October 7, 2026
October 7, 2026
1989 Toronto Blue Jays: Border of Success
As the 1980s came to a close, the 1989 Toronto Blue Jays were proving to the baseball world just how relevant they were when it came to chasing the American League pennant. Four years earlier, in 1985, the Blue Jays had reached the American League Championship Series but fell short of the Fall Classic by just one win. The 1989 season marked the end of their stay at Exhibition Stadium and the beginning of their days at the SkyDome, now known as the Rogers Centre. May 28 was the Blue Jays’ final game at Exhibition Stadium, a 7-5, 10-inning win over the Chicago White Sox. The first game at the SkyDome came on June 5, a 5-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.
The 1989 Toronto Blue Jays finished 89-73, two games ahead of the Baltimore Orioles, to win the American League East division, though Toronto went just 6-7 against Baltimore in head-to-head play. The Blue Jays went 46-35 at home and 43-38 on the road. The regular season didn’t start off so well for Toronto, as the club opened 12-24, prompting a managerial change: Jimy Williams was replaced by Cito Gaston. Under Gaston’s guidance, the Blue Jays fared much better the rest of the way, going 77-49. Gaston would go on to do much more for the team in the years that followed.
Left fielder George Bell batted .297 with 18 home runs and 104 RBIs off 182 hits and 41 doubles. Third baseman Kelly Gruber batted .290 with 18 home runs and 73 RBIs off 158 hits, 24 doubles, 4 triples and 10 stolen bases. First baseman Fred McGriff had 36 home runs and 92 RBIs off 148 hits, 27 doubles and 3 triples. Shortstop Tony Fernandez had 11 home runs and 64 RBIs off 147 hits, 25 doubles, 9 triples and 22 stolen bases.
Catcher Ernie Whitt had 11 home runs, 101 hits and 24 doubles. Center fielder Lloyd Moseby had 11 home runs, 111 hits, 25 doubles and 24 stolen bases. Second baseman Nelson Liriano had 110 hits, 26 doubles and 16 stolen bases. Right fielder Junior Felix had 9 home runs, 107 hits, 14 doubles, 8 triples and 18 stolen bases. Outfielder William “Mookie” Wilson had 71 hits and 12 stolen bases in 54 games. Middle infielder Manuel Lee had 78 hits in 99 games.
Starting pitcher Jimmy Key had 118 strikeouts and a 3.88 ERA, recording 5 complete games and 1 shutout despite going 13-14. Dave Stieb went 17-8 with a 3.335 ERA, recording 3 complete games and 2 shutouts. John Cerutti went 11-11 with a 3.07 ERA, recording 3 complete games and 1 shutout. Signed out of free agency on December 24, 1988, Mike Flanagan had a 3.93 ERA, one complete game and one shutout despite going 8-10. Todd Stottlemyre went 7-7 with a 3.88 ERA.
Closer Tom Henke went 8-3 with 20 saves, 116 strikeouts and a 1.92 ERA. Relief pitcher Duane Ward had 15 saves, 122 strikeouts and a 3.77 ERA. David Wells went 7-4 with 2 saves and a 2.40 ERA. Frank Wills went 3-1 with a 3.66 ERA. Mauro Gozzo went 4-1 from the bullpen.
Unlike the 1985 ALCS, the Toronto Blue Jays didn’t fare as well in the 1989 American League Championship Series, falling 4 games to 1 to the eventual World Series champion Oakland Athletics. The only game Toronto won in the series was Game 3, on October 6 at the SkyDome, a 7-3 win over Oakland.
In the top of the 1st inning, first baseman Mark McGwire, who made up the “Bash Brothers” along with outfielder and designated hitter Jose Canseco, had a sacrifice fly. In the top of the 3rd, third baseman Carney Lansford had an RBI single, and designated hitter Dave Parker followed by hitting a solo home run. In the bottom of the 4th, Toronto stormed back as George Bell had a sacrifice fly, Tony Fernandez had a 2-run double, and then Ernie Whitt topped things off with an RBI single. In the bottom of the 7th, Junior Felix had an RBI single, Lloyd Moseby drew a bases-loaded walk to score Kelly Gruber, and then Mookie Wilson topped things off with an RBI single.
Though they fell three wins short of reaching the World Series, the 1989 Toronto Blue Jays took home several awards and accomplishments. Kelly Gruber and Tony Fernandez went to the All-Star Game. Fernandez won the Gold Glove Award, while Gruber hit for the cycle — a single, double, triple and home run in a single game — in an 18-5 win over the Kansas City Royals on April 16. Fred McGriff led the American League in home runs with 36, winning the Silver Slugger Award and earning American League Player of the Month honors in April. George Bell was named the American League Player of the Month in August.
A defining moment of Toronto’s 1989 campaign took place near the midway point of the regular season, in a game against the Boston Red Sox on June 4. The Red Sox jumped out to a massive 10-0 lead after 6 innings, seemingly putting the Blue Jays away. In the bottom of the 1st inning, left fielder Mike Greenwell and right fielder Dwight Evans both had RBI singles, and then center fielder Ellis Burks blasted a 3-run home run. Evans then had a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 2nd. Catcher Rich Gedman grounded out in the bottom of the 3rd to score designated hitter Carlos Quintana. Burks then had an RBI single in the bottom of the 4th. In the bottom of the 6th, Evans reached on an error to score third baseman Wade Boggs, and then Burks had a sacrifice fly.
Shortly after this outburst, the Blue Jays finally woke up and stormed back into the ballgame. In the top of the 7th, Nelson Liriano grounded into a double play, which scored Moseby. Felix then had a ground-rule double to score Whitt. In the top of the 8th, Moseby had a 2-run single, designated hitter Rance Mulliniks had an RBI double, and then Liriano topped things off with an RBI single. In the top of the 9th, George Bell had an RBI double, and Whitt demolished a grand slam to give Toronto a shocking 11-10 lead. Boston tied the game at 11-11 with an RBI single by shortstop Jody Reed to force extra innings. Amazingly, in the top of the 12th, Junior Felix belted a two-run home run that decided the game in favor of the Blue Jays. This would be a game that would help inch Toronto closer to the border of success.
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