Prime Minister Mark Carney took a friendly swing at Donald Trump on Thursday, joking that the U.S. president is afraid to make a bet against the Toronto Blue Jays ahead of the 2025 World Series.
“He doesn’t like to lose,” said Carney, as he dropped in on a Blue Jays practice on the eve of the fall classic.
“He hasn’t called. He hasn’t returned my calls yet on the bet.”
It’s not uncommon for leaders to make wagers ahead of sporting events in favour of their home countries. Trump’s predecessor Barack Obama and former prime minister Stephen Harper put two cases of beer on the line ahead of the 2014 Canada-U.S. Olympic hockey matches.
As the country’s only remaining MLB team, the Jays have taken on the title of “Canada’s Team.” (Only one player was actually born on Canadian soil, however: star slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr., whose father played for the Montreal Expos.)
WATCH | Carney says he has not made a friendly wager with Trump:
Ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays’ first game of the 2025 World Series, Prime Minister Mark Carney joined the team for practice and reporters asked if he had made a bet with U.S. President Donald Trump over the outcome.
“The whole country is behind this team,” said Carney, who predicted the Jays will take home the trophy in six games.
The prime minister spoke with team president and CEO Mark Shapiro, general manager Ross Atkins and manager John Schneider in the team dugout before talking to reporters on the field.
He did not appear to speak to any players.
In a thinly veiled reference to his own politics, Carney said Canada can learn from the Blue Jays lineup.
“These guys are acting as a team. They’re here because they’re a team. Everyone’s giving 110 per cent and they’re taking risks. They’re ambitious,” he said.
“You do that, you put it together, you work with others, you end up in the World Series, great things happen. Great things are happening in Canada.”
WATCH | Carney joins Jays practice:
Prime Minister Mark Carney joined the Toronto Blue Jays for a practice at the Rogers Centre on Thursday afternoon as the Jays prepare to take the field against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first game of the World Series on Friday evening.
Political curse lifted?
Carney’s upcoming travelling schedule might ease the minds of superstitious fans who remember how the Jays’ 2015 post-season run coincided with the federal election.
The three major party leaders at the time — Harper, Liberal Justin Trudeau and NDP Tom Mulcair — all brought their campaigns to the Rogers Centre.
The Jays lost all three of those games, causing some fans to declare a leaders’ curse. In a rare move of political solidarity, the trio jokingly pledged to not to attend any more games.
WATCH | Blue Jays leaders’ curse (from 2015):
Harper, Mulcair and Trudeau agree over Twitter not to attend any more Blue Jays games after three losses with party leaders in attendance
Carney is heading to Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea over the next nine days, putting him on the other side of the world as Guerrero Jr. and the scrappy Blue Jays take on the powerhouse Los Angeles Dodgers.
“Worst-timed trip,” Carney joked earlier in the day.
And for super superstitious fans: the supposed leader curse already seems to have been broken.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre took in a post-season game with his family at the Rogers Centre earlier this month, and the home team walloped the Yankees 13-7.
During Carney’s trip to the White House earlier this month, the prime minister slid in his early prediction while sitting next to Trump in the Oval Office. At the time the Jays were on the cusp of clinching the divisional series.
“We’re coming down for the World Series, Mr. President,” Carney said.
“They’re looking pretty good,” Trump responded.
The Blue Jays take on the Dodgers in Game 1 on Friday at 8 p.m. ET.
