Former Blue Jays pitcher Steven Matz is headed to the World Series with the Rays. The former Blue Jays lefty gets another shot at the ring that slipped away in 2015.

Tampa Bay clinched the pennant Monday night with a 7-3 win over the Guardians, taking the ALCS in six games.

It's the franchise's third World Series berth. The Rays lost the first two and will now face the Brewers chasing their first title.

Matz has pitched just once this postseason, working two innings on Oct. 15. Kevin Cash still trusted him enough to keep him on the roster.

That says something, because his regular season was rough. He posted a 5.49 ERA over 36 games, including 11 starts.

He's in the first year of a two-year, $15 million deal with Tampa Bay.

Steven Matz's lone Toronto season was one of his best

Jays fans remember a better version. In 2021, his only season in Toronto, he went 14-7 with a 3.82 ERA in 29 starts.

He was worth 2.2 bWAR that year. Toronto didn't keep him, and he signed a four-year, $44 million deal with the Cardinals.

His arrival in Toronto came via a trade with the Mets. One of the pieces sent to New York was Josh Winckowski, who is now back in the Jays organization after Tommy John surgery.

Is there a Blue Jays rooting interest here? Sort of, since Matz and Rays closer Bryan Baker are both former Jays.

But cheering for an AL East rival is a hard ask after a last-place season. Most Toronto fans will be quietly pulling for Milwaukee.

It's like watching your ex's new band headline a big festival. You're happy for a couple of the guys, but you aren't buying the T-shirt.

The 2015 memory adds weight. Matz was part of the Mets team that lost the World Series to the Royals that fall.

At 35, he's 66-68 with a 4.29 ERA over his career. A ring would cap it in style.

Whatever role he gets, Matz has one more chance to finish what he couldn't in 2015. Toronto, meanwhile, watches two of its old arms chase the trophy it came within two outs of last fall.