AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: MARINERS VS BLUE JAYS

October 11, 2025

Myles Straw

Rogers Centre

Toronto Blue Jays

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. So many people have talked about what a special group this is. Why is this such a special group?

MYLES STRAW: I mean, I think we just have fun on and off the field, no matter what we're doing, whether it's funny, serious, work, non-work. I think we all just really truly actually love each other.

It's like you guys, when you guys like each other on or off the field, it makes it a lot easier to work with. Yeah, a lot of people I'll be in touch with forever.

Q. You could start four times a week and then not start for a week, come in every day, not come in for a few days. Does everybody, 1 through 26, on this team value everybody else? It feels like everybody values everyone almost equally on this team.

MYLES STRAW: Yeah, 100 percent. We're all just human beings. I have all the trust in the world with everybody on this team and staff in general, from top to bottom.

At some point or another, anybody on the team has got the job done this year, whether it's a reliever, starter, bench player, obviously the big dogs, they've done it all year.

But yeah, just truly very grateful to be a part of this team.

Q. After you guys clinched the division, Bo was talking to the cameras during the celebration, and he said specifically, Ernie Clement and Myles Straw are the two people who hold this team together, the most important glue guys on the roster. What did it feel like for you to hear that?

MYLES STRAW: It's cool. I think there's 10 of those guys on this team, though. I think we do a good job of communicating with each other and keeping each other close.

For me, I could go on and say for me that's Chris Bassitt on the team, and there's other guys, Gausy. It's a good feeling for sure from Bo, but at the end of the day I think the whole team is the same kind of -- same way for me.

Like I said before, I really do love these guys. It makes it easy to be here every single day and to truly want to be here is the best feeling.

Q. Did you watch the game last night? Did you guys all -- were there groups that got together? As it just continued later and later into the night, what are you thinking?

MYLES STRAW: So I probably shouldn't get too far into details, but me and Davis went out, had a couple beers, and we were trying to get out of there sooner than what the game ended, but it was fun. We sat there, met a couple fans out there that were really cool. They were all like, we hope we play this team, we hope we play this team.

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter. As long as we play our brand of baseball, we're excited to be out there and competing.

It was fun. I get to pull Davis out like once a month and got him out last night, and it was a blast. Like I said, would have liked to have got out a little bit sooner, but we had a good night, and today is a little bit more relaxed practice day, so we were able to do it.

Q. You came here in Spring Training and you obviously knew a few guys from Cleveland, but what made you so comfortable and confident that you could be a big part of this team as early as Spring Training?

MYLES STRAW: You know, honestly, I wasn't really sure of anything in Spring Training. I just tried to come in and tried to surprise some new eyes that I haven't played in front of before and just tried to give it my all. Wasn't really focused on too much other than just trying to be the best I could be each day.

Sure enough, had a solid spring and got to know the guys as the spring went on, and obviously playing against like Bo and Vlady, I've had small chats with those guys on the bases and stuff. You kind of can break in easier that way just from kind of having a little chat here or there.

Obviously the Cleveland guys here helped a lot, Sandlin and all those guys, and there's some guys that ran through Houston, too. I know Yimi was there and stuff like that.

Yeah, it made it really easy to come in and kind of know those guys, and then obviously you get in grooves, and they were talking to other people, and within the first couple days you've already talked with pretty much the whole team.

It was a very easy team to come to, and very glad it was that way.

Q. Oftentimes as players, players don't really think about how good their opportunities are. You had it taken away from you. You spent most of the year in minors, Ernie has been released, Davis has been threatened to be released several times. How does that motivate a player to appreciate what you're going through right now?

MYLES STRAW: Yeah, it'll definitely light some fire under you for sure. That's the only way I can really explain it. Just kind of fires you up, feels like you're kind of doubted a little bit. Just kind of take it as a little motivation and run with it. Change of scenery is nice. I've had that a couple times, and that's helped out a little bit.

I really love it here. The city is great, facilities, the people, everything.

Very happy and just blessed to be a part of all this, seriously.

Q. Just wondering what the last couple days since we saw you in clubhouse in New York have been like and when did the switch to "Okay, what's next?" happen for you and the team?

MYLES STRAW: Just watching the game last night, figuring out who we're going to play. Obviously we know both teams really well. I played against the Tigers for a few years, so I know A.J. and the bullpen and the arms they've got and the feels in general.

It's been a while, I think April or whatever, since we played Seattle. So it's been a while since we got those guys. But I think we were all locked in and we know what we've they got. Those guys are really good. They've been good for a while.

Just kind of knowing what we're going to compete against and knowing who we've got. Yeah, we'll get in there, do some homework on them and go from there.

