The Current - Toronto Blue Jays head to the World Series

Episode Date: October 21, 2025

Buck Martinez, longtime Blue Jays broadcaster, Pat Borders,1992 World Series MVP for the Jays and superfan Debbie Rafuse join Matt Galloway to discuss last night’s epic win over the Seattle Mariners.

This ascent isn't for everyone. You need grit to climb this high this often. You've got to be an underdog that always over-delivers. You've got to be 6,500 hospital staff, 1,000 doctors, all doing so much with so little. You've got to be Scarborough. Defined by our uphill battle and always striving towards new heights. And you can help us keep climbing.

Donate at lovescarbro.cairbo. This is a CBC podcast. Hello, I'm Matt Galloway, and this is the current podcast. Let's go bring her in a digger, let's go! That was the craziest game I've seen in my life. I'm feeling amazing right now. I cannot believe that's for your home run. So excited for these boys, we've been working so hard all year.

We deserve it more than anybody. I knew that we had the heart. Our players are way too good. They're way too smart. I honestly couldn't breathe. I was crying. We're not worried about you, Dodgers. We're not worried about you.

Toronto Blue Jays are going to the World Series. It will be the first time since 1993, 32 years since they have been to the big show. Last night's game seven was not for the faint of heart, but the Jays managed to pull off their best run in decades, winning 4-3 against the Seattle Mariners. Buck Martinez saw the game firsthand and what some of us still call the Skydome.

He is the longtime Blue Jays broadcaster. Before that, the team's manager and catcher, Buck, good morning. Good morning, man. How are you doing today? Before the game, you said that someone will do something special and be remembered for years to come. Describe that moment that George Springer launched the Jays into the World Series. Yeah, you know what, everybody remembers Joe Carter in 93, and Edwin and Karnas shown against Baltimore and Jose Baptiste's bat flip. Now George Springer is in that same class.

You know, when you play a game seven, something's going to happen that'll last a lifetime. and certainly Springer has one of those moments now. You know, Seattle's bullpen was so good all year long and so good in the playoffs. You just felt like if Seattle was late in the game and then Bougiers had to beat the rope and it would be a tough assignment, but Boy, Springer came through just like he's been doing

all season long. He's a special player and he seemed to knock it out. I mean, he got drilled in the knee just a couple of games ago. I don't know what kind of pain he is in, but he seems like this is the moment for him. Yeah, absolutely. this kind of season he's had. You know, last year he had a very disappointing season,

but he put his work in in the off-season. He came into camp with a re-energized attitude, and he's really been a terrific leader all season long. It started in spring training. You know, he didn't have a very good spring. In fact, he started in the lineup hitting six. He just wasn't swinging the bat very well early on, but boy, he caught fire.

First time in his career, he's at 300. And, you know, he's been down this road so many, times. He's had so much postseason experience. He's been a sounding board for this team all postseason, and I think now it's a wonderful opportunity. You're right. I spoke to his dad last night after the game, and George Sr. said that George could barely walk. He got hit on that right knee, a 96-mile-hour fastball, and there was some doubt whether or not he would even play. But not only did he play, he led the team to the World Series. That's a pretty special moment for him. Tell me about this team. I mean, they go down two zero.

They go to Seattle, they win two of three, then they lose, then they win the final two at home. What is special about this team? Well, you know what? It's the closest team I've ever seen in this franchise history, as long as I've been here since 1981. These guys truly love one another. You heard it time and time again last night after the game, the postseason interviews. They always talked about how close this team was, how close their families are. You know, a bunch of Americans living in Canada.

united here. They've embraced the country. They've embraced the fan base. And it's just a special group of players that always believe they could get it done. And I said this last night. I don't think the Lujay has ever received the credit during the regular season for the season they were having. And now, you can't ignore what they've done. They beat the Yankees. They beat the Mariners. Now they're going to play the Dodgers. And I wouldn't be surprised if they beat the Dodgers either, because that's the character of this team. Do you think, I mean, when you say it didn't receive the credit, is part of that from U.S. media, I remember when the Jays won at all in 92, 93.

And people down south, baseball in Canada? Isn't it cold all the time up there? I mean, is that part of it? Yeah, I think it is. You know, and until, and I felt the same way when I came here as a player in 1981. I thought, what am I going to do in Canada playing baseball? And here we are in 2025. I'm still here in one of the best baseball cities in the world.

