The Toronto Blue Jays are one win away from baseball immortality, and Davis Schneider made sure everyone knows the job isn’t done yet. The 26-year-old outfielder set the tone for Game 5 with a first-pitch leadoff home run that fueled the Blue Jays’ 6-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers, giving the club a 3-2 World Series lead headed back to Toronto.
It wasn’t just the swing that went viral—it was what came after. In his postgame comments, the left fielder dropped a line that connected across sports and generations.
The Athletic’s Mitch Bannon took to his X (formerly known as Twitter) account and shared a quote from the 26-year-old that echoed Bryant’s famous words from the 2009 NBA Finals after the Los Angeles Lakers took a 2-0 lead over the Orlando Magic.
“Job is not finished, as Kobe Bryant always said.”
That quote from the Lakers legend quickly spread across social media, embodying the late star’s “Mamba Mentality.” The reflection of the quote over 16 years later from the outfielder underscored the Blue Jays’ focus as they sit one win from their first title in 32 years. The message reflected the team’s calm confidence—celebration can wait.
Schneider’s solo blast to lead-off the game also ignited one of the most memorable sequences in recent World Series history, as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. followed with a blast on the very next pitch. The back-to-back shots off ace Blake Snell stunned the Dodger Stadium crowd early and pushed the Jays closer to completing its storybook run.
The moment also captured what this postseason has meant for the Blue Jays—a blend of resilience, belief, and timing. After falling behind following a heartbreaking 18-inning loss in Game 3, they have shown the same unshakable focus that’s carried them through October. The outfielder's quote summed up that energy perfectly, a mix of confidence and restraint that mirrors how champions think before the final out is recorded.
Bryant finished the job in five games against the Magic back in 2009. Now, Schneider and his teammates will try to mirror that finish as they return home to Canada, aiming to finish the job and bring the Commissioner’s Trophy home for the first time in over 30 years.
The “Job’s not finished” quote isn’t just a postgame remark from Schneider—it’s the mindset of a team refusing to settle until the trophy is theirs.
