There will be many people that will have been left hurting recently following the Toronto Blue Jays’ exit from the 2022 MLB season and it could be a sense of hurt that may last a rather long time.

Indeed, there was plenty of enthusiasm and expectation that this season could be rather special for the Canadians, however it was ultimately not to be for the franchise, as they crashed out in the Wild Card Series to the Seattle Mariners, with Game 2 a particular game of hurt as they were beaten 10-9.

However, with professional baseball continuing, the Blue Jays can ill-afford to continue to feel sorry for themselves, as the 2023 MLB season will creep up on them quicker than they may expect.

Nonetheless, in this article, we will look at some of the main takeaways from the Toronto Blue Jays’ 2022 MLB season and highlight the positives and negatives of a year that ended in disappointing circumstances.

The collapse in Game 2 was the defining point of the Blue Jays' season

Unfortunately, many will remember the incredible meltdown the Toronto Blue Jays had suffered during their Wild Card Series against the Seattle Mariners for years to come. As a result, many will determine this moment to have been the defining point of the team’s season, especially as it was hard to watch live.

Of course, it all happened in Game 2 and after being whitewashed 4-0 in Game 1, many will have been looking for the team to bounce back. Indeed, that appeared to have been the case for the Canadians, as they had managed to go 8-1 up by the end of the fifth inning. However, what had happened after that was nothing but spectacular…

The Mariners would go on to four homers in the sixth and then the eighth as they tied the game at 9-9. The play that led to the game being tied is an image that many Blue Jays will remember, too, as it saw both George Springer and Bo Bichette collide into each other in center field. In the ninth, the Mariners hit another home run and took the game 10-9, despite being 8-1 down by the end of five innings.

After 162 regular season games where the team had managed to perform well enough to get to the 2022 MLB postseason, the Wild Card Series was certainly one that many will want to forget but may find difficult to do so in the future.

Were there positives that the Toronto Blue Jays could take?

Naturally, it can be difficult to find positives in something when it ends in the meltdown that it did, however it is worth noting that there is plenty that the Blue Jays could be positive about.

Indeed, the organization had managed to put together a really solid campaign, one in which they can take plenty of confidence from and go again once the 2023 season begins next year. In some sections, the team are that good, that if they are able to continue to improve, then they could potentially be a contender for the World Series in the future.

With sports betting becoming more and more accessible in places around Canada, there will be many fans that will share that optimism regarding the team and their chances, which could then see a flurry of bets be placed in the coming seasons.

With Ontario's Sports betting scene continuing to grow and expand since it was officially launched, there are numerous different sportsbooks that will be looking to provide punters with the most competitive odds about the Toronto Blue Jays’ chances.

Some will look at how well the team performed this year as an indicator. Still, with the availability of different bets possible to place on the MLB nowadays, there may be some that will feel encouraged by the development of certain players on the team and what they could potentially achieve in the future…

Alex Manoah and Ricky Tiedemann had top years for the Blue Jays

Given that the whole team had managed to perform rather well last season, there were stand out performances from the duo Alek Manoah and Ricky Tiedemann, with both showing that they have the quality to make a real difference for the Canadians in the future.

Beginning with Manoah, the 24-year-old had a rookie year to remember, with the pitcher having been able to make a real impression while on the mound. He managed to pitch 2.24 ERA over 196 2/3 innings, with some believing it possible to be enough to enter the top three in the voting for the AL Cy Young Award.

To be a star, the rookie had shown a huge level of consistency in his performances, and, as a result, some have felt that he could be the face of the franchise in the future. Additionally, given how new he was to the MLB, Manoah has been considered the team’s MVP for the 2022 season and is a premier pitcher for years to come, as he should only get better with more experience in the league.

As mentioned, Ricky Tiedemann is another individual that had managed to have a stellar year, albeit away from the organization. Nonetheless, this is something that the Blue Jays can certainly take confidence in and look ahead to.

The prospect had started in the Single-A at the beginning of the season, however, his impressive showings had eventually led to him being in the Double-A by the end of the campaign, as he managed to post a 2.17 ERA with 117 strikeouts over 78 2/3 innings, thus suggesting that he is ready for a place on the roster when it comes down to MLB games.

It is likely he will start in the Double-A or Triple-A to begin with next season, but if he continues to be as impressive as he was in the developmental system this year, then it would not be a shock if we were to see him pitching for the main team in the near future.

Final Thoughts

While there will have been plenty of disappointment regarding how the Toronto Blue Jays’ season came to its conclusion, there is no doubt that there were some real positives that can also be taken, with each of these potentially providing the organization some success in the future.