Tomorow the Toronto Blue Jays will honor Jose Bautista by putting his name on their Level of Excellence. As one of the more iconic faces of the franchise, his tenure in Toronto is long and impactful. As a member of the Toronto Blue Jays from 2008-2017, he helped build a culture around the team that would have them thrive into success. He was one of the critical pieces on the 2015 team that won the team’s only AL East title in 30 years. He performed in the playoffs and was loved by the fans of Toronto.
Here are some of the statistics Bautista produced with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Jose Bautista’s Toronto Tenure by the Numbers
Career Numbers
Jose Bautista played in 1235 games with the Toronto Blue Jays, 5th all-time. Only Tony Fernandez, Carlos Delgado, Vernon Wells, and Lloyd Moseby have played more fun with the Blue Jays. Bautista started in six positions (28 at 1st, twice at 2nd, 119 at 3rd, 42 in LF, 18 in CF, and 113 in DH). However, fans know him best for playing Right Field, where he started 947 games. During this time, he was a six-time all-star and three-time Silver Slugger.
During his time in Toronto, he was second all-time in Home Runs with 288 and second with 790 career runs scored. He is also second in OPS with 878. Additionally, he is 3rd all-time in RBI as a Blue Jay. He is also 4th all-time in On Base Percentage and 6th all-time in hits.
Breakout Season
What made Jose Bautista so beloved in Toronto was his breakout season in 2010. At this point, Bautista was in his 3rd season in Toronto and was a mediocre starter. The season before, he hit .235/.349/.408 with 13 home runs and 40 RBI. He worked in the off-season to fix his swing, which paid off. In the 2010 season, Bautista led the league in home runs with 54 and 124 RBI while hitting .260/.378/.617. Bautista had gone from replaceable to invaluable within one season. He earned his first Silver Slugger, All-Star appearance, and finished 4th in the MVP voting.
Bautista’s season rejuvenated the rest of the lineup as the Blue Jays improved by eight games despite trading away ace Roy Halladay in the previous off-season. The 54 home runs hit in 2010 is still the single-season record in Toronto.
Bat Flip
The 2015 Toronto Blue Jays were a lot of fun to watch as a team. At this point, Toronto had not made the postseason since 1993, and the lineup was filled with fun veterans hoping to win a title. Players like Russell Martin and Josh Donaldson came in and became instant fan favorites. Longtime teammate Edwin Encarnacion made an impact, but Bautista had a memorable season. In the regular season, Bautista hit 40 home runs for the first time since 2011, earning his 6th straight all-star selection.
As the American League East winners, the Blue Jays faced the Texas Rangers in the American League Division Series. After the Rangers won the first two games, the series headed down to Texas, where the Blue Jays would win two of their own. On October 14, 2015, Game 5 was set in Toronto as both fan bases eagerly watched. After the Rangers would take the 3-2 lead in the top of the 7th, Toronto fans held their breath.
At the bottom of the seventh, Russell Martin reaches from an error. Two more errors by the Ranger’s defense saw the game tied with Ryan Goins and Josh Donaldson on base with two outs. He was leaving Bautista up to bat against Ranger’s reliever Sam Dyson. After a 1-1 pitch, Bautista hits a 97 mph inside fastball over the wall for a 3-run home run. A play that will forever live on in the history of Toronto sports. Bautista’s game-winning home run would send the Toronto Blue Jays to the American League Championship Series.
The Bat Flip heard ’round the world! #BlueJaysOnSN pic.twitter.com/L4IuzW2Ww9
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) April 18, 2020
Final Thoughts
Jose Bautista has become an icon in Toronto sports. As a member of the Blue Jays for ten seasons, he became the face of the franchise. From 2010-2017 it would be easier to talk about the Toronto Blue Jays by mentioning Jose Bautista. He had a significant impact on the team on the field and was beloved by fans off the field. It was hard not to watch a game at Rogers Centre without fans in right field, chanting “Jose Jose Jose”. After his long tenure in Toronto, it is no surprise that he would end up on the Toronto Blue Jay’s Level of Excellence.
Main Photo Credits: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Players Mentioned: José Bautista, Tony Fernández, Carlos Delgado, Vernon Wells, Lloyd Moseby, Russell Martin, Josh Donaldson, Edwin Encarnación, Sam Dyson
