Elite performers confront failure with a blend of preparation, calm, and support. Pre-competition mental conditioning and in-the-m moment attention control help players stay centered when the pressure peaks. After a loss, deliberate processing, EMDR-based calming techniques, and a shield of supportive voices accelerate recovery and return to top form.

Across MLB and NFL, trusted routines—release, reset, refocus—guide athletes back to the task, not the mistake. Social-media quieting and surrounding themselves with loved ones are practical safeguards. The result is a repeatable, sport-wide playbook: learn, reset, execute, and push forward after setbacks.

In practice, teams like Philadelphia and Boston lean on these tools to rebound from costly plays, while Jaguars and other NFL groups apply similar mental-training workflows to stay sharp for their next drive or inning. Loss becomes momentum when the brain is trained to recover quickly and clearly.

Blue Jays fall in ALCS Game 1 at home as Seattle climbs back after George Springer’s leadoff homer, then Toronto’s bats go quiet, tallying just two hits in 27 PAs. Ortiz argues the three-day layoff between the ALDS and ALCS disrupted Toronto’s rhythm. Yesavage, a September call-up, meets Gilbert in Game 2, with Toronto needing early runs to back the rookie’s innings.

Gilbert returns on short rest for Seattle, setting up a pivotal second game. Schneider will lean on Yesavage for length while Seattle’s lineup looks to extend a series-shifted edge, and Jays hitters must seize opportunities to level the series.