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Blue Jays Lineup and the 1985 Blue Jays Trios

By Minor Leaguer
This photo was from 1988 and not 1985
This photo was from 1988 and not 1985
Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

Down at the Rogers Centre today, the Blue Jays will be commemorating the 30th anniversary of the 1985 team, who captured the club's first division title and finished with a club record 99 wins. The Jays were an expansion club, vintage 1977, and in the days before modern free agency, it was an incredible feat for a franchise to reach the postseason (recall that only two teams from each league qualified) in a mere nine seasons.

Thousands of fans lined up for hours this morning to get their hands on a bobblehead that celebrates the great trio of outfielders George Bell, Jesse Barfield, and Lloyd Moseby. However, I contend that the club had an even better trio that we don't nearly hear enough about: starting pitchers Dave Stieb, Jimmy Key, and Doyle Alexander.

The three of them started 104 games and were responsible for 738 of the 1,448 innings pitched that season. Stieb posted a 2.48 ERA and 3.69 FIP, Key had a 3.00 ERA and 3.96 FIP, while Alexander had a 3.45 ERA and 3.83 FIP, combining for 16.9 wins above replacement as a group. Feel free to make a triple bobblehead for this trio in 2025, Blue Jays.

If are waiting for the game with nothing better to do, watch the 1985 Blue Jays' AL East-clinching game against the Yankees, which features a complete game from Doyle Alexander and lots of dingers. New Hampshire Fisher Cats manager Bobby Meacham is also featured as the Yankees' shortstop in those pre-Derek Jeter days.

Today's Lineup

The following Blue Jays will be wearing their new white panel caps for the first time today, hoping to break a two-game losing streak.

The Yankees counter with this lineup

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