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{{Short description|Major League Baseball franchise in Toronto, Ontario}} | |||
{{MLB infobox | |||
{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}} | |||
{{Use Canadian English|date=February 2016}} | |||
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}} | |||
{{Infobox MLB | |||
| name = Toronto Blue Jays | | name = Toronto Blue Jays | ||
| nicknames = "The Jays" | |||
| established = 1977 | | established = 1977 | ||
| misc = | |||
|misc=Motto: "Hustle and Heart" | |||
| logo = Toronto Blue Jay Primary Logo.svg<!-- Please DO NOT remove this logo from the infobox. It has a ] use rationale attached to it. --> | |||
| owner = Rogers Blue Jays Baseball Partnership, a division of ] | |||
| uniformlogo = Toronto Blue Jays cap.svg<!-- Please DO NOT remove this logo from the infobox. It has a ] use rationale attached to it. --> | |||
| misc = | |||
| logo = TorontoBlueJays2012primary.png <!--old logo:Toronto Blue Jays.svg--> | |||
| uniformlogo = TorontoBlueJays2012cap.png <!--Old logo:Toronto Blue Jays Insignia.svg--> | |||
| colors = Royal Blue, Navy Blue, Red, White<ref name="colors">{{cite web|title=Toronto Blue Jays (MLB) 2012 sRGB-Optimized Graphics|url=http://colorwerx.blogspot.com/2011/11/toronto-blue-jays-mlb-2012-srgb.html|publisher=ColorWerx|date=November 18, 2011|accessdate=2011-11-18}}</ref> | |||
{{color box|#003DA5}} {{color box|#041E42}} {{color box|#DA291C}} {{color box|#ffffff}}|| | |||
WS = (2) | |||
| WORLD CHAMPIONS = ] • ] | |||
| LEAGUE = AL | |||
| P = (2) | |||
| PENNANTS = ] • ] | |||
| misc1 = | |||
| gm = ] | |||
| manager = ] | |||
| presbo = ] | |||
| OTHER PENNANTS = | |||
| DIV = East | |||
| DV = (5) | |||
| Division Champs = ] • ] • ] • ] • ] | |||
| misc5 = | |||
| OTHER DIV CHAMPS = | |||
| WC = (0) | |||
| Wild Card = None | |||
| misc6 = | |||
| current league = American League | | current league = American League | ||
| y1 = 1977 | | y1 = 1977 | ||
| division = ] | | division = ] | ||
| y2 = 1977 | | y2 = 1977 | ||
| Uniform = MLB-ALE-TOR-Uniform.png | |||
| misc2 = | |||
| retirednumbers = {{hlist| ] | ] }} | |||
| nickname =Jays | |||
| colours = Royal blue, navy blue, red, white<!-- Powder blue is NOT an official team colour. Please do not restore it. Thank you. --><!--Please don't capitalize, per ]--><ref name="NewBlueJaysLogo2011">{{cite press release|title=The "Blue" is back in Blue Jays|url=https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/the-blue-is-back-in-blue-jays/c-25993468|publisher=]|website=BlueJays.com|date=November 18, 2011|access-date=May 5, 2020}}</ref><ref name="BlueJaysLogos">{{cite web|title=History of the Logo|url=https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/history/logos|publisher=]|website=BlueJays.com|access-date=May 5, 2020}}</ref><br />{{colour box|#134A8E}} {{colour box|#1D2D5C}} {{colour box|#E8291C}} {{color box|#FFFFFF}} | |||
| y3 = 1977 | | y3 = 1977 | ||
| nicknames = The Jays<!-- Please do not add Bluebirds unless it becomes common among reputable sportscasters and sports publications, and please provide a reliable source when that happens--><!--Please don't add Buffalo Blue Jays as it is just a clever headline in most cases, and the team name is Toronto Blue Jays, even when they played home games in Buffalo--> | |||
| misc3 = | |||
| pastnames = | |||
| ballpark = ] | |||
| |
| ballpark = | ||
] ({{mlby|1989}}–{{mlby|2019}}, {{mlby|2021}}–present){{efn|Known as SkyDome from 1989 to 2005.}} | |||
| pastparks = <nowiki></nowiki> | |||
| pastparks = | |||
:*a.k.a. SkyDome (]–]) | |||
* ] ({{mlby|2020}}, June {{mlby|2021}}–July {{mlby|2021}}){{efn|As a result of the ], the Blue Jays played their home games during the ] and ] (from June 1 until July 21) at Sahlen Field in ].<ref>{{cite news|last=Matheson|first=Keegan|title=Blue Jays to play home games in Buffalo|url=https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/blue-jays-buffalo-home-games-2020|publisher=]|website=BlueJays.com|date=July 24, 2020|access-date=September 28, 2020}}</ref>}} | |||
*] (]–]) | |||
* ] (April {{mlby|2021}}–May {{mlby|2021}}){{efn|As a result of the ], the Blue Jays played their first 21 home games during the ] at TD Ballpark in ] before returning to Sahlen Field in June 2021.}} | |||
| Uniform = <!-- Needs updating: ALE-Uniform-TOR.PNG --> | |||
* ] ({{mlby|1977}}–{{mlby|1989}}) | |||
| retirednumbers = ]; ] | |||
| Team = Blue Jays | |||
| |
| WS = (2) | ||
| WORLD CHAMPIONS = {{hlist| {{wsy|1992}} | {{wsy|1993}} }} | |||
| LEAGUE = AL | |||
| P = (2) | |||
| PENNANTS = {{hlist| {{alcsy|1992}} | {{alcsy|1993}} }} | |||
| misc1 = | |||
| OTHER PENNANTS = | |||
| DIV = AL East | |||
| DV = (6) | |||
| Division Champs = {{hlist| ] | ] | ] | ] | ] | ] }} | |||
| misc5 = | |||
| OTHER DIV CHAMPS = | |||
| WC = (4) | |||
| Wild Card = {{hlist| ] | ] | ] | ] }} | |||
| misc6 = | |||
| owner = ]<ref>{{cite web|title=Front Office Directory|url=https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/team/front-office-directory|publisher=]|website=BlueJays.com|access-date=May 5, 2020}}</ref> | |||
| president = ] | |||
| manager = ] | |||
| gm = ] | |||
| presbo = | |||
| website = {{url|https://www.mlb.com/bluejays|mlb.com/bluejays}} | |||
}} | }} | ||
].]] | |||
The '''Toronto Blue Jays''' are a ] located in ], ], ]. The Blue Jays are a member of the ] of ] (MLB)'s ] (AL). | |||
The '''Toronto Blue Jays''' are a Canadian ] team based in ]<!--See talk page for discussion about "a" vs. "the"-->. The Blue Jays compete in ] (MLB) as a member club of the ] (AL) ]. Since 1989, the team has played its home games primarily at ] in downtown Toronto. | |||
The "Blue Jays" name originates from the ], and the fact that blue was the traditional color of Toronto's other sports teams, the ] and the ]. They are ] "the '''Jays'''". | |||
An ], the club was founded in Toronto, in 1977. Originally based at ], the team began playing its home games at the ], upon completion of its construction in 1989. Since 2000, the Blue Jays have been owned by a division of ], and in 2004, the SkyDome was purchased by that company, which renamed the venue to ]. As just the second MLB team to be based outside the ], they became the first (and to date, only) team outside the U.S. both to appear in and to win a ]. They also became the fastest American League expansion franchise to win a World Series (winning in their 16th year). Since their fellow Canadian franchise, the ], relocated to ] after the 2004 season (becoming the ]), the Blue Jays are currently the only MLB team outside the United States.<!-- American does not always refer to the United States in this case --> The Blue Jays are also one of three MLB teams under corporate ownership, with the other two being the ] (]) and the ] (]). | |||
The name "Blue Jays" originates from the ], and blue is also the ] ] and ] including the ] (]) and the ] (]). In 1976, out of the over 4,000 suggestions, 154 people selected the name "Blue Jays."<ref>{{cite news|last=Matheson|first=Keegan|title=Here's how the Blue Jays got their name|url=https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/toronto-blue-jays-team-name-history|publisher=]|website=BlueJays.com|date=December 21, 2020|access-date=July 18, 2021}}</ref><!-- The Toronto Raptors and Toronto FC use a version of red as their main colour. --> In addition, the team was originally owned by the ], makers of the popular beer Labatt Blue. Colloquially nicknamed the "'''Jays'''," the team's official colours are royal blue, navy blue, red, and white.<ref name="NewBlueJaysLogo2011" /><ref name="BlueJaysLogos" /> | |||
==History== | |||
{{Main|History of the Toronto Blue Jays}} | |||
An ], the club was founded in Toronto in 1977. Originally based at ], the team began playing its home games at SkyDome upon its opening in 1989. They are the second MLB franchise to be based outside the United States, and currently the only team based outside the U.S. after the first Canadian franchise, the ], became the ] in 2005.<!-- American does not always refer to the United States in this case. --> Since 2000, the Blue Jays have been owned by ] and in 2004, SkyDome was purchased by that company, which renamed it Rogers Centre. The Blue Jays and the ]{{efn|The Atlanta Braves are owned by ].}} are the only two MLB teams under corporate ownership; the Blue Jays are the only American League team to be under such ownership. | |||
===1977–1995: The Pat Gillick era=== | |||
====1977–1981==== | |||
The Blue Jays played their first game on April 7, 1977, against the ], before a home crowd of 44,649. The game is now perhaps best remembered for the minor snowstorm which began just before the game started. Toronto won the snowy affair 9–5, led by ]'s two ]s. That win would be one of only 54 of the ], as the ] finished in ] in the AL East, with a record of 54–107. After the season, assistant general manager ] succeeded ] as general manager of the team, a position he would hold until 1994. | |||
Due to border restrictions brought about by the ], the Blue Jays played home games at ] in ] for April and May of the ], and ] in ] for the ] as well as June and July 2021, returning home to Toronto as of July 30 of that year. | |||
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Blue Jays went through struggles typical of an expansion team, frequently finishing last in their division. In 1983, they had their ] and two years later, became ]. From 1985 to 1993, the Blue Jays were an AL East powerhouse, winning five division championships in nine seasons, including three consecutive from ] to ]. During that run, the team also became back-to-back ] champions in {{wsy|1992}} and {{wsy|1993}}, led by a core group of ]-winning ] players, including ] ], ], ], and ]. The Blue Jays became the first (and, to date, only) team outside the U.S. to appear in and win a World Series and the fastest AL expansion team to do so, winning in its 16th year. As of ], they are one of only two MLB franchises that are undefeated through multiple World Series appearances, along with the ]'s ]. After 1993, the Blue Jays failed to qualify for the playoffs for 21 consecutive seasons until clinching a playoff berth and division championship in ]. The team clinched a second consecutive playoff berth in ], after securing an ] position. In both years, the Blue Jays beat the ] in the ], but lost the ]. Most recently, they qualified for the playoffs as a wild card team in ], ], and ]. | |||
In ], ] became manager, succeeding ], the Blue Jays' original manager. In Mattick's first season as manager, although they remained at the bottom, Toronto almost reached the 70-win mark, finishing with a record of 67–95, a 14-win improvement on 1979. ] led with 13 wins and ] became the first Jay to hit 30 home runs in a season. | |||
From 1977 to 2024, the Blue Jays' overall win-loss record is {{Win–loss record|w=3,761|l=3,788|t=3}} ({{winpct|3761|3788|3}}).<ref>{{cite web |title=Toronto Blue Jays Team History & Encyclopedia |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/TOR/ |website=Baseball Reference |publisher=Sports Reference LLC |access-date=September 30, 2024}}</ref> | |||
In the ]-divided season of ], the ] finished in last place in the American League East in both halves of the season. They were a dismal 16–42 in the first half, but improved dramatically, finishing the 48-game second half at 21–27, for a combined record of 37–69. | |||
{{toc limit|3}} | |||
====1982–88==== | |||
Under new manager ], Toronto's first solid season came in ] as they finished 78–84. Their pitching staff was led by starters ], ] and ], and the outfield featured a young ] and ]. 1982 was also the ] first season outside the bottom, as they finished sixth in the East out of seven teams. | |||
==History== | |||
In ], the ] compiled their first winning record, 89–73, finishing in fourth place, nine games behind the eventual ] champions, the ]. First baseman ] became the first Blue Jay to have at least 100 RBIs in a season. | |||
{{Main|History of the Toronto Blue Jays}} | |||
