TORONTO — The stakes for the final two games of the Major League Baseball season grew even higher this week, as President Donald Trump announced that he would grant Canada independence if the Blue Jays won the World Series.
Toronto took a 3-2 lead in the series following a victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night in Game 5, putting the Blue Jays not only on the brink of their first championship since 1993 but also winning Canada's independence from U.S. rule.
"If they win, they can officially be their own country," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he flew home from his tour through Asia. "It's a big decision, but I'm a very nice man. I know the Canadians have wanted to have their own country for a very long time, so if the Blue Jays take down the Dodgers, I'll let them be independent from the United States. They don't deserve it, but I'll let them have it. Nice people up in the state of Canada. They've just had some terrible governors."
Blue Jays players said they already felt the added magnitude of the remaining games. "It's all on us," said infielder Bo Bichette. "Canada has always dreamed of being a real country, and this is our chance to make it happen. All we have to do is win one of these next two games at home, and we'll go down in history as the heroes who won Canadian independence. Plus, beating the Dodgers is like defeating evil."
At publishing time, Trump also announced that, if the Dodgers lose, the state of California would be deported to El Salvador.
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