Q. Just wondering what you remember -- I think the last time was the first week of May, what you remember about that trip to Seattle and some of the Jays fans coming down and that sweep you had there?

MYLES STRAW: Yeah, I was warned there was going to be a good amount of fans there, but I wasn't expecting that many. That was crazy. I've been seeing things like the Blue Jays might have seven home games this series, which would be cool. It would be nice to not play seven games, but regardless it's going to be cool to see all the Blue Jays fans come down from over there, and obviously our place is going to be rocking as always.

We're excited. I mean, wish the flight was a little closer, but that's only once or twice, so that's easy. It'll be fun. I'm really looking forward to it. I think we've got a good shot at this.

Q. You mentioned the Cleveland connection. Naylor shouted you out after the game last night. Just wondering if you could take us into your friendship with him.

MYLES STRAW: Yeah, Naylor is the man. I love Nayls forever. He was one of the best teammates I played with for sure. Talked to him in the offseason all the time. Actually went to his baby shower throughout the season here while we were in Toronto. That was pretty cool to be a part of that.

Yeah, he's one of the best guys I played with. He's got your back. He's going to tell you what you need to know. He's going to back you up. I'm always a Naylor fan, but obviously this series, it's a little different.

Q. Looking back to New York, how satisfying was that, watching that hit drop, coming up so clutch, and where does that rank for you in your career?

MYLES STRAW: I mean, the hit was cool. I was just glad once we made that final out, that was the coolest. I've been beat up in that stadium quite a bit over the last few years and knocked out of the playoffs there.

So to get that one over with, it was cool. And I know a lot of people would have liked to see us clinch here in Toronto as fans here, but at the end of the day, there's no other place on the planet I'd rather clinch than Yankee Stadium.

It felt good. Just a little sigh of relief there. Bullpen came up huge there, obviously. Schneids did a really good job running that game.

Q. Just to follow up on Josh, obviously he wasn't part of this Mariners team the last time you played them. Obviously you're not going to have to pitch to him, but you're aware how he can contribute. How does his addition to this team change what they offer offensively, threaten the lineup that he presents?

MYLES STRAW: Yeah, he's one of the best players or one of the best hitters for sure that I've ever played with. He's a good bat. I've been watching baseball more so over the last -- just the last couple weeks, kind of keep up with what's left and who's not, and I feel like every at-bat I watch of Naylor he's fouling his pitches off and it's 0-2 and he can still get it done, watch.

Sure enough, that inning I think they were down 2-1 last night and he got that base hit in the 4 hole, it was an 0-2 pitch, nice splitter down the way, and I'm like, look, there he goes again.

And that led to that base hit from Rivas to left and scored the run, tied the game. So stuff like that. He's just got the power, but he's kind of a pest at the same time. So he's just a complete hitter, and I've seen him ruin a lot of guys throughout the years.

Like I said, though, hopefully we shut him down next series.

Q. You said you didn't get to bed quite as early as you'd have liked. You've already seen in the last series the impact, the benefit that rest can offer. How much do you think that will benefit you guys this time around, particularly given what happened last night?

MYLES STRAW: Yeah, you guys all saw it, they used all the arms, some starters. That's big time. They've still got -- I think Miller is throwing Game 1. I'm pretty sure he's fresh.

So by the time these guys get rolling, I feel like they'll be set to go. It is what it is; it is nice they all kind of had to participate in that game. Just got to worry about us and who's on the mound that day and just kind of take it from there.

Q. The Blue Jays haven't been to the ALCS is almost a decade. A lot of people haven't experienced that kind of baseball. What's your message to Jays fans?

MYLES STRAW: Shoot, we're excited. We're as excited as you guys are. Looking forward to backing the city up and doing more than just the ALCS.

I have nothing else other than we're just really excited and prepared for the opportunity.

Q. There was obviously the bit of rest after clinching the East and waiting for the Wild Card Series. A little bit less this time. I was wondering if you could describe the benefits of that rest between the end of the regular season and the beginning of the DS and maybe the shorter rest and how that's helping you guys this time.

MYLES STRAW: Yeah, some guys -- like I've been to the playoffs a couple times. I feel like you see some of these teams get the week off and then you look like -- some teams will look like they're not prepared to play or whatever just because enter squads can be whatever sometimes.

But for a team like us, we have a lot of veteran guys in there that know how to use the day off properly and know how to come in prepared and what they're going to be asked to do or whatever.

I feel like this round is nice; we've still got our few days off, and not missing too much baseball and not having to play those enter squad games.

I think we're going to be ready to roll. I feel like that was the perfect amount of time to miss and still be locked in.