The Toronto Blue Jays came into existence in 1976,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/tor/history/timeline1.jsp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015063835/http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/tor/history/timeline1.jsp|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 15, 2007|title=Blue Jays Timeline|work=MLB.com|access-date=January 18, 2017}}</ref> as one of two teams slated to join the ] for the following season, via the ]. ] had been mentioned as a potential major league city as early as the 1880s and been home to the ] of the ], from 1896 to 1967. In January 1976, the ] nearly relocated to Toronto after owner ] agreed to sell the team to a Canadian consortium. The group, which included ], '']''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s Howard Webster, and the ] (CIBC), planned to rebrand the team as the Toronto Giants and play at ]. However, a court ruling halted the move, and the Giants remained in San Francisco. Despite this setback, Toronto's ambition for an MLB team persisted, leading to their successful bid in the 1976 American League expansion, driven by a need to balance the league after Seattle was granted a team as a result of a lawsuit over their loss of the Pilots. | |||
The new Toronto franchise, purchased for $7 million, was named the Toronto Blue Jays following a contest that attracted over 4,000 suggestions. The name reflected Toronto's tradition of using blue in team colors and was influenced by majority owner Labatt Breweries' flagship beer, Labatt Blue. The franchise's first employee, ], began as vice president of business operations, and before the inaugural 1977 season, ] and ] were appointed as president and assistant general manager, respectively. The Blue Jays debuted on April 7, 1977, with a win against the ] amid a snowstorm, marking the beginning of a journey from early struggles to eventual success. Throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Blue Jays showed gradual improvement, highlighted by their first winning season in 1983. The team's fortunes rose significantly under manager ] in 1985 when they won their first American League East title. The late 1980s and early 1990s, under manager ], were particularly successful, with the Blue Jays winning multiple division titles and back-to-back ] championships in 1992 and 1993, making them the first team outside the US to achieve this feat. Key players during this golden era included ], ], and ]. | |||
The ] progress continued in ], finishing with the same 89–73 record, but this time in a distant second place behind another World Series champion, the ]. After 1984, Alfredo Griffin went to the ], thus giving a permanent spot to young Dominican shortstop ], who would become a fan favorite for many years. | |||
After the mid-1990s strike and subsequent downturn, the Blue Jays faced challenges but also saw the rise of talents like ] and ]. The late 1990s brought brief revitalization with the acquisition of ]. In the early 2000s, general manager ] led a rebuilding phase, culminating in a competitive roster by the mid-2000s. The team's resurgence in the 2010s featured playoff appearances in 2015 and 2016, driven by stars like ] and ]. The Blue Jays continue to build for future success, with young talents like ], ], and ] leading the charge, though Biggio was later traded in 2024. | |||
In ], ] won their first championship of any sort: the first of their five American League East division titles. The Blue Jays featured strong pitching and a balanced offense. Their mid-season call up of relief pitcher ] also proved to be important. They finished 99–62 (the franchise record for most wins), two games in front of the ]. The Blue Jays faced the ] in the ] (ALCS), and took a three games to one lead (the "Drive of '85"). However, Kansas City won three consecutive games to win the series four games to three, on their way to their first, and only, World Series championship. | |||
=== 2024 season === | |||
With ] now the skipper, the ] could not duplicate their success in ], sliding to a fourth-place tie at 86–76. ] and ] led the way with 40 and 31 home runs respectively while ], ], and ] tied for the team wins lead with 14 each. | |||
{{main|2024 Toronto Blue Jays season}} | |||
During the off-season, the Blue Jays re-signed Kiermaier and signed utility player ], designated hitter ], and pitcher ]. The Blue Jays also traded ] for a pitching prospect. | |||
During the regular season, the Blue Jays designated Cavan Biggio for assignment and traded him for a prospect afterwards. Before the 2024 trade deadline, the Blue Jays traded away ], Nate Pearson, Danny Jansen, Justin Turner, Yusei Kikuchi, Trevor Richards, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and Kevin Kiermaier. | |||
In ], the ] lost a thrilling division race to the ] by two games, after being swept on the last weekend of the season by the Tigers. The Blue Jays finished with a 96–66 record, second best in the major leagues, but to no avail. However, George Bell was named ] (MVP) of the American League, the only Blue Jay to be named so. | |||
==Popularity== | |||
In ], however, ] could not duplicate the successes of the previous season, tying the ] for third in the division at 87–75. Still, the season had numerous highlights. First baseman ] hit 34 home runs, and Dave Stieb had back-to-back starts in which he lost a ] with two out in the ninth inning. | |||
{{image frame | |||
|content={{Graph:Chart | |||
====1989–1991==== | |||
| width = 600 | |||
] | |||
| height = 300 | |||
| xAxisTitle = Year valuation reported | |||
In ], the Blue Jays' new ]ed home, ], opened in the mid-season. It also marked the beginning of an extremely successful five-year period for the team. In May, management fired manager ] and replaced him with ], the team's hitting instructor. The club had a dismal 12–24 record at the time of the firing, but went 77–49 under Gaston to win the American League East title by two games with an 89–73 record. George Bell's walk-off home run, off ], marked the end of the Exhibition Stadium era. The first game at the new stadium took place on June 5 against the ]. The ] lost 5–3. In the ], ] led the ] to a 4–1 series win. | |||
| x = 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 | |||
| yAxisTitle = Valuation (USD) | |||
In ], the ] again had a strong season, but finished in second place, two games behind the ]. Dave Stieb pitched his only no-hitter, beating the ] 3–0 in front of a less than capacity crowd at ]. This is the only no-hitter ever pitched by a Toronto Blue Jay pitcher. During the offseason, the Blue Jays made one of the two biggest trades in franchise history, sending all-star shortstop ] and first baseman ] to the ] in exchange for outfielder ] and second baseman ]. The Jays also obtained center<!-- Baseball terminology supersedes Canadian English in preference for this article --> fielder ] from the ]. These deals, particularly the trade with San Diego, were instrumental in the team's future success. | |||
| yAxisFormat = $,.10 | |||
| colors = blue, red, green | |||
Carter, Alomar and White would prove to be extremely effective additions, as the Blue Jays again won the division in ], as Carter drove in Alomar for the division winning run. Once again, however, they fell short in the postseason, losing to the ], who were on their way to their second ] victory in five seasons, in the ]. In 1991, the Blue Jays became the first Major League club ever to draw over four million fans in one season. | |||
| y1 = 178000000, 160000000, 155000000, 150000000, 146000000, 152000000, 155000000, | |||
| y2 = {{repeat|7| ,}} 141000000, 162000000, 162000000, 161000000, 182000000, 166000000, 169000000, 214000000, 286000000, 344000000, 352000000, 353000000, 326000000, 337000000, 413000000, 568000000, 610000000, 870000000, 900000000, 1300000000, 1350000000, 1500000000, 1625000000, 1675000000, 1780000000, 2100000000, 2100000000 | |||
* Team record 1989: 89 wins–73 losses, W%- 0.549 | |||
| y3 = {{repeat|22| ,}} 950000000 | |||
* Team record 1990: 86 wins–76 losses, W%- 0.531, 2 games behind division leader | |||
| showSymbols = | |||
* Team record 1991: 91 wins–71 losses, W%- 0.562 | |||
}} | |||
|width=730 | |||
====1992–93: World Series champions==== | |||
|align=none | |||
* Team record 1992: 96 wins–66 losses, W%- 0.593 | |||
|caption=Valuation of the Blue Jays 1991–present (in US dollars)<br/>{{legend inline|blue|]<ref>Data from the following annual reports: | |||
* Team record 1993: 95 wins–67 losses, W%- 0.586 | |||
*{{Cite journal|title=Secrets of the front office: What America's pro teams are worth|date=July 9, 1991|last1=Baldo|first1=Anthony|last2=Biesada|first2=Alexandra|last3=Hackney|first3=Holt|last4=Ozanian|first4=Michael K|last5=Taub|first5=Stephen|journal=]|pages=28}} | |||
*{{Cite journal|title=Big leagues, bad business|date=July 7, 1992|last1=Ozanian|first1=Michael K|last2=Taub|first2=Stephen|last3=Morris|first3=Kathleen|last4=Fink|first4=Ronald|journal=]|pages=34}} | |||
=====1992===== | |||
*{{Cite journal|title=Foul ball|date=May 25, 1993|last1=Ozanian|first1=Michael K|last2=Taub|first2=Stephen|last3=Fink|first3=Ronald|last4=Kimelman|first4=John|last5=Reingold|first5=Jennifer|last6=Starr|first6=Jason|journal=]|pages=50}} | |||
{{main|1992 Toronto Blue Jays season}} | |||
*{{Cite journal|title=The $11 billion pastime: Why sports franchise values are soaring even as team profits fall|date=May 10, 1994|last1=Ozanian|first1=Michael K|last2=Fink|first2=Ronald|last3=Kimelman|first3=John|last4=Reingold|first4=Jennifer|last5=Osterland|first5=Andrew|last6=Starr|first6=Jason|last7=Grabarek|first7=Brooke|journal=]|pages=50}} | |||
*{{Cite journal|title=Suite deals: Why new stadiums are shaking up the pecking order of sports franchises|date=May 9, 1995|last1=Ozanian|first1=Michael K|last2=Atre|first2=Tushar|last3=Fink|first3=Ronald|last4=Reingold|first4=Jennifer|journal=]|pages=42}} | |||
]. The two blue banners are for the 1992 and 1993 World Series teams. (Two other banners, in light blue, exist to represent the team's two American League Championships, but do not hang.)]] | |||
*{{Cite journal|title=The high-stakes game of team ownership|date=May 20, 1996|last1=Atre|first1=Tushar|last2=Auns|first2=Kristine|last3=Badenhausen|first3=Kurt|last4=McAuliffe|first4=Kevin|journal=]|pages=49}} | |||
*{{Cite journal|title=More than a game: An in-depth look at the raging bull market in sports franchises|date=June 17, 1997|last1=Badenhausen|first1=Kurt|last2=Nikolov|first2=Christopher|journal=]|pages=40}}</ref>}}{{spaces|2|em}}{{legend inline|red|Forbes<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/teams/toronto-blue-jays/|title=Toronto Blue Jays | |||
After the 1991 season had ended, the Blue Jays acquired pitcher ], who had led the Minnesota Twins to victory in the World Series by pitching a 10-inning complete game shutout in Game 7 and had been named the ]. To add veteran leadership to their explosive offense, Toronto signed ] to be the team's designated hitter. | |||
|date=March 2014|access-date=June 3, 2014|work=]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/2007/33/07mlb_Toronto-Blue-Jays_339533.html|title=#20 Toronto Blue Jays|date=April 19, 2007|access-date=June 3, 2014|work=]}}</ref>}}{{spaces|2|em}}{{legend inline|green|]<ref name=bloomberg>{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/infographics/2013-10-23/mlb-team-values.html|title=Major League Baseball Franchise Valuations|date=October 23, 2013|access-date=June 3, 2014|publisher=]}}</ref>{{efn|Unlike the Forbes valuations, Bloomberg includes contributions from regional sports networks and related businesses in the total value.<ref name=bloomberg/>}}}} | |||
|pos= | |||
The 1992 regular season went well, as the Jays clinched their second straight AL East crown with a final record of 96–66, four games ahead of the ]. They also went the entire season without being swept in any series. The Blue Jays met the ] (who had the same record as the Jays and led the division by six games over the defending champion ]) in the ], winning four games to two. The pivotal game of the series was Game 4, considered by many to be one of the most important games in Blue Jays history: the Blue Jays rallied back from a 6–1 deficit after seven innings, capped off by ]'s huge game-tying two-run homer off A's closer ] in the top of the ninth. This paved the way for a 7–6 victory in 11 innings, a 3-games-to-1 lead in the series and an eventual 4–2 ALCS series win. | |||
|border=no | |||
|mode= | |||
] | |||
