How are the Toronto Blue Jays handling the pressure of the World Series?

Published in The Globe and Mail

The stakes are high as the Toronto Blue Jays head to the World Series on Friday. It will undoubtedly be a career highlight for some players, including those whose careers have just begun, like rookie pitcher Trey Yesavage.

With years of experience performing in high-pressure environments, many pro athletes develop strategies to avoid a momentary freezing or loss of skill, known as “the yips.”

Avoiding that predicament can begin with embracing the moment. “I think pressure is a privilege and that’s sort of a way we all look at it,” said John Lannan, major league mental-performance coach for the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Globe and Mail asked Lannan, as well as former Jays staff and other performance experts, to weigh in on the stress management techniques players might turn to before each game.

Strict wind-down routines

Judy Goss is a mental-performance consultant working with Athletics Canada, and a longtime Jays fan. She says that at this point in the season, the team’s coaches are likely emphasizing the importance of balance and routine.

“The environment can amplify highs and lows, so we have to think about managing mental health in this context,” she said.

Even when the game goes well, many athletes struggle to sleep after a big win, says Goss. However, strict recovery regimens are designed to quiet the mind and body, offering a productive use of post-game adrenaline.

“They’re not spraying champagne around after every game,” said Goss, adding that cold plunges, hot tubs and Normatec devices – air compression tools designed to soothe sore muscles by encouraging circulation – are sometimes used to promote sleep.

Internal support systems

Angus Mugford, former vice-president of high performance for the Jays, adds that the team’s experts work with players year-round to develop personalized coping and recovery strategies.

“It’s a 365-day operation,” said Mugford. “There’s an incredible sports medicine team, a dietician, strength coaches. There’s a mental-performance coach, mental health support, everything that you could imagine. This is a great example of where those things really matter.”

Mugford also says that players, coaches and agents may have had conversations on handling stressful practical matters – such as managing an online presence or handling ticket requests from family members – prior to the World Series.

“I imagine that the Jays have been good about supporting players and trying to offload some of those requests,” said Mugford. “Those are things they often talk about in spring training.”

Consistent mental rehearsal

According to Mugford, the team’s mental-performance experts will likely emphasize the importance of staying present during the coming week.

“When you see players doing something deliberately and repeatedly every time they’re at bat, for example, it’s actually a way of resetting their mind and anchoring,” he said. “The best players are often locked in on doing their job, and on what the task is, not how important that task is.”

Lannon adds that moving into the World Series, players are relying on the mental tools which brought them success earlier in the season, including breathwork and mental rehearsal – an activity where players visualize how they will respond to challenges on the field.

“Maybe there’s a pitcher you’ve had trouble with,” said Mugford, offering an example. By imagining poor performance around that pitcher, players reinforce a negative mindset. But by visualizing detailed, successful outcomes, athletes can build a habit of maintaining composure during high-pressure moments.

“I’m a big proponent of imagery,” agrees Lannan. “That’s a big way to build that belief in yourself.”

Lannan adds that now is not the time to introduce players to new mental-performance techniques.

“They’re not amateurs when it comes to the preparation,” adds Goss. “You watch Vladdy as he gets into the box, there’s a smile on his face – he knows what he’s doing, he’s going to do his job.”