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Toronto Blue Jays: the 10 biggest mistakes in Blue Jays history

By David Salituro

DENVER, COLORADO - SEPTEMBER 18: Starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard #34 of the New York Mets throws in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on September 18, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO - SEPTEMBER 18: Starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard #34 of the New York Mets throws in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on September 18, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
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TORONTO, ON – AUGUST 11: Former player Tom Henke #50 of the Toronto Blue Jays acknowledges the fans during pre-game ceremonies honoring the club’s back-to-back World Series championships in 1992 and 1993 before the start of MLB game action against the Tampa Bay Rays at Rogers Centre on August 11, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – AUGUST 11: Former player Tom Henke #50 of the Toronto Blue Jays acknowledges the fans during pre-game ceremonies honoring the club’s back-to-back World Series championships in 1992 and 1993 before the start of MLB game action against the Tampa Bay Rays at Rogers Centre on August 11, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /

Blue Jays mistake No. 2: Bringing in Tom Henke too early in 1987

The Toronto Blue Jays, two years removed from the heartbreak of 1985, had a shot at redemption in 1987.

Led by AL MVP George Bell, left-hander Jimmy Key and saves leader Tom Henke, the Blue Jays went on a seven-game winning streak with two weeks left in the season. On pace to win 100 games, they led the Detroit Tigers by 3.5 games with seven to play, beating the Tigers in three straight to begin a four-game late-September series at Exhibition Stadium.

The fourth game was scheduled for Sunday afternoon, Sept. 27, and the Blue Jays took a 1-0 lead into the eighth inning, six outs away from putting their AL East rivals away for good. Starter Jim Clancy was cruising through the Tigers lineup, giving up five hits in seven shutout innings. But manager Jimy Williams decided to go to his bullpen, bringing in Henke to close out the game with a two-inning save.

Henke was familiar with this situation. He had saved seven games that season while pitching at least two innings.

He breezed through the eighth, retiring the side in order. Kirk Gibson would lead off the top of the ninth. Gibson was 1-3 in his career against Henke. Just three days earlier, Henke had struck him with two down in the ninth to preserve a 4-3 Blue Jays victory. A struggling Gibson took teammate Bill Madlock’s bat to the plate. Henke threw him a fastball and Gibson connected with it on a long drive to right field. The game was now tied.

Henke got the next five outs before being taken out in the 10th. The Tigers would end up winning 3-2 in 13 innings, the winning run being driven in by—who else—Gibson.

The Blue Jays lost their next six games to end the season and finished two behind the Tigers in the division. Henke wouldn’t get into another game for the rest of the season. Years later, though, he wasn’t too upset about it.

“Well, I don’t worry,” he told Sportsnet’s Gare Joyce in 2017. “I mean, I knew he hit the ball a long way, but you can’t be afraid of messin’ up out here. If you’re scared you’re already beat. I figure, so long as I got the ball, the batter’s the one who should be worried.”

A year later, Gibson would hit one of the most famous home runs in baseball history to win Game 1 of the World Series. But for a generation of Blue Jays fans, it was the homer he hit on that September afternoon at Exhibition Stadium that they’ll always remember.

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