The Blue Jays then faced the ] in the ]. The Braves returned after being beaten by the Twins the previous year. The pivotal game in this series turned out to be Game 2, in which reserve player ] hit a 9th-inning two-run home run off Braves closer ] to give the Blue Jays a 5–4 lead, which would hold up. After winning Game 3 thanks to Candy Maldonado's ninth inning RBI hit and Game 4 due to Jimmy Key's superb 7⅓ inning pitching effort in which he retired 15 straight batters (five innings), the Jays could not win the Series on home turf as the Braves struck back with a 7–2 win in Game 5. Game 6 in Atlanta, with the Blue Jays leading 3 games to 2, was a very close game. Toronto was one strike away from winning in the bottom of the 9th inning, 2–1,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ATL/ATL199210240.shtml |title=October 24, 1992 World Series Game 6 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium Play by Play and Box Score |publisher=Baseball-Reference.com |date=1992-10-24 |accessdate=2011-02-19}}</ref> but ] singled in the tying run off the Blue Jays' closer ]. It was the first run the Toronto bullpen had given up in the series. The game was decided in the 11th inning, when ] doubled down the left-field line, driving in two runs. The Braves would again come within one run in the bottom of the 11th, but Jays reliever ] fielded ]'s bunt, throwing to Joe Carter at first base for the final out. The Blue Jays became the first team based outside of the United States to win the World Series. ], the Jays' catcher, was the unlikely player who was named MVP after hitting .450 with one home run in the World Series. Oddly, Morris was acquired in large part for his reputation as a clutch postseason pitcher, but he went 0–3 in the playoffs. Morris, however, pitched well in the regular season, becoming the Blue Jays' first 20-game winner, with a record of 21–6 and an ERA of 4.04. | |||
=====1993===== | |||
{{main|1993 Toronto Blue Jays season}} | |||
After the 1992 season, the Blue Jays let World Series hero Dave Winfield and longtime closer Tom Henke go but signed two key free agents: designated hitter ] from the Milwaukee Brewers and perennial playoff success ] from the Oakland Athletics. | |||
In ], the Blue Jays had seven All-Stars: outfielders Devon White and Joe Carter, infielders ] and Roberto Alomar, designated hitter Molitor, plus starting pitcher ], and closer ]. In August, the Jays acquired former nemesis ] from the Athletics. The Blue Jays cruised to a 95–67 record, one less win than 1992 and seven games ahead of the ], winning their third straight division title. The Jays beat the ] four games to two in the ], and then the ], four games to two, for their second straight ] victory. The World Series featured several exciting games, including Game 4, played under a slight rain, in which the Blue Jays came back from a 14–9 deficit to win 15–14 and take a 3 games to 1 lead in the series. It remains the highest scoring game in World Series history. Game 6 in Toronto saw the Blue Jays lead 5–1, but give up 5 runs in the 7th inning to trail 6–5. In the bottom of the 9th inning Joe Carter hit a one-out, three-run ] to clinch the series off of Phillies closer ]. Only the second World Series–winning walk-off home run in the history of Major League Baseball (following ]'s in Game 7 in ]), Carter's hit differed from the first in that Toronto, while not facing elimination, was trailing in the bottom of the 9th. The home run is also memorable for late Blue Jays broadcaster ]'s call: | |||
{{Quote box | |||
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|quote=A swing, and a belt! Left field! Way back! Blue Jays win it! The Blue Jays are World Series champions as Joe Carter hits a three-run home run in the ninth inning and the Blue Jays have repeated as World Series champions! Touch 'em all, Joe, you'll never hit a bigger home run in your life! | |||
|source=– ], late Blue Jays radio play-by-play announcer | |||
}} | }} | ||
In 1977, after just 50 home games, the Blue Jays set an MLB record for a first-year expansion team, with an overall attendance of 1,219,551 during those games.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/history/timeline|title=Timeline|website=MLB.com}}</ref> By the end of the season, 1,701,152 fans had attended. After setting an attendance record in 1990, with 3,885,284 fans, in 1991, the Blue Jays became the first MLB team to attract over ], with an attendance of 4,001,526, followed by 4,028,318 in 1992.<ref name="history"> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129030443/http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/tor/history/timeline3.jsp |date=November 29, 2014 }} BlueJays.com. Accessed on December 7, 2011.</ref> Each of those records were broken in 1993 by the expansion ], although the Blue Jays' 1993 attendance of 4,057,947 stood as an AL record for 12 years until it was broken by the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20060702&content_id=1535941&vkey=pr_nyy&fext=.jsp&c_id=nyy|title=Yankees reach four million in tickets sales for second consecutive season|publisher=MLB|date=July 2, 2006|access-date=December 13, 2011}}{{dead link|date=October 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> | |||
In the regular season, three Blue Jays—John Olerud, Paul Molitor and Roberto Alomar—finished 1-2-3 for the AL ] crown. | |||
Several Blue Jays became very popular in Toronto and throughout the major leagues, starting with ], whose seven All-Star selections is a franchise record. He is closely followed by ] and ], who were selected six times each, and by ] and ], who were selected five times each. Bautista set a major league record in 2011 (which only stood for a year), with 7,454,753 All-Star votes.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/baseball/mlb/bluejays/article/1018759--grand-slam-jose-bautista-s-off-to-the-all-star-game |title=Grand slam: Jose Bautista nabs a record number of All-Star votes |work=Toronto Star |date=July 3, 2011 |access-date=December 7, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110826140036/http://www.thestar.com/sports/baseball/mlb/bluejays/article/1018759--grand-slam-jose-bautista-s-off-to-the-all-star-game |archive-date=August 26, 2011 }}</ref> In his first season with the Blue Jays in 2015, ] set a new major league record by receiving 14,090,188 All-Star votes.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://m.mlb.com/news/article/134823354/josh-donaldson-gets-most-all-star-votes-ever |title=Donaldson receives most ASG votes in history |publisher=MLB |date=July 8, 2015 |access-date=February 28, 2016 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304092349/http://m.mlb.com/news/article/134823354/josh-donaldson-gets-most-all-star-votes-ever |url-status=dead }}</ref> | |||
====1994 season==== | |||
{{main|1994 Toronto Blue Jays season}} | |||
The team is popular throughout Canada, as the only MLB team based in the country following the relocation of the Montreal Expos to Washington. The team has played a number of exhibition games at ] in Vancouver including three-game series against the ] prior to both the 1984 and 1985 seasons<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MVs_AAAAIBAJ&pg=2314,131463|title=Jays draw 106,328 to B.C. Place|date=1984-04-02|access-date=2013-10-14|work=]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=M7ZBAAAAIBAJ&pg=5037,5942137|title=Toronto Blue Jays Post Best Spring Record Yet|date=1985-04-08|access-date=2013-10-14|work=]}}</ref> (the ] were the AAA farm team of the Brewers at the time<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2qFlAAAAIBAJ&pg=4614,1891593|title=Brewers give former Canadians their big chance|date=1985-04-04|access-date=2013-10-14|work=]}}</ref>), as well as single games against the ] and Brewers in 1993<ref>{{cite news|title=Cito unfaxed by the loss of ace Stewart|work=]|date=1993-04-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/04/05/sports/baseball-jays-lose-stewart-to-injury.html|title=BASEBALL; Jays Lose Stewart to Injury|date=1993-04-05|access-date=2013-10-14|work=]}}</ref> and against the ] and ] in 1994 in a series billed as the "Baseball Classic".<ref>{{cite news|title=Jays Report – The Night in Vancouver|date=1994-04-02|work=]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Vancouver tries for small piece of baseball pie Major-league franchise out of reach despite attendance at weekend event|work=]|date=1994-04-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Gaston uneasy over injuries as Jays eye three-peat|work=]|last=Little|first=Lyndon|date=1994-04-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qzcdAAAAIBAJ&pg=6788,386475|title=Braves rally late to win in 10 innings|date=1994-04-03|work=]}}</ref> The Jays also played the ] in an exhibition game at ] in nearby ] in 1987.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.buffalonews.com/insidepitch/2012/09/its-blue-jays-day-in-buffalo-thoughts-on-two-big-questions.html|title=It's Blue Jays day in Buffalo: Thoughts on two big questions about the new parent club|date=2012-09-21|access-date=2013-11-06|work=]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140330004658/http://blogs.buffalonews.com/insidepitch/2012/09/its-blue-jays-day-in-buffalo-thoughts-on-two-big-questions.html|archive-date=2014-03-30|url-status=dead}}</ref> More recently, the club has hosted a pair of exhibition games at ] in ] prior to the start of the season against the ] (2014),<ref>{{cite news|title=Melky Cabrera homer lifts Toronto Blue Jays over New York Mets 2–0|url=http://metronews.ca/sports/987371/melky-cabrera-homer-lifts-toronto-blue-jays-over-new-york-mets-2-0/|date=2014-03-29|access-date=2014-03-29|last=Beacon|first=Bill|newspaper=]|archive-date=November 5, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141105092148/http://metronews.ca/sports/987371/melky-cabrera-homer-lifts-toronto-blue-jays-over-new-york-mets-2-0/|url-status=dead}}</ref> ] (2015),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tsn.ca/donaldson-homers-blue-jays-crush-reds-1.248018|title=Donaldson homers, Blue Jays crush Reds|date=2015-04-04|access-date=2015-04-04|publisher=]}}</ref> ] (2016),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/mlb/jays-red-sox-montreal-saturday-1.3518122|title=Blue Jays swept in Montreal series by Red Sox|date=2016-04-02|access-date=2016-04-02|work=]}}</ref> ] (2017),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/mlb/blue-jays-pirates-montreal-game-recap-1.4051286|title=Blue Jays end pre-season with win in Montreal|date=2017-04-01|access-date=2017-04-01|publisher=]}}</ref> ] (2018),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/mlb/toronto-blue-jays-montreal-russell-martin-1.4594185|title=Blue Jays' Russell Martin still has hope for baseball in hometown of Montreal|first=Bill|last=Beacon|date=2018-03-27|access-date=2018-04-08|publisher=]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/mlb/toronto-blue-jays-st-louis-cardinals-montreal-exhibition-1.4596024|title=Jays' Guerrero Jr. makes Montreal magic with walk-off HR in final spring tuneup|first=Bill|last=Beacon|date=2018-03-28|access-date=2018-04-08|publisher=]}}</ref> ] (2019).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://torontosun.com/sports/baseball/toronto-blue-jays/cheapseats-montoyo-remembers-five-seconds-of-fame|title=Blue Jays' Montoyo remembers five seconds of fame in Montreal|date=2019-03-26|access-date=2019-04-13|publisher=]|first=Don|last=Brennan}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://torontosun.com/sports/baseball/toronto-blue-jays/sam-gaviglio-trent-thornton-make-blue-jays-opening-day-roster|title=Sam Gaviglio, Trent Thornton make Blue Jays' opening-day roster|date=2019-03-26|access-date=2019-04-13|publisher=]|first=Don|last=Brennan}}</ref> A series against the ] was scheduled for 2020,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/blue-jays-returning-montreal-2020-exhibition-games-vs-yankees/|title=Blue Jays returning to Montreal in 2020 for exhibition games vs. Yankees|date=2019-10-16|access-date=2019-10-19|publisher=]}}</ref> but was cancelled due to the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ici.radio-canada.ca/sports/1661801/baseball-majeur-coronavirus-saison-retard-deux-semaines|title=Coronavirus : le baseball majeur retarde l'ouverture de sa saison|date=2020-03-12|access-date=2020-03-14|publisher=]}}</ref> The club also has discussed playing more games at BC Place with the president of the Vancouver Canadians.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/mlb/jays-to-play-pre-season-games-in-montreal-vs-mets-1.1700571|title=Jays to play pre-season games in Montreal vs. Mets|date=2013-09-10|access-date=2013-10-14|work=]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/jays-mariners-exhibition/|title=Jays, M's exhibition series at B.C. Place?|date=2011-08-19|access-date=2013-10-14|work=]|first=Shi|last=Davidi}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vancourier.com/baseball-in-b-c-place-a-thing-of-the-past-1.375100|title=Baseball in B.C. Place a thing of the past?|date=2011-08-12|access-date=2013-10-14|last=Mackin|first=Bob|work=]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/mark-shapiro-talks-toronto-future-blue-jays-off-season-letters/|title=Mark Shapiro talks Toronto future, Blue Jays off-season on At The Letters|date=2019-10-18|access-date=2019-10-19|publisher=]}}</ref> | |||
