DAL MAGAZINE
By: Ryan McNutt
As the Toronto Blue Jays made their incredible run to the World Series last October, it felt at times like much of Canada was locked in on every pitch, every swing, every tense and tightly wound moment.
Typically, few are as locked-in on the Blue Jays as Josh Goreham (BScâ12, MScâ14, PhDâ23). Itâs literally his job: the three-time Dal alum is the teamâs lead performance analyst. Heâs responsible for helping the organization curate the millions of data points it collects on player workload and performance, delivering insights to the front lines to help players hit, run, throw and field to the best of their abilities over the course of a long season.
âPeople think about baseball metrics like batting average and RBIs and that type of thing, but Iâm looking more at things like sprint speed,â he says. âHow far did they run today? How many times did they throw a baseball? Itâs metrics that help us create a clearer picture for training staff and coaches to help get the most out of each player.â
Goreham is with the team in spring training, attends roughly two out of every three home games, and occasionally goes on the road as well. And yet, right in the heart of the World Series â the Jaysâ biggest moment in over 30 years â Goreham wasnât at game five in Los Angeles. He wasnât even watching on TV. Instead, Goreham was at a Toronto hospital that night with his wife, Megan, as his family welcomed a new baby boy.
âThatâs what Iâll remember most about the whole experience,â he says, proudly. âAnd it speaks to how we work as an organization. Not one person was like, âWhereâs that report? Whereâs this? Whereâs that?â Family comes first. We're in the World Series and you have a kid coming into this world during game five? Family comes first.â
Committed to the win
Managing an intense workload around life and family isnât easy, but Goreham says he finds success in his role by leaning on the creativity, innovation, and commitment to learning and growth that defined his Dal experience, particularly his PhD in Health. Having worked with the Canadian Olympic Team (2020) and organizations like Canoe Kayak Canada and Sail Canada, heâs seen what it takes to support a winning culture. That certainly describes the 2025 Jays â teamwork and camaraderie flowing through every part of the organization, from the field to the front office.
Last yearâs Blue Jays won everything except game seven of the World Series. Goreham says the disappointment of coming so close to a championship still stings but considers it motivation for him and the rest of the Jays staff heading into a brand-new season.
âWe know whatâs possible now,â he says.
Iâm super optimistic in our team and who we have. I think everyoneâs really just excited to get going. â Josh Goreham
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