Q. Just on a personal level, what did you want to do between that longer break and what did you do this time?

MYLES STRAW: Well, I mean, we kind of played those enter squad games the first time, and then this time it was just optional live BPs. But probably get down there on Trajekt and for me face the sole lefty they've got. And, yeah, probably face him a thousand times. (Laughter).

Q. I'm sure you watched Vlad from afar and knew he was a very good hitter. What has it been like being around him every day, and what about him as a hitter have you gathered by just being up close?

MYLES STRAW: He's special. I get questions all the time about like, oh, who you taking, Vlad or this guy or Vlad or that guy. It's like -- someone asked me Vlad or Cal Raleigh, and they're both superstars, like some of the best in the game.

I'm like, dude, if we're in the bottom of the seventh of the World Series and I have to take one guy, I'm taking Vlad all day. He hits .300. He hits the homers at any given moment. He's different. He's probably the best hitter I've ever played with. You can never really count him out, whether it's 0-2, 3-0, you just don't know what he's going to do at any moment.

He's special. He's a special person, special teammate. And he's actually mad at me right now, so hopefully he sees this and gives me a little love after this because he's not talking to me for a week is what he told me. I'm not going to say why. But he's the man. I love Vlad. He's top-notch, man. I really do love him.

Q. When the Blue Jays front office acquired you, they took a lot of criticism for doing so. I'm curious how much of that were you aware of, and now that you're here and have been a big part of the reason why this Blue Jays team is here, I'm wondering how satisfying it is for you. What are you thinking now?

MYLES STRAW: I mean, it's all in the past. I definitely saw a lot of the criticism and stuff. Like I said, you can kind of use that as fuel as a player. You can use it however you want to use it. You can let it get to you or use it as fuel. I kind of took it that way.

At the end of the day, here we are today, and all that is irrelevant to me.

Just kind of worried about what we've got in front of us, and it's an awesome opportunity. Just very excited to be here. We just need eight more wins, so looking forward to just one at a time, showing up tomorrow with these guys and getting after it.

Q. Generally what is the feeling amongst you and your teammates when Kevin Gausman starts a ballgame?

MYLES STRAW: It's the confidence. Like I said, we have confidence in everybody on this team. You can put whoever, literally does not matter, every single name, whether they're on the roster or not, anyone in this organization, and I'm going to believe in them 100 percent.

Obviously Gausy has been doing it for us all season long. Anytime he gets the ball, I feel like we've got a good chance. Looking forward to it. He brings the energy. I love watching him compete. He's a big-time competitor, and I think the Blue Jays fans are going to be ready to see him take it on tomorrow.

Q. Back to Naylor for a second, what did it mean to you when he came out to the wall in center when you hurt your ankle on that play, on his double?

MYLES STRAW: At the moment, Nayls is the man. I definitely see where he was coming from, but at that time, I was like, man, please get out of here. Please.

I didn't know -- I've never been on the IL so I didn't know what this ankle was really going to feel like in a day or two. Luckily enough, it wasn't terrible. I mean, there's still days where I can still feel it, but not in a bad way.

But he's the man. He's just looking out for my best interest. I would never do that for him. If he was out there, I would never walk out (laughter), that's for sure. But I thank him for that. He's a really good friend. Yeah.

Q. You talked a little bit about the rest and what about the Mariners went through last night. Can you give us from your perspective what it's like to play 15 innings and then have to get on a plane and fly across the country and play a huge game less than 24 hours after you land?

MYLES STRAW: Yeah, it's tough. I used to -- I was in Houston before. I've had my night game in Seattle, fly back after the night game, lose a couple hours and then you're playing that day. That was that.

After a 15-inning game, yeah, those guys are going to be a little exhausted. But I didn't point in the season that adrenaline will -- for me, that would be taken over all my sleep or sleep deprived or whatever I needed. You put me on the field after that, I think I'd be ready to go. But yeah, it's definitely a little taxing on the body for sure.

Q. Just real quick, what did you do to Vlady?

MYLES STRAW: Yeah, I can't -- I've got six days left, though. (Laughter).

Q. When you guys swept the Yankees 1st of July, that was a clear turning point we all look at. Was there a specific time for you guys, you players in the clubhouse? We've talked about the vibes all season. Was there a particular time you guys thought something could be special here?

MYLES STRAW: Yeah, we've talked about this a couple times. Obviously I'm close with all the guys, but we've talked about this as a team, and I feel like for us, or at least for me, I think the homer from Bo in Texas that ninth inning to break the 0-0 score, I feel like that was it for me anyways.

I felt like that was sick, and ever since then I thought the boys were rolling. The home run in Texas was a big one for us I thought.