And the country has embraced this team from day one. 77 when it started, you know, I think it's only appropriate. Next year will be their 50th year, and hopefully they'll be the reigning world champs when that year starts next year. What do you think this means for the team, for the country, and also for the city? I was downtown in Toronto eight hours before the game started, and it seemed like every third or fourth person had some Jay's gear on,

and that would have only multiplied as it got closer to game time. What does this mean, we call it Canada's team. What does it mean for this country, do you think? Well, it's incredible. When we see the fans at Rogers Center around town, they come from all over. They come from the west, they come from the north, they come from the east, and they're just fans that love their team. And I think it's special because they truly embrace the fact that it's the only baseball team in Canada. And they're so proud of that.

And now they have even more pride in what they've accomplished to this point. And it's certainly going to be a fun World Series. But you know what? These are special people. They love their team. The team has returned that love to the fan base. And time and time again last night, during the celebration, they all mentioned how the fan base has supported them and energized them through this run here in October.

Is there a little small part of you that is pleased to see Seattle get stuffed? I mean, when they, you were playing, and it was a mariner that came sliding into home play, broke your leg, and yet you still managed to complete the double play all those years ago. Are you happy to see the back of them? Yeah, you know what, that was such a long time ago. I'm just happy for the Blue Jays. You know, I think there was a little bit of an emotional letdown after they beat the Yankees. And you kind of saw that in the first two games of this series because they didn't do anything in the first two games.

And Vlad, it was 0 for 7. The team only had five hits in two games. And I think there was a bit of an emotional letdown, but they certainly got their energy back for the rest of the series. And now they can have a few days off before they look to start the World Series against the Dodgers on Friday night. Let's talk about the Dodgers. I mean, everybody speaks about their pitcher, Shoahotani,

who, I mean, in that game on Friday, he had 10 strikeouts, then he hit three home runs at the plate, including one that flew out of the stadium, over the top and out of the stadium. Do the Js have any business thinking that they can beat this team, or is it entirely within the realm of possibility, given how they're playing, that they should think that they can beat the Dodgers?

Yeah, you know what? Baseball is such a close game. You know, we talk about it being a matter of inches, and you never know who's going to get hot. It could be a role player. It could be somebody like Ernie Clement coming up with a big hit. Yeah, the Dodgers have the star power. There's no question about that.

with Otani and Betts and Freddie Freeman and Teasca Hernandez, Clayton Kurshah, their pitching staff is terrific. But, you know what, you play the games on the field, and it's a matter of who has the bigger heart, who has the bigger determination, and, you know, who makes the crucial pitch or has the bigot bat in a pivotal point of a ball game. So I think it's going to be a dramatic world series. I don't think the boojays are thinking that the Dodgers are going to roll over them at all. I think they're ready for a competitive seven-game World Series.

I'm going to let you go. But you said something earlier, which is that you're still here. And this matters. You had a rough go, lung cancer this summer, and you're back in the booth, as you should be calling these games and letting us know what's going on. What does it mean for you to be here in this moment? Well, it's pretty special. You know, the last couple of years has kind of been a challenge. My wife has been a phenomenal support, and she's helped me get through.

this and the Rogers people have been very supportive and allowed me to take care of myself first and foremost. And now I'm healthy again and back in the booth and looking forward to starting the World Series. It's magical because Dan and I are the only broadcasters in baseball. They get a chance to do their own teams postseason games on television. And we really appreciate that. We enjoy that and we want to make sure we do the best job possible for our viewers. Friday, it won't be Friday without your voice coming through the television. It's great to talk to you, get a couple of days, rest, and get ready for Friday. It's going to be something else. Buck, thank you.

All right. You bet, Matt. Great to talk to you. Buck Martinez, broadcaster for the Toronto Blue Jays on Sportsnet, former catcher and manager with the team. This ascent isn't for everyone. You need grit to climb this high this often. You've got to be an underdog that always over delivers. You've got to be 6,500. hospital staff, 1,000 doctors, all doing so much with so little.