Expectations were high for the Blue Jays for the ], following back-to-back championships, but they slumped to a 55–60 record and a third place finish (16 games back of the ]) before the ]. It was their first losing season since 1982. ], ] and ] enjoyed good years at the plate, but the pitching fell off. ] slumped considerably from his first three years (40–11, 3.28 ERA), finishing 1994 at 12–11 with a 5.68 ERA. Three young players, ], ] and ], did show a lot of promise for the future. At the time of the strike, their fellow Canadian cousins, the ] had the best record in the majors, leading some to question the possibility of a Canadian three-peat in 1994. | |||
==Culture== | |||
Labatt Breweries was bought by ]-based brewer ] (now{{when|date=May 2011}} ]), making the Blue Jays the second baseball team owned by interests outside of ]. Interestingly, the first was the Blue Jays' expansion cousins, the ], which is owned by ]. | |||
] | |||
==="OK Blue Jays"=== | |||
* Team record 1994: 55 wins–60 losses, W%- 0.478, 16 games behind division leader | |||
{{main|OK Blue Jays}} | |||
During the ] of home games, before singing "]," Blue Jay fans sing and clap to the pop song "]" by ] and The Bat Boys, which was released in 1983. The song was remixed in 2003, and since then, the new, shortened version has been played at home games. | |||
=== |
==="Let's Go Blue Jays"=== | ||
At home games, the "Let's Go Blue Jays" chant is played four times followed by ] being played thrice. | |||
Before the 1995 season, Pat Gillick, the longtime Blue Jays general manager, resigned and handed the reins of the team to Toronto native ], who would lead the team in its most tumultuous era yet. | |||
===Mascots=== | |||
In the ], the ] proved that they had lost their contending swagger of the past 12 years. Although they had most of the same cast of the World Series teams, the Blue Jays freefell to a dismal 56–88 record, last place in the AL East, 30 games behind the ]. | |||
{{main|Toronto Blue Jays mascots}} | |||
From 1979 to 1999, BJ Birdy served as the Blue Jays' sole mascot, played by Kevin Shanahan. In 2000, he was replaced by a duo named Ace and Diamond. After the 2003 season, Diamond was removed by the team, leaving Ace as the team's sole mascot. Since the 2010s, Ace has been accompanied by his younger brother, Junior. This usually happens on the Jr. Jay Saturday promotions until the end of the ]. The promotions were moved to select Sundays since the ] since the Blue Jays can no longer hold early Saturday afternoon games to accommodate ], though Fox did occasionally broadcast Blue Jays games at the Rogers Centre. | |||
===Sunday Salute=== | |||
] was another mediocre year for the ], despite ]'s ] (20–10. 3.22 ERA). ] had a career year, hitting 36 home runs and driving in 101 runs. However, their 74 wins did put them in 4th place, improving over their last place finish in 1995. | |||
Since 2012, every Sunday home game, the Blue Jays pay tribute to a member of the ]. During the third inning, the team presents the honoured member with a personalized jersey.<ref name=canada>{{cite web |url=http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/tor/downloads/y2013/2012_community_report.pdf |title=Beyond the Ballpark |access-date=May 6, 2018 |archive-date=August 12, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812181151/http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/tor/downloads/y2013/2012_community_report.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> | |||
===National anthems=== | |||
] | |||
Since 2005, "]" has been sung before "]" at every home game. In some home games (including Canada Day home games and playoffs), "O Canada" is sung in English and French. When "O Canada" was sung during the Home Opener, Canada Day, and playoff games, a giant Canadian flag was carried by members of the Canadian Armed Forces. Sportsnet only airs the national anthems during the home opener, Canada Day, and playoff games. On June 29, 2019, "O Canada" was sung in ] and English.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/kiya-bruno-sings-o-canada-cree-english-blue-jays-game/ |title=Kiya Bruno sings O Canada in Cree & English at Blue Jays game |date=June 29, 2019 |access-date=June 30, 2019 |work=sportsnet.ca}}</ref> On September 30, 2021, the ], "O Canada" was sung in English, French, and ]. On the following National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, September 30, 2022, "O Canada" was sung in French, English, and ]. For Blue Jays road games, "O Canada" is sung before the "Star Spangled Banner" as all road games (since the Expos moved to Washington, DC) for the Blue Jays are in the United States. | |||
The ] started ] with high hopes. Not only did the Jays drastically change their uniforms, they signed former ] ace ] to a $24,750,000 contract. Clemens had one of the best pitching seasons ever as he won the pitcher's ], leading the American League with a record of 21–7, a 2.05 ERA, and 292 strikeouts. This was not enough to lead the Blue Jays to the postseason, however, as they finished in last place for the second time in three years with a record of 76–86. ], the longtime manager who led the team to four division titles and two World Series crowns, was fired five games before the end of the season. The season did provide a unique experience for its fans with the advent of ] when the Blue Jays faced their Canadian rivals from Montreal, the ] for the first official games between the two teams. | |||
===Canada Day=== | |||
Before the start of the ], the ] acquired closer ] and slugger ]. Gaston was replaced with former Blue Jay ], a relative unknown as a manager. Despite mediocre hitting, strong pitching led by Clemens' second straight pitching Triple Crown (20–6, 2.65 ERA, 271 strikeouts) sparked the Blue Jays to an 88–74 record – their first winning season since 1993. However, this was only good enough to finish a distant third, 26 games behind the ], who posted one of the greatest records in all of baseball history at 114–48. They were, however, in contention for the wildcard spot until the final week. | |||
The Blue Jays traditionally host an afternoon home game during ]. During the game, the team wears red jerseys instead of blue jerseys. During the pre-game ceremony, a giant Canadian flag is carried by members of the Canadian Armed Forces while "O Canada" is sung in English and French by a member of the ]. The game was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, the game was held in ] due to Canada–U.S. travel restrictions. | |||
===Jays Shop=== | |||
Before the ], the Blue Jays traded Clemens to the Yankees for starting pitcher ], second baseman ] and relief pitcher ]. They also fired manager Tim Johnson during spring training after he lied about several things (including killing people in the ]) in order to motivate his players. The Blue Jays had initially been willing to stand by Johnson. A blizzard of questions about his credibility during spring training, however, led Ash to fire him less than a month before opening day. Johnson was replaced with ], who managed the Phillies when they lost to the Blue Jays in the ]. The offense picked up somewhat in 1999, but the pitching suffered without Clemens, as the ] finished at 84–78, in third place. After the 1999 season, the Blue Jays' original mascot for 20 years, BJ Birdie, was replaced by a duo named ] and Diamond. | |||
] | |||
The Blue Jays operate a store called the Jays Shop that sells primarily Blue Jays merchandise. This store has two locations at Rogers Centre, though, until January 2023, there was an additional location in the ] shopping mall. | |||
==Uniforms== | |||
On November 8, 1999, Toronto traded star outfielder ] to the ] for left-handed relief pitcher ] and right-fielder ]. Green had told the Jays that he would not be re-signing when his contract was up at the end of the year (he wished to play closer to his home in Southern California). | |||
===1977–1988: Pullovers and powder blue=== | |||
The Blue Jays wore pullover uniforms during their first decade of existence. The front of the home white uniforms contained the team name in a unique blue/white/blue split-letter style, with the team logo centred below. The road uniforms were powder blue, with the city name in front and the team logo centred below. Initially, the city name was rendered in bold blue letters before gaining a white outline the following season. By 1979, it was replaced by the team name in a split-lettered white/blue/white style. Player numerals also used the split-letter style, except on the road uniform during its first two seasons. Player names in blue were added to both uniforms for the 1980 season but were dropped from the road uniform in 1981. The caps were blue with the Blue Jays logo on a white panel in front.<ref name=originaljays>{{cite web|url=https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2011/11/17/2565793/thread-on-threads-part-i-blue-jays-logos-and-uniforms-1977-1996|title=Thread on Threads Part I: Blue Jays' Logos and Uniforms, 1977-1996|work=SB Nation|date=November 17, 2011|access-date=September 12, 2020}}</ref> | |||
In 2008, the Blue Jays' powder blue road uniform from this era was restored as an alternate home uniform worn every Friday until 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2020/4/30/21240816/blue-jays-jerseys-history-of-powder-blue-uniforms|title=The history of the Blue Jays' powder blue jerseys|work=SB Nation|date=April 30, 2020|access-date=June 7, 2023}}</ref> | |||
] proved to be a similar season, as the ] had an 83–79 record, well out of the wild card race but only a slim 4½ games back of the three-time defending World Series Champion ] in the AL East, the first time since 1993 they had contended for the division. ] had a stellar year, hitting .344 with 41 home runs, 57 doubles, 137 RBI, 123 walks and 115 runs. In addition, six other players hit 20 or more home runs, an outstanding feat. | |||
===1989–1996: Championship blues=== | |||
On September 1, 2000, ] Inc. purchased 80% of the baseball club with Interbrew (now ]) maintaining 20% interest and the ] relinquishing its 10% share. Rogers eventually acquired the 20% owned by Interbrew and now has full ownership of the team. | |||
The Blue Jays adopted buttoned uniforms upon moving to ] (then SkyDome) in 1989. Aside from the additions of buttons and belts, the only change affecting the home uniforms was the relocation of the team logo to the left chest. The road uniforms changed from powder blue to grey, while the city name and numerals in blue/white/blue split letters were emblazoned, and the logo moved to the left chest. Player names were also added to the road uniform. All-blue caps were worn with their road uniform while keeping the white-panelled blue caps at home. By 1993, the all-blue caps were worn universally, supplanting and eventually retiring the original cap design.<ref name=originaljays/> | |||
In 1994 the Blue Jays began wearing blue alternate uniforms with the team name and numerals in white/blue/white split letters.<ref name=originaljays/> | |||
], a former catcher and broadcast announcer for the Blue Jays, took over as manager before the 2001 season. The ] were back under .500 for ], finishing at 80–82, with mediocre pitching and hitting. Delgado led the team again with 39 home runs and 102 RBI. After the 2001 season ended, the Blue Jays fired Gord Ash, ending a seven-year tenure as general manager. | |||
===1997–2003: Red, teal and blue=== | |||
], then director of player development under ] general manager ], was named the Blue Jays' General Manager and was expected to slash the payroll immediately, in order to stem the tide of red ink. During the off-season, the team traded or let go several popular players, including ], ], ] and ] ] to let talented youngsters such as ] and ] get a chance to develop into major leaguers. | |||
