, but the Jays have something special.”

Toronto hosted the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the World Series at the Rogers Centre on Oct. 24, 2025. Olivia Gomm/The Epoch Times

Reed said she has fond memories of the night the Blue Jays won the World Series in 1993.

“I was at university, and it happened to be homecoming weekend the same night,” she said. “Within two seconds of that home run, there were 5,000 people on the street in front of our house. It’s a very fond memory for a bunch of us from university.”