You've got to be Scarborough, defined by our uphill battle and always striving towards new heights. And you can help us keep climbing. Donate at lovescarbrough.cairot.cairot. Norval Morso is one of the most famous indigenous artists ever. Looking at his paintings, it's easy to see why. Colors are intense. Color is medicine. But look a little closer and you'll see something else. Fakes. We believe it's the world's biggest art fraud. There are thousands of fake Norval-Moroso paintings beneath some of these forgeries, assaults, abuse, and even an unsolved murder. I want my paint back. I know you kill that boy. Forged. Available now, wherever you get your podcasts. Speaking of catchers, another Jay's great joins us now. Pat Borders, former Blue Jays

catcher, played in the 92-93 World Series, the last time. the Jays won at all. He was the World Series MVP in 1992. Pat Borders, good morning to you. Good morning. How y'all doing? Well, I'm okay. Did that Springer home run remind you a Joe Carter shot that won it all in 93? Oh, my goodness, a lot of similarities there. It was good to see him step forward after getting injured like that, hit the knee and just fight through the pain, which he obviously did, and shows the character of the team a little bit. Buck was talking a little bit earlier about the cohesiveness and how close the team was and the closest team I said I would say the 92-93 teams that we had rivaled that

but that's exactly what you need and I see that a lot of similarities with the team chemistry, the team makeup a lot of them came up to the minor leagues together like the teams of the past that I played on did and you are close and that is a part that you need to win especially in the postseason.

You see some other teams try to put together teams and out pay everybody and bring people together. And sometimes that just most times that doesn't work when you try to get personalities together like that. The personalities that come up through the minor leagues such as our teams in the 90s and the teams that you have, the team you have there right now. A lot of the young kids came up together. A big percentage of the team played in the minor leagues together. and you can't recreate that kind of chemistry and closeness that you're going to get in the minor league site. They also brought in some big players that always had personality, chemistry, knowledge, experience, and all those things, too. So I think there was a huge similarities between the teams that I played for in the 90s and this team this year, and I see good things happen for them.

What is it like to play in the World Series? you can't describe it but at the after the game was over i know i was a mentally exhausted i went home and slept people people think you want to go out and party and have a good time which you know we had a great time after after the games however mentally exhausted the concentration level that you have to have uh as a baseball player as a pitcher as a catcher you know hitting uh it's a constant uh a battle of all right now right how did how did you get this guy out the next guy you got to get out. Do you change it up a little bit? Do you switch it? Any pitch or any moment can change the outcome of the series and the game. For me, it was just a mentally exhausting time. And when it was

over, I was ready to get to sleep, ready to get to bed. Do you remember what it did to the city of Toronto? I remember when the Js won the first time walking from Midtown to downtown Toronto, because you couldn't get a cab. The subways were full of people. And the streets were just jammed full of thousands and thousands and thousands of people. Do you remember what it did to a city like Toronto? Funny you can mention that, because I mentioned that the last time I was up there a couple weeks ago. And I felt the same energy that I hadn't felt since the 90s.

There was playoff runs and people get into the playoffs, teams getting to the playoffs. However, I didn't feel the energy that I felt the last time up there, and I actually mentioned that to someone. I said there's a lot of similarities between the teams. Also, the city with the energy, the excitement you just see walking down the street. You see people like, Ernie, or excuse me, Buck mentioned a couple of minutes ago about people wearing Blue Jay's gears every third person. It was energy unlike I had seen in a couple decades.

You think they can do this against the Dodgers? I think anybody can do anything in the playoffs. You have a seven-game series. It's not super long. It's not like a 162 game season. And who gets hot, teams, batters, pitchers get, you know, they have little bell curves of cyclical, good and bad times. I think, you know, I think someone said to Springer a few minutes ago wasn't swinging back terribly well when he went into the playoffs. And now he is.

I think baseball is kind of like that. You go through good times and bad times. You just ride the wave of the good times. And hopefully it's during the time of the playoffs. And there's an opportunity just finally for somebody to be like you. You're a hero. You're still a hero in this town and in this country. There's an opportunity for somebody else to take that crown. Oh, please do. You got Springer did that. And there's there's plenty of people going to step up and do that. Come on to comment, you know, him stepping up.

I don't, I didn't follow what he did much during the season, but he has been on fire and unstoppable as of late. You know, so anybody can step up and change, you know, Blue Jay history. which he did last night. Pat Borders, really good to talk to you. Thank you very much. Yes, sir. Pat Borders is a former Blue Jays catcher played in the 92-93 World Series

when the Jays last won at all. He, of course, was the MVP in 1992 as well. You know, a few weeks ago, early in the playoffs, we spoke with a woman named Debbie Raffuse. She lives in Chester, Nova Scotia, Blue Jays super fan. We heard from many, many people who said, you should have her on again.

You should have her on more during these playoffs. Debbie, good morning. Good morning, Matt. How were you? Did you get any sleep last night? I'm actually running on adrenaline. Three hours.