The Blue Jays updated their logo prior to the 1997 season with a new bird design and an enlarged red maple leaf at the back. The usage of red was greatly increased on the team's new uniforms. On the home uniforms, the letters and numerals were changed to blue/teal/blue split letters, while road uniform letters and numerals were changed to blue/red/blue split letters. On the alternate blue uniforms, split letters and numerals became red/blue/red. Red also appeared on the pant and sleeve stripes, while the new logo occupied the left sleeve. Player names also took on the new block split-letter style. An updated all-blue cap was paired with the home and road uniforms, while a red-brimmed blue cap (with a modified logo without a baseball) was used with the blue alternates.<ref name=redjays>{{cite web|url=https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2011/11/18/2570581/thread-on-threads-part-ii-blue-jays-logos-and-uniforms-1997-2003|title=Thread on Threads Part II: Blue Jays' Logos and Uniforms, 1997-2003|work=SB Nation|date=November 18, 2011|access-date=September 12, 2020}}</ref> | |||
In 1999 the Blue Jays unveiled an alternate sleeveless white uniform, featuring the same lettering style as the regular home uniform. However, the chest numerals were replaced with the primary logo. Blue undershirts were worn with this uniform.<ref name=redjays/> | |||
===2002–09: The J. P. Ricciardi era=== | |||
====2002 season==== | |||
{{Main|2002 Toronto Blue Jays season}} | |||
Before the 2001 season, slight modifications were made to the uniforms, eliminating the tricolour stripes and adding a single colour piping along the chest and neck. While the home uniforms remained mostly intact, the road uniforms gained blue sleeves in a faux-vest design. On the alternate white uniform (now a faux vest instead of a straight sleeveless design), the new "T-bird" logo replaced the primary "jay leaf" logo, which moved to the left sleeve. In 2003, the "T-bird" logo became the primary, taking over the previous logo's placement on the caps and sleeves, while the alternate white uniforms brought back chest numerals.<ref name=redjays/> The "T-bird" logo depicts a blue jay flexing its biceps and is nicknamed "Muscle Jay." | |||
The Blue Jays started the ] with slow progress in performance. ] was fired about a third of the way through the season, with a 20–33 record. He was replaced by third base coach ], an experienced minor league manager. They went 58–51 under Tosca to finish the season 78–84. ] was relied on as the team's ace and rose to the challenge of being the team's top pitcher, finishing the season with a 19–7 record and 2.93 ERA. The hitters were led once again by ]. Promising young players were assigned to key roles; starting third baseman ] won the Rookie of the Year Award at the season's conclusion, and 23-year-old center fielder ] had his first 100 RBI season. | |||
===2004–2011: The "Black-and-Graphite Jays"=== | |||
* Team record 2002: 78 wins–84 losses, W%- 0.481, 25.5 games behind division leader, third in division | |||
Before the 2004 season, the Blue Jays adopted a new visual identity, going with a black, silver and graphite motif. The home and black alternates simply read "Jays" in front and in a 3D-oriented diagonal arrangement, with the bird connected to the letter "J." Letters and numerals were in graphite with light blue and silver trim. The road uniforms featured the city name in a similar letter style as the logo, with graphite letters and numerals trimmed in light blue and silver. In 2008, however, amid complaints of illegibility, the Blue Jays tweaked their road uniforms to include 3D-style block letters and numerals in light blue trimmed in black and white, along with chest numerals. The "J-bird" alternate was added to the left sleeve. A red maple leaf would be added on the right sleeve starting in 2009. The Blue Jays wore all-black caps with the "J-bird" logo for much of the uniforms' existence, save for the 2004 and 2005 seasons when they wore all-graphite caps at home, and in 2007 when an alternate all-black cap with the "T" from the previous road uniform was used.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/mlb/list/mlb-playoffs-2015-toronto-blue-jays-graphics-history-1993-world-series/12st7zydmsfb71v1kis9msqul4/11|title=Know your postseason graphics: Toronto Blue Jays edition|work=SportingNews.com|date=October 7, 2015|access-date=September 12, 2020|archive-date=October 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231002024255/https://www.sportingnews.com/us/mlb/list/mlb-playoffs-2015-toronto-blue-jays-graphics-history-1993-world-series/12st7zydmsfb71v1kis9msqul4/11|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/big-read-origins-blue-jays-hated-jersey/|title=Dark Days|author=David Singh|work=Sportsnet|date=October 7, 2015|access-date=September 12, 2020}}</ref> | |||
===Since 2012: Return to traditional look=== | |||
====2003 season==== | |||
Prior to the 2012 season, the Blue Jays unveiled new uniforms and a new logo. The logo is a modernized version of the original logo used from 1977 to 1996. The bird's head was also made sleeker than its 1977–1996 predecessor. The uniforms are similar to the ones used from 1989 to 1996, the team's most successful era. New serifed split letters were also released.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/baseball/mlb/bluejays/article/1037201--jays-making-a-uniform-change?bn=1|title=Jays making a uniform change|newspaper=The Toronto Star|date=August 9, 2011|first=Mark|last=Zwolinski}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20111117&content_id=25996396&vkey=news_tor&c_id=tor|title=Blue Jays unveil new logo for 2012 season|date=November 18, 2011|first=Gregor|last=Chisholm|work=BlueJays.MLB.com|access-date=November 19, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111121011820/http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20111117&content_id=25996396&vkey=news_tor&c_id=tor|archive-date=November 21, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2015, the Blue Jays began wearing a modernized version of the white-panelled blue caps they originally wore from 1977 to 1993 as an alternate.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2015/8/11/9132723/blue-jays-will-be-wearing-new-white-panel-caps-on-sunday|title=Blue Jays will be wearing new white panel caps on Sunday|work=SB Nation|date=August 11, 2015|access-date=September 12, 2020}}</ref> | |||
] | |||
{{Main|2003 Toronto Blue Jays season}} | |||
Before the 2020 season, the Blue Jays unveiled a modernized version of the powder blue uniforms, featuring navy/white/navy serifed split letters and numerals. These uniforms are paired with a powder-brimmed navy cap and an all-navy helmet.<ref>{{cite web|last=Brudnicki |first=Alexis |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/blue-jays-jerseys-unveiled|title=Blue Jays unveil 'New Blue' jerseys for 2020|work=mlb.com |date=January 18, 2020 |access-date=September 12, 2020}}</ref> | |||
The ] was a surprise to both team management and baseball analysts. After a poor April, the team had its most successful month ever in May. Carlos Delgado led the majors in RBI, followed closely by Wells. Despite their hitting successes, poor pitching continued to plague the team. Halladay was an exception, winning his first ], going 22–7, with a 3.25 ERA. In July, ] was traded to the ] for ], another outfielder with a much lower batting average than Stewart's. Delgado was second in the voting for the ], although the Jays were in third place in their division. In the off-season, Kielty was traded to the ] for starter ]. | |||
===Canada Day uniforms=== | |||
* Team record 2003: 86 wins–76 losses, W%- 0.531, 15 games behind division leader, third in division | |||
Since 1996, the Blue Jays wore predominantly red or red-accented uniforms every July 1, ]. The uniforms were based on the team's alternate uniforms they wore at the time but with red as the primary colour. On a few occasions, the Blue Jays added red trim to an existing white uniform (or, in the case of the 2006 uniforms, their black alternates) and sometimes added the ] or a red maple leaf on the uniform.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tipofthetower.com/2020/10/31/toronto-blue-jays-top-5-jerseys-all-time/3/|title=Toronto Blue Jays: Ranking the top 5 jerseys of all time|work=FanSided|date=October 31, 2020 |access-date=July 2, 2022}}</ref> | |||
=== |
===City Connect uniform=== | ||
In 2024, the Blue Jays unveiled a ] uniform inspired by Toronto's nightlife. The jersey is nicknamed "Night Mode" and is a "pitch blue" (dark blue) uniform that features an illustration of the Toronto skyline in royal blue, centred by the "Toronto" wordmark in red. The "pitch blue" colour is a reference to ]'s reflection at night. The traditional Blue Jays logo patch on the sleeve is recoloured to match the uniform. The cap is also "pitch blue" and features a red ] at the centre of a stylized red and blue "T" in split letters.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Matheson|first=Keegan|title=Blue Jays go 'Night Mode' for City Connect uniforms|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/toronto-blue-jays-unveil-city-connect-uniforms |access-date=May 30, 2024 |website=MLB.com|date=May 30, 2024}}</ref> | |||
] | |||
{{Main|2004 Toronto Blue Jays season}} | |||
==Rivalries== | |||
The ] was a disappointing year for the Blue Jays right from the beginning. They started the season 0–8 at SkyDome and never started a lengthy winning streak. Much of that was due to injuries to All-Stars Carlos Delgado, Vernon Wells and Roy Halladay among others. Although the additions of starting pitchers Ted Lilly and ] and reliever ] were relatively successful, veteran ] faltered throughout the season and retired on July 24. Rookies and minor league callups ], ], ] and others filled the void in the rotation and the bullpen; however, inconsistent performances were evident. With the team struggling in last place and mired in a five-game losing streak, manager ] was fired on August 8, 2004, and was replaced by first base coach ]. Long-time first baseman Carlos Delgado became a free agent in the off-season. Nevertheless, prospects ], ], and ] provided excitement for the fans. Rookie pitchers David Bush, ] and Jason Frasor also showed promise for the club's future. The Blue Jays' lone MLB All-Star Game representative was Lilly. | |||
===Montreal Expos=== | |||
* Team record 2004: 67 wins–94 losses, W%- 0.416, 33.5 games behind division leader, fifth in division | |||
{{main|Pearson Cup}} | |||
The ] were the Blue Jays' geographic ] rival, being the other Canadian MLB team before it was relocated. From 1978 to 1986, the teams played an annual mid-season exhibition game known as the ], named after former ] ]. The teams began facing each other in the regular season in 1997 with the advent of ]. During the 2003 and 2004 seasons, the Expos' last two seasons before relocating to Washington, D.C., as the ], the Pearson Cup was awarded after a pair of three-game sets. | |||
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=== |
===Detroit Tigers=== | ||
The ] are the Blue Jays' geographic and traditional rival, dating back to the 1980s, when the teams were AL East contenders. The Tigers moved to the ] in 1998, and the rivalry has died down as a result, with the teams facing each other only six to seven times per year since 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.torontosun.com/2014/06/03/jays-tigers-rivalry-isnt-what-it-used-to-be|title=Jays-Tigers rivalry isn't what it used to be|last=Buffery|first=Steve|work=torontosun.com|date=June 3, 2014|access-date=June 25, 2015}}</ref> Depending on traffic and border delays, Detroit is about a four-hour drive from Toronto. According to '']'', a July 2017 three-game series at ] against the Blue Jays drew a season-best-to-date total attendance of 115,088.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/columnists/john-niyo/2017/07/16/niyo-picture-still-cloudy-muddled-tigers/103761204/|title=Niyo: Picture still cloudy for muddled Tigers|work=Detroit News|access-date=July 18, 2017|quote=Not just with all those Blue Jays fans flocking to downtown Detroit, thousands of them among a crowd for the finale of three-game series that drew a season-best 115,088 attendance.}}</ref> | |||
] | |||
<!--Please don't add the Baltimore Orioles unless there is a notable fan rivalry with reliable sources from both Toronto and Baltimore media; the rivalry is primarily between Jose Bautista and Darren O'Day--><!--Please don't add the Jays–Rangers rivalry, as it is too minor in the grand scheme of things and being too recent--><!--Please don't add the Atlanta Braves or the Philadelphia Phillies, as the rivalries are designated by the MLB--> | |||
