Blue Jays honor Jose Bautista with classy gesture
Aug 14, 2022; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The Toronto Blue Jays logo during batting practice against the Cleveland Guardians at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
Jose Bautista played for eight different teams throughout his 15-year MLB career, but there’s only one uniform Toronto Blue Jays fans will forever associate him with. The Blue Jays organization felt the same way.
Toronto signed Bautista to a one-day contract on Friday to allow him to officially retire as a Blue Jay.
José Bautista: Blue Jay For Life 👑 🐐 #JoeyBats pic.twitter.com/jD2tvUl0RL
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) August 11, 2023
After his final game with the Blue Jays in 2017, Bautista split time playing for three different teams in 2018. Bautista’s last official game was with the Philadelphia Phillies in September of 2018. He finished his career with a batting average of .247 with 344 homers and 975 RBIs in 1,798 games.
“I think everybody knew for a while that I had been retired, but this is a way to make it official,” said Bautista following the signing, via the Associated Press.
The contract signing went down just a day before Bautista’s official induction into the Blue Jays’ Level of Excellence on Saturday. Bautista is set to become the eleventh player inducted, joining the likes of Joe Carter, Dave Stieb, and Roy Halladay.
Bautista played 10 seasons in Toronto. In that span, he was named an All-Star six times and garnered MVP votes in four different seasons. Bautista also owns one of the most iconic bat flips in MLB history.
In honor of Jose Bautista retiring with the Blue Jays, we throw it back to his iconic bat flip 🙌 pic.twitter.com/sHk1XNyC2e
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) August 11, 2023
Before his final season with the Blue Jays began in 2017, Bautista stated his desire to finish out his career in Toronto. The Dominican slugger got his wish six years later.