Three hours sleep. It was your man, George Springer, your favorite player, who hit the Dinger, who put the Jays into the World Series. Describe, what were you doing? You were you on the edge of the couch? You sit standing up. Are you lying down? How are you watching that? I was sitting up in my bed with my Blue Jays pillow behind me, with my Blue Jays blanket.

it. And I was messaging back and forth with my friends. And when it got to maybe the bottom of the sixth, just before Springer got up to bat, my friends were saying, so what do you think? Do you think we're going to pull this off? And I said, listen, you just need to believe. You just need to believe. And I know what's going to happen. And then Springer got up and bang. Woohoo. He got the Springer dinger. How much noise, you probably would have heard you holler in all the way up to Halifax and Truro and beyond, right? Probably. And, you know, I kept saying to myself this morning, okay, don't get on the radio now. I start screaming and yelling and going crazy. And I said, okay, but I lied.

Woo-hoo! I'm going to the World Series. You're welcome to scream and yell anytime. So, hey, last time we talked, we talked about that George Springer doll that you had made, right? Where is it now? The last I heard, it did make it in the hands of the general manager of the Blue Jays. So it's getting closer to George. Yes. Maybe he even has seen the doll. I don't know.

I haven't heard. I can't wait. Everyone at a ride home here, they're so excited. And they keep messaging me and saying, you know, did George get his doll yet? You know, what's going on? And I said, well, I don't know because I haven't heard. Everyone's excited and no one's more excited than myself. What is, so the last two guests that we have had on, Buck Martinez and Pat Borders,

have both said that this team is special. What to you makes this team special? The players. The players, you know what? I've never seen a team, and I've watched baseball for many years, and actually I've been a fan of the Blue Jays for 47 years. And I've noticed with this team that they're so together,

you know, and they love each other so much, and they help each other out. And when one is down, the other will bring the other one back up and just keep, you know, you know, telling each other, you know, we can do this. And I don't know. I've just seen, like George Springer, I find he's such a leader. He'll get in, you know, in the dugout.

And if someone does something wrong, he helps him. And he did the day that, I think it was Snyder, Davis Snyder. He had, he was at bat and he had like 14 balls batted. And in the end, he got out. But when he got back to the dugout, the first one to come to him was George Springer. And he put his arm around him. And I know he was saying to him, listen, buddy. you did great you know you you got the pitcher doing 14 pitches and now his pitch count is going up

because of you so don't be sad you know this is great you did a wonderful job you know i and i see that in a lot glad he is the same glad he's great he just keeps you know pumping and going on and this team is just wonderful and i'm so happy for every single one of them they work so hard and they deserve to be where they are it was your mom that got you into the jays do you it was my mom you think of her last night when you were watching that game I sure was. I'm sitting here now with her pin on my sweater, yes. Her pin on your sweater? Yes. I have, she gave me a pin, and it says 1997, April 7th, the very first game that Toronto played with the Chicago White Sox.

She gave that pin to me, and I wear it on my Blue Jays sweater. It's a bit of good luck. This would have been awesome if she was here to see this, because her and I saw both World Series in 92 and 93, and if she could have been here to see this one, she would have been bouncing off the wall. She was a sweetheart, and I love her, I love her and I miss her, but I just, I have her pinned, so that's great.

And so what will you do on Friday? Game one of the World Series. Game one of the World Series. I don't know. I'm still on adrenaline from last night, so I don't even know what I'm going to be doing, but I know one thing. I'll be watching the game.

Whatever you did last night, do it again on Friday, because that was good. luck. I certainly will. I certainly will. And I have my little Springer Bobbillhead standing here alongside of me that my two really wonderful best friends gave me. And my heart was broke. Oh, my heart was so full. They actually gave up the George Springer Bobberhead just for me. So I love them both. Debbie, I'll tell you, people coast to coast to coast rode into us after you were last on the program and said, put her back on the radio. You're welcome here anytime. You're a bit of good luck for

us. Thanks for talking to us and go, Jace. Thank you so much, Matt, and thank you for everyone out there. I love you all. Thank you. Look out Friday. Here we come. Debbie Raffuse is a Blue J super fan. She was in Chester, Nova Scotia. You've been listening to the current podcast.

My name is Matt Galloway. Thanks for listening. I'll talk to you soon. For more CBC podcasts, go to cbc.ca slash podcasts.