===Seattle Mariners=== | |||
{{Main|2005 Toronto Blue Jays season}} | |||
Although the ] are not a divisional rival, many Blue Jays fans from Western Canada travel to Seattle when the Blue Jays play there as Seattle is geographically closer to Western Canada than Toronto is. Depending on traffic and border delays, Seattle is about a three-hour drive from ]. '']'' estimated that Blue Jays fans represented around 70 percent of the crowd in ] for a June 2017 weekend series.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sports.vice.com/en_ca/article/new4nq/what-safeco-field-is-like-when-it-gets-invaded-by-blue-jays-fans|title=What Safeco Field Is Like When It Gets Invaded by Blue Jays Fans|website=Sports|date=June 12, 2017 |language=en-ca|access-date=July 18, 2017}}</ref> | |||
The Blue Jays had a good start to the ]. They led the AL East from early to mid-April and held their record around .500 until late August. The Jays were hit with the injury bug when third baseman ] broke his finger, taking him out of the lineup, but the club was pleasantly surprised with the performance of rookie call-up ] in his stead. On July 8, just prior to the All-Star break, Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay was struck on the shin by a line drive, resulting in a fractured leg. Though Halladay's injury was hoped to be minor, the recovery process was met with constant delays, and eventually, he was out for the rest of the season. Prior to his injury, the Blue Jays were in serious wild card contention, but soon fell out of the playoff race. The team received glimpses of the future from September call-ups ], ], and ]. Marcum made himself noteworthy by posting an ERA of 0.00 over five relief appearances and eight innings in September. Josh Towers also stepped up, showing largely unseen potential by going 7–5 with a 2.91 ERA in the second half of the season. | |||
<!--Please don't add the Baltimore Orioles unless there is a notable fan rivalry with reliable sources from both Toronto and Baltimore media; the rivalry is primarily between José Bautista and Darren O'Day--><!--Please don't add the Blue Jays–Rangers rivalry, as it is too minor in the grand scheme of things and being too recent--><!--Please don't add the Atlanta Braves or the Philadelphia Phillies, as the rivalries are designated by the MLB--> | |||
==Broadcasting== | |||
* Team record 2005: 80 wins–82 losses, W%- 0.494, 15 games behind division leader, third in division | |||
{{See also|List of Toronto Blue Jays broadcasters}} | |||
] | |||
{{legend|#144A9B|Toronto Blue Jays exclusively}} | |||
{{legend|#005F50|Shared with ]}} | |||
{{legend|#7D1703|Shared with ]}} | |||
{{legend|#DD2726|Shared with ]}} | |||
Note: Toronto Blue Jays territory covers all of Canada]] | |||
=== |
===Radio=== | ||
{{ |
{{see also|Toronto Blue Jays Radio Network}} | ||
The Blue Jays' former radio play-by-play announcer, ], called every Toronto Blue Jays game from the team's inaugural contest on April 7, 1977, until June 3, 2004, when he took two games off following the death of his father—a streak of 4,306 consecutive regular-season games and 41 postseason games. Cheek later died on October 9, 2005, and the team commemorated him during their 2006 season by wearing a circular patch on the left sleeve of their home and road game jerseys. The patch was adorned with the letters 'TC', Cheek's initials, as well as a stylized ]. Cheek is also honoured with a place in the Blue Jays' "Level of Excellence" in the upper level of the Rogers Centre; the number 4,306 is depicted beside his name. In 2008, Cheek received the third most votes from fans to be nominated for the ] for broadcasting excellence. Cheek finally received the Frick Award posthumously in 2013 after nine years on the ballot.<ref>{{cite web|last=Fordin|first=Spencer|title=Cheek's wife accepts Frick Award with moving speech|date=July 27, 2013 |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130727&content_id=54970258&c_id=mlb|publisher=MLB|access-date=August 22, 2013}}</ref> | |||
Radio broadcasts of Blue Jays games originate from ] in Toronto, which, like the Blue Jays, is owned by Rogers Communications. After Cheek's retirement in 2005, ], who had been Cheek's broadcasting partner since 1982, took over as lead play-by-play announcer, with ] as the secondary play-by-play announcer. During the 2007 to 2012 seasons, former Blue Jays catcher ] was the colour commentator. Former Blue Jays pitcher ] served as the ] during the 2013 season, after which he was replaced by former Montreal Expos catcher ] since the 2014 season. | |||
In ], the team experienced its most successful season in years. On July 2, Troy Glaus, Vernon Wells, Roy Halladay, ], and Alex Ríos were picked to represent the Blue Jays at the All-Star Game.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060702&content_id=1534446&vkey=news_tor&fext=.jsp&c_id=tor |title=Five Jays named to AL All-Star squad |first=Jordan |last=Bastian |date=2006-07-02 |accessdate=2007-06-18 |publisher=MLB.com}}</ref> It was the largest number of Blue Jay All-Stars selected for the game since 1993. The team played well in the critical month of September, going 18–10. This, combined with the slumping of the ], enabled the Blue Jays to take sole possession of second place in the American League East by the end of the season. This marked the first time that the Jays had finished above third place in their division since their World Championship season of 1993, and with the most wins since the 1998 season. On December 18, the Blue Jays announced that they had re-signed centre fielder Wells to a seven-year contract worth $126 million, which came into effect after the 2007 season. | |||
Former Blue Jays pitcher ] filled in for Morris for some games during the 2013 season. | |||
* Team record 2006: 87 wins–75 losses, W%- 0.537, 10 games behind division leader, second in division | |||
Another former catcher for the Blue Jays, ], has served as the occasional colour commentator from the ] until the end of the ] when he was terminated amid accusations of improper conduct from several female employees.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/sportsnet-terminates-zaun-allegations-inappropriate-behaviour/|title=Sportsnet terminates Gregg Zaun after allegations of inappropriate behaviour|work=]|date=November 30, 2017|access-date=November 30, 2017}}</ref> | |||
====2007 season==== | |||
{{Main|2007 Toronto Blue Jays season}} | |||
Following Howarth's retirement in the 2017 season, ] was hired as the primary radio play-by-play announcer, splitting said duties with ] and Mike Wilner. | |||
The ] was blighted by persistent injuries, with 12 Blue Jays landing on the disabled list. The most serious injury was that of B. J. Ryan, who was out for the entire season having had ]. Prior to the season, the team signed starting pitchers ], ], and ]; each of them were released before the end of the season. However, young starters ] and ] had breakout years, with 12 wins each. On June 24, McGowan pitched a complete game one-hitter. On June 28, ] became the 21st major league player to hit ]. Aaron Hill also had a breakout year, setting a team record for second baseman with 47 doubles. | |||
In November 2020, Mike Wilner was laid off by the team.<ref>{{Cite web|date=November 27, 2020|title=Sportsnet parts ways with veteran Blue Jays announcer Mike Wilner|url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/baseball/2020/11/27/sportsnet-parts-ways-with-veteran-blue-jays-announcer-mike-wilner.html|access-date=February 27, 2021|website=thestar.com|language=en}}</ref> In February 2021, it was announced that "in an effort to minimize travel and closely adhere to team, league, and government protocols related to the ]", all radio broadcasts for the ] will be a simulcast of the television broadcast. Wagner will assume an alternative role.<ref>{{Cite web|date=February 26, 2021|title=Sportsnet cuts Blue Jays radio broadcast for 2021, will simulcast TV coverage over airwaves|url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/bluejays/2021/02/26/sportsnet-release-tv-schedule-for-blue-jays-spring-training-games.html|access-date=February 27, 2021|website=thestar.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=February 27, 2021|title=Blue Jays become first MLB team without a dedicated radio feed|url=https://awfulannouncing.com/mlb/rogers-blue-jays-radio-simulcast-tv.html|access-date=February 27, 2021|website=Awful Announcing|language=en-US}}</ref> However, once the Blue Jays returned to Rogers Centre in late July 2021, dedicated radio broadcasts resumed. | |||
* Team record 2007: 83 wins–79 losses, W%- 0.512, 13 games behind division leader, third in division | |||
The Blue Jays have the largest geographical home market in all of baseball, encompassing all of Canada. Despite this, the number of radio stations that broadcast games is actually quite small. Only 18 radio stations across the country aired at least some Blue Jays games during the 2021 season,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/schedule/blue-jays-radio-network |title=Blue Jays Radio Network|website=Toronto Blue Jays|publisher=MLB |date=April 1, 2021}}</ref> which is fewer affiliates than most MLB teams, which have more stations covering smaller geographic areas. | |||
====2008 season==== | |||
{{Main|2008 Toronto Blue Jays season}} | |||
===Television=== | |||
The Blue Jays' ] featured a strong pitching staff, which led the major leagues with a 3.49 ERA. For much of the season, however, the team struggled to hit home runs and drive in runs. On May 24, starter ] set a team record, with 38 consecutive innings without giving up a walk. On June 20, following a five-game losing streak and with the Jays in last place in the AL East, management fired ] and several members of his coaching staff, and re-hired ]. Meanwhile, Alex Ríos had 32 stolen bases, making him the first Blue Jay with 30 since 2001. On September 5, Roy Halladay earned his 129th career win, moving him into second spot on Toronto's all-time wins list. Halladay also came second in the voting for the Cy Young Award, after posting a 20–11 record and 2.78 ERA. | |||
All Blue Jays games are carried nationally on ] (which, like the Blue Jays, is owned by Rogers Communications). As of 2023, ] serves as the lead play-by-play announcer, with ] as the primary colour commentator; on select series, ] play-by-play announcer ] calls the game in place of Shulman, and Joe Siddall works colour commentary in place of Martinez.<ref name=TBJannouncers>{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/team/broadcasters |title=Blue Jays Broadcasters |website=Toronto Blue Jays}}</ref> Prior to that, Martinez had been the primary play-by-play announcer alongside colour commentator ], with Shulman only calling games sporadically since 2016. In previous years, the colour analyst role rotated between Pat Tabler, ], ], and from 2011 to 2017, ]. Sportsnet became the team's primary carrier soon after it launched in the late 1990s and became the team's exclusive broadcaster in 2010.<ref>, Blue Jays press release, May 13, 2010</ref> As of August 2010, ] also broadcasts Blue Jays games (often in case of scheduling conflicts with the main Sportsnet channels). Rogers was, however, criticized by fans and critics due to Sportsnet One only being carried by ] systems on launch.<ref>{{cite news|last=Dowbiggun|first=Bruce|title=Pelley will need all his smarts to fix Sportsnet One fiasco|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/pelley-will-need-all-his-smarts-to-fix-sportsnet-one-fiasco/article1679219/|work=Globe and Mail|location=Canada|access-date=August 23, 2010|archive-date=August 23, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100823073324/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/pelley-will-need-all-his-smarts-to-fix-sportsnet-one-fiasco/article1679219/|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
Sportsnet's broadcasts of the ] involving the Blue Jays were among the highest-rated telecasts in network history, with Game 4 drawing an audience of 4.38 million viewers.<ref name=yahoo-jaysrecord>{{cite web|title=Great Canadian Ratings Report: Blue Jays continue to set records for Sportsnet|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/eh-game/blue-jays-continue-to-set-records-for-sportsnet-024554485.html|website=Yahoo! Sports Canada|date=October 15, 2015 |access-date=October 16, 2015}}</ref> | |||
* Team record 2008: 86 wins–76 losses, W%- 0.531, 11 games behind division leader, fourth in division | |||
] and ] providing ] coverage of a Toronto Blue Jays game in 2011]] | |||
====2009 season==== | |||
In September 2012, ] simulcast three Blue Jays games with ] provided by CJCL correspondent ], which included explanations of on-screen graphics. Paul Beeston praised AMI's involvement, stating that "to our knowledge, we are the first sports organization to have our games provided through this revolutionary approach to accommodating the needs of the blind and low-vision community."<ref name=jays-amitv>{{cite web|title=Three Blue Jays games to feature described video|url=http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120828&content_id=37476848&vkey=news_tor&c_id=tor|work=BlueJays.com|publisher=MLB Advanced Media|access-date=June 8, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022022119/http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120828&content_id=37476848&vkey=news_tor&c_id=tor|archive-date=October 22, 2013}}</ref> | |||
] | |||
{{Main|2009 Toronto Blue Jays season}} | |||
On June 27, 2013, Rogers' over-the-air Toronto multicultural ] station ] simulcast a Blue Jays game, scheduled to be started by Taiwanese player ], with commentary in ], marking the first ever Canadian MLB broadcast in the language.<ref name=omni-bluejays>{{cite web|title=OMNI to air Blue Jays vs Red Sox in Mandarin, Thursday|url=https://toronto.citynews.ca/2013/06/25/omni-to-air-blue-jays-vs-red-sox-in-mandarin-thursday/|work=Citynews.ca|publisher=Rogers Media|access-date=June 28, 2013}}</ref><ref name=bc-omnijays>{{cite web|title=OMNI TV To Air First Mandarin Broadcast of MLB Game in Canada|url=http://www.broadcastermagazine.com/news/omni-tv-to-air-first-mandarin-broadcast-of-mlb-game-in-canada/1002431677/|work=Broadcaster Magazine|access-date=June 28, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203001845/http://www.broadcastermagazine.com/news/omni-tv-to-air-first-mandarin-broadcast-of-mlb-game-in-canada/1002431677/|archive-date=December 3, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> In June 2018, Omni announced that it would air Sunday afternoon games in ], the most spoken ], through the remainder of the season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cartt.ca/article/omni-field-blue-jays-games-tagalog-summer|title=OMNI to field Blue Jays games in Tagalog this summer|date=June 1, 2018|website=Cartt.ca|access-date=May 12, 2019}}{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.columbiavalleypioneer.com/sports/blue-jays-baseball-games-in-tagalog-language-coming-to-omni-television/|title=Blue Jays baseball games in Tagalog language coming to OMNI Television|date=June 1, 2018|website=The Columbia Valley Pioneer|language=en-US|access-date=May 12, 2019|archive-date=May 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190512190911/https://www.columbiavalleypioneer.com/sports/blue-jays-baseball-games-in-tagalog-language-coming-to-omni-television/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Sportsnet and Omni announced a regular season of Sunday broadcasts in Tagalog for the 2019 season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cartt.ca/article/sportsnet-field-all-toronto-blue-jays-games|title=Sportsnet to field all Toronto Blue Jays games|date=March 26, 2019|website=Cartt.ca|access-date=May 12, 2019}}{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> | |||
The ] saw the addition of two new patches on the Blue Jays' uniforms: on the right arm, a bright red ] (part of the ]), and on the left arm, a small black band with "TED" written on it, in reference to team owner ], who died in the off-season. | |||
] has aired games in ] since 2011, with Denis Casavant and François Paquet on play-by-play and ] on colour. The channel currently has rights to 81 Blue Jay games per season in a three-year deal signed in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=TVA Sports: French-language home of the Blue Jays for the next three seasons |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/press-release-tva-sports-french-language-home-of-the-blue-jays-for-the-next-thre |access-date=March 3, 2023 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref> ], former Montreal Expos radio announcer, broadcast the Blue Jays on TVA Sports from 2011 until his retirement in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gendron-Martin |first=Raphaël |title=Doucet et Brulotte de nouveau réunis |url=https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2011/08/18/doucet-et-brulotte-de-nouveau-reunis-1 |access-date=March 3, 2023 |website=Le Journal de Montréal|date=August 18, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=TSN ca Staff |date=October 5, 2022 |title=Ford C. Frick Award finalists Jerry Howarth Jacques Doucet Toronto Blue Jays Montreal Expos |url=https://www.tsn.ca/ford-c-frick-award-finalists-jerry-howarth-jacques-doucet-toronto-blue-jays-montreal-expos-1.1858315 |access-date=March 3, 2023 |website=TSN |language=en-CA |quote=Since 2011, Doucet has been the French-language voice of the Blue Jays for TVA. The Montreal native announced his retirement effective at season's end last month.}}</ref> | |||
On opening day at the Rogers Centre, the Jays, led by Roy Halladay, beat the ] 12–5.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/mlb/boxscore?gid=290406114 |title=MLB — Detroit Tigers/Toronto Blue Jays Box Score Monday April 6, 2009 - Yahoo! Canada Sports |publisher=Ca.sports.yahoo.com |date=2009-04-06 |accessdate=2011-02-19}}</ref> On June 9, with the 20th pick in the ], the Jays selected RHP ], a power pitcher that has drawn comparisons to ] and ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseballrumormill.com/tags/toronto-blue-jays/ |title=Baseball Rumor Mill |publisher=Baseball Rumor Mill |date= |accessdate=2011-02-19}}</ref> Aaron Hill and Roy Halladay both had excellent years and represented the Blue Jays at the ] in St. Louis. In mid-August, J. P. Ricciardi allowed the Chicago White Sox to claim Alex Ríos off waivers. Despite a hot start, the Jays quickly fell, including a 9-game losing streak, after starting with a 27–14 record. With two games remaining in what was a disappointing season, Ricciardi was fired on October 3. He was replaced by assistant general manager ].<ref> TSN. Accessed on October 3, 2009.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091003&content_id=7302990&vkey=news_tor&fext=.jsp&c_id=tor|title=Ricciardi out as Blue Jays GM|last=Bastian|first=Jordan|date=2009-10-03|publisher=]|accessdate=2009-10-03}}</ref> | |||
] (TSN), which (like the Jays) was owned by Labatt from 1984 to 1995, served as the primary cable television outlet for the Blue Jays prior to the launch of Sportsnet. TSN (and later, its sister channel ]) continued to carry approximately ten Jays games through the 2009 season until May 2010; most recently, ] handled play-by-play while Tabler served as colour commentator on these telecasts. ] has carried Blue Jays games intermittently throughout the team's history, most recently in 2007 and 2008; those broadcasts featured ] as the play-by-play announcer, and former Blue Jays ] and ] on colour commentary.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/mulliniks-barfield-join-cbc-s-blue-jays-booth-1.654057?ref=rss |title=Mulliniks, Barfield join CBC's Blue Jays booth |date=June 7, 2007 |access-date=June 18, 2007 |publisher=CBC |location=Canada }}</ref> Games also aired on ] (except in Montreal) from the team's inception until the late 1990s. The Blue Jays have not appeared over-the-air in Canada in English since 2008. | |||
Despite a 75-win season, the Jays saw the strong return of Aaron Hill, who won the American League ] and the ] for second base. ], who also had a strong season, earned the Silver Slugger for designated hitter. | |||
In 2008, Rogers Communications, owner of the Jays, was granted a license by the ] (CRTC) for a "Baseball TV" ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2008/db2008-171.pdf|title=Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2008-171|date=August 13, 2008|access-date=July 2, 2015|publisher=]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130707212323/http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2008/db2008-171.pdf|archive-date=July 7, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> The channel would have been dedicated to coverage of baseball, combining content from the United States–based ] with original Canadian content.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/baseball-tv-may-launch-this-year/article1146213/|title=Baseball TV may launch this year|first=William|last=Houston|newspaper=]|date=January 7, 2009|access-date=July 2, 2015}}</ref> However, the channel was never launched, and Rogers sponsored an application to allow distribution of the U.S. MLB Network on Canadian providers instead.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2012/2012-637.htm|title=Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2012-637|date=November 21, 2012|access-date=July 2, 2015|publisher=]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/rogers-bids-to-bring-mlb-network-to-canada-1.1175509|title=Rogers bids to bring MLB Network to Canada|date=June 20, 2012|access-date=July 2, 2015|publisher=]}}</ref> | |||
* Team record 2009: 75 wins–87 losses, W%- 0.463, 28 games behind division leader, fourth in division | |||
Due to the structure of Rogers' MLB broadcast contracts, Sportsnet is not permitted to use its domestic production for Blue Jays games if the team is in postseason play (as it is technically still considered a regional broadcaster) and instead carries the U.S. broadcast (such as ] in 2015, and ] in 2016). This is in contrast to the ]'s ] (via TSN and Sportsnet), as well as the ] and ]'s Canadian-based teams (via ] on CBC and Sportsnet, and TSN respectively) who were allowed to produce their own broadcasts during postseason games. Buck Martinez has served as a colour commentator for post-season coverage ultimately simulcast by Sportsnet, however, having formerly worked Division Series games for TBS and on the ] broadcast of the ].<ref name="metro-4mill">{{cite web|title=Sportsnet touts four million viewers for Jays vs. Orioles matchup|url=http://www.metronews.ca/sports/2016/10/05/sportsnet-touts-four-million-viewers-for-jays-vs-orioles-matchup.html|work=Metro|access-date=October 11, 2016|archive-date=October 10, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161010025503/http://www.metronews.ca/sports/2016/10/05/sportsnet-touts-four-million-viewers-for-jays-vs-orioles-matchup.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2022, however, MLB allowed Sportsnet to carry its own production of Blue Jays postseason games as it is technically a national broadcaster.<ref name="dh-jays-playoffs-broadcasters">{{cite web|url=https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/buck-martinez-blue-jays-playoff-games-sportsnet|title=Buck Martinez to lead Sportsnet's Blue Jays' playoff broadcasts|first=Adam|last=Laskaris|work=]|date=October 3, 2022|access-date=October 4, 2022}}</ref> | |||
===2010–present: The Alex Anthopoulos era=== | |||
====2010 season==== | |||
]' first full season as General Manager of the Jays.]] | |||
{{Main|2010 Toronto Blue Jays season}} | |||
In the off-season, the Jays' ace ] was traded to the ] for ], ], and ]; Taylor was immediately traded to the ] for ]. The team's significant free agent signings were that of catcher ] and shortstop ].<ref>{{cite web|author=By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com |url=http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091126&content_id=7721268&vkey=news_tor&fext=.jsp&c_id=tor |title=Blue Jays ink shortstop Gonzalez | bluejays.com: News |publisher=Toronto.bluejays.mlb.com |date= |accessdate=2011-02-19}}</ref> | |||
==Roster== | |||
The 2010 season was a surprising 10-win improvement over the last season. It was a career year for ], who hit 54 home runs, breaking ]'s franchise record. In doing so, he became the 26th player to reach 50 home runs and the first since ] and ] achieved the feat in 2007. The Blue Jays also set a franchise record for the most home runs in a single season as they hit 257, 13 more than their previous record of 244 set by the ]. The Blue Jays tied the ] for the third most home runs by a team in a single season. Seven players (José Bautista, ], ], ], ], John Buck, and ]) hit 20 home runs or more throughout the season, tying an MLB record previously set by four teams, including the 2000 Blue Jays. | |||
{{Toronto Blue Jays roster}} | |||
On August 7, catching prospect ] made his major league debut. He went 4-for-5 with 2 home runs, including a home run hit on the first pitch he saw. The next day, starting pitcher ] came within one out of a ], finishing with 17 strikeouts in a complete game one-hitter. | |||
* Team record 2010: 85 wins–77 losses, W%- 0.525, 11 games behind division leader, fourth in division | |||
====2011 season==== | |||
{{Main|2011 Toronto Blue Jays season}} | |||
Following an unexpectedly successful 2010 season, one of the Blue Jays' priorities was to find a replacement for retiring manager Cito Gaston. After reviewing many candidates, the Blue Jays vetted four finalists, ], ], ] and their third base coach ]. The Jays hired Farrell on October 22, 2010. | |||
Relief pitcher ] declined arbitration, becoming a free agent; he signed with the ] on December 10, 2010. Catcher John Buck was also expected to leave, as GM Alex Anthopoulous and several commentators noted that he deserved a full-time job and contract coming off an all-star season, but that the Jays would be looking to prospect ] as their starting catcher, after he hit .301 with 32 home runs in 104 Triple-A games.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101011&content_id=15577720&vkey=news_tor&c_id=tor&partnerId=rss_tor |title=Blue Jays face tough decisions behind the plate | bluejays.com: News |publisher=Mlb.mlb.com |date= |accessdate=2011-02-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlbastian.mlblogs.com/archives/2010/10/highlights_of_anthopoulos_sit-.html |title=Major League Bastian: Highlights of Anthopoulos sit-down |publisher=Mlbastian.mlblogs.com |date= |accessdate=2011-02-19}}</ref> | |||
The Jays made several notable acquisitions through free agency as well, including relievers Jon Rauch and Octavio Dotel. | |||
On November 17th, 2010, the Blue Jays traded for outfielder Rajai Davis from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for two minor league pitchers Trystan Magnuson and Daniel Farquhar. | |||
On January 21, the Blue Jays announced a blockbuster deal that sent the face of the franchise, ], to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, in exchange for catcher/first baseman ] and outfielder ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20110121&content_id=16480104&vkey=pr_tor&fext=.jsp&c_id=tor |title=Blue Jays trade Wells for Napoli, Rivera | bluejays.com: Official Info |publisher=Toronto.bluejays.mlb.com |date=2011-01-21 |accessdate=2011-02-19}}</ref> | |||
On January 25, the Blue Jays traded recently acquired catcher/first baseman Mike Napoli to the Texas Rangers for reliever ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/story/?id=351016 |title=Blue Jays acquire Francisco in exchange for Napoli |publisher=Tsn.ca |date=2011-01-25 |accessdate=2011-02-19}}</ref> | |||
==Minor league affiliations== | |||
On February 17, the Blue Jays announced that ] had agreed to a five-year contract extension worth $64 million.<ref> TSN. Accessed on February 23, 2011.</ref> Bautista led the MLB with 54 home runs, won the AL ] and placed fourth in MVP balloting in 2010. | |||
{{Main|List of Toronto Blue Jays minor league affiliates}} | |||
The Toronto Blue Jays ] consists of six ] affiliates.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/affiliate.cgi?id=TOR|title=Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Affiliates|website=Baseball-Reference|publisher=Sports Reference|access-date=October 22, 2023}}</ref> | |||
On June 1, in a game against the ], ], ] and ] of the Toronto Blue Jays hit back-to-back-to-back triples for the first time in franchise history. It was also the first time in the Major Leagues since ], ] and ] of the ] accomplished this incredibly rare feat back in ]. | |||
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" | |||
On July 27, 2011, the Blue Jays completed a three-team trade to acquire long sought-after centre fielder Colby Rasmus from the St. Louis Cardinals. In total, the trade involved many players, with ], ], ], and ] traded from St. Louis to Toronto, ] traded from the Chicago White Sox to Toronto, ] and ] traded from Toronto to Chicago, ] traded to the St. Louis Cardinals from the Chicago White Sox (through Toronto), along with outfielder ], relief pitchers ], and ]. The trade was seen as a watershed moment in the Blue Jays development process in the Anthopoulous regime, providing the team a multi-tooled centre fielder to anchor a young, developing outfield trio. | |||
On July 31, the Blue Jays ], ]'s #12. | |||
On August 10, ESPN reported a cover story claiming the Toronto Blue Jays organization engaged in sign stealing<ref>http://espn.go.com/new-york/story/_/id/6837424/baseball-toronto-blue-jays-suspicion-again-stealing-signs-rogers-centre</ref> from visiting teams at the Rogers Centre, during the 2010 season. While the story was not validated by visiting players, managers or other MLB organizations, the Blue Jays responded with a press conference to denounce the allegations. | |||
During the month of August, rookie catcher ] broke the Blue Jays record for most home runs by a catcher. | |||
<!-- Add team record --> | |||
==Radio and television== | |||
{{See also|List of Toronto Blue Jays broadcasters}} | |||
] map]] | |||
The Blue Jays' former radio play-by-play announcer, ], called every Blue Jays game from the team's inaugural contest on April 7, ] until June 3, ], when he took two games off following the death of his father – a streak of 4,306 consecutive regular season games and 41 postseason games. Cheek died in 2005, and the team commemorated him during their ] season by wearing a circular badge on the left sleeve of their jerseys. The badge was adorned with Cheek's initials, as well as a stylized ]. Cheek is also honoured with a place in the Blue Jays' "Level of Excellence" in the upper level of the Rogers Centre; the number 4,306 is depicted beside his name. In 2008, Cheek received the third highest amount of votes by fans to be nominated for the ] for broadcasting excellence. This is the fifth year in a row Cheek has been named a finalist.<ref>Cheek among finalists for Frick award, http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/2008/10/06/cheek_frick/</ref> | |||
Radio broadcasts of Blue Jays games are originated from Rogers Communications-owned station ] in Toronto, known as The Fan 590. ] is the lead play-by-play announcer, with former Blue Jays catcher ] serving as the colour commentator and secondary play-by-play announcer. Another former catcher for the Toronto Blue Jays, ], serves as the occasional colour commentator, since the ]. The Toronto Blue Jays have the largest geographical home market and blackout area for television in all of baseball, encompassing all of Canada. Despite this, the number of radio stations that broadcast games is actually quite small. Only twenty radio stations across the country are airing at least some Blue Jays games during the 2011 season,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/tor/schedule/radio_network.jsp |title=Blue Jays Radio Network | bluejays.com: Schedule |publisher=Toronto.bluejays.mlb.com |date=2010-03-22 |accessdate=2011-02-19}}</ref> which is fewer affiliates than most teams. | |||
However, on television, most Blue Jays games are carried nationally on ] (which, like the Blue Jays, is owned by Rogers Communications). Sportsnet became the team's primary carrier soon after it launched in the late 1990s, and became the team's exclusive carrier on Sportsnet One in 2010.<ref>, Blue Jays press release, 2010-05-13</ref> In the event of conflicts with other Sportsnet properties, affected games currently air on an alternate Sportsnet channel available on ] through many cable providers (as well as both ] and ]). ] is the play-by-play announcer,<ref>{{cite web|author=By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com |url=http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091210&content_id=7796960&vkey=news_tor&fext=.jsp&c_id=tor |title=Martinez joins Jays as play-by-play man | bluejays.com: News |publisher=Toronto.bluejays.mlb.com |date=2006-01-17 |accessdate=2011-02-19}}</ref> with colour analysis rotating between ], ], ], and since the 2011 season, Gregg Zaun and Alan Ashby. ], a new national sports service, began broadcasting select Blue Jays games in August 2010, but was criticized by fans and critics, because the network initially only launched on ] systems.<ref>{{cite news|last=Dowbiggun|first=Bruce|title=Pelley will need all his smarts to fix Sportsnet One fiasco|url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/pelley-will-need-all-his-smarts-to-fix-sportsnet-one-fiasco/article1679219/|publisher=The Globe and Mail|accessdate=23 August 2010}}</ref> | |||
], which (like the Jays) was owned by Labatt from 1984 to 1995, served as the primary television outlet for the Blue Jays prior to the launch of Sportsnet. TSN (and later its sister channel ]) continued to carry approximately ten Jays games through the 2009 season until May 2010; most recently, ] handled play-by-play while Tabler served as colour commentator on these telecasts. ] has carried Blue Jays games intermittently throughout the team's history, most recently in 2007 and 2008; those broadcasts featured ] as the play-by-play announcer, and former Blue Jays ] and ] on colour commentary.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/story/2007/06/07/jays-cbc-broadcast-team.html?ref=rss |title=Mulliniks, Barfield join CBC's Blue Jays booth |date=2007-06-07 |accessdate=2007-06-18 |publisher=CBC.ca}}</ref> | |||
==Current roster== | |||
{{Toronto Blue Jays roster}} | |||
==Minor league affiliations== | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
|- | |- | ||
!scope="col" style="{{Baseball primary style|Toronto Blue Jays|border=2}}"|Class | |||
! Level | |||
!scope="col" style="{{Baseball primary style|Toronto Blue Jays|border=2}}"|Team | |||
! Team | |||
!scope="col" style="{{Baseball primary style|Toronto Blue Jays|border=2}}"|League | |||
! League | |||
!scope="col" style="{{Baseball primary style|Toronto Blue Jays|border=2}}"|Location | |||
! Location | |||
!scope="col" style="{{Baseball primary style|Toronto Blue Jays|border=2}}"|Ballpark | |||
!scope="col" style="{{Baseball primary style|Toronto Blue Jays|border=2}}"|Affiliated | |||
|- | |- | ||
| ] | |||
| ''AAA'' | |||
!scope="row"| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | | ] | ||
| ] | |||
| ], ] | |||
| ] | |||
|- | |||
| align="right"| 2013 | |||
| ''AA'' | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ], ] | |||
|- | |||
| ''Advanced A'' | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ], ] | |||
|- | |- | ||
| ] | |||
| ''A'' | |||
!scope="row"| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | | ] | ||
| ] | |||
| ], ] | |||
| ] | |||
| align="right"| 2003 | |||
|- | |- | ||
| ] | |||
|''Short Season A'' | |||
| ] | !scope="row"| ] | ||
| ] | | ] | ||
| ], ] | | ], ] | ||
| ] | |||
| align="right"| 2011 | |||
|- | |- | ||
| ] | |||
|''Rookie-Advanced'' | |||
| ] | !scope="row"| ] | ||
| ] | | ] | ||
| ] | |||
| ], ] | |||
| ] | |||
| align="right"| 1987 | |||
|- | |- | ||
|rowspan= |
| rowspan=3| ] | ||
| ] | !scope="row"| ] | ||
| ] | | ] | ||
| ] | |||
| Dunedin, Florida | |||
| ] | |||
| align="right"| 2007 | |||
|- | |- | ||
| ] | !scope="row"| ] | ||
| ] | | ] | ||
| ], ] | |||
| ], ] | |||
| Baseball City Complex | |||
| align="right"| 2009 | |||
|} | |} | ||
Former teams: | |||
* '''AAA:''' ], ] 1978–2008 (renamed to ''Syracuse SkyChiefs'' 1996–2006) | |||
* '''AA:''' ], ] 2000–2003 | |||
* '''AA:''' ], ] 1980–1999 | |||
* '''High A:''' ]/], ] 1979–1981 | |||
* '''High A:''' ], ] 1986 | |||
* '''Low A:''' ], ] 1981–1985 | |||
* '''Low A:''' ], ] 1986–1992 | |||
* '''Low A:''' ], ] 1993–2000 | |||
* '''Low A:''' ], ] 2001–2004 | |||
* '''Short A:''' ], ] 1977–1980 | |||
* '''Short A:''' ], ] 1986–1999 | |||
* '''Short A:''' ], ] 2000 | |||
* '''Short A:''' ], ] 2001–2010 | |||
* '''Rookie:''' ], ] 2007–2008 | |||
* '''Rookie:''' ], ] 2003–2006 | |||
* '''Rookie:''' ], ] 1978–2002 | |||
==Season by season record== | ==Season by season record== | ||
Line 348: | Line 294: | ||
==Awards and other achievements== | ==Awards and other achievements== | ||
===Award winners and league leaders=== | ===Award winners and league leaders=== | ||
{{main|Toronto Blue Jays award winners and league leaders}} | {{main|Toronto Blue Jays award winners and league leaders}} | ||
Line 354: | Line 301: | ||
{{Main|Toronto Blue Jays team records}} | {{Main|Toronto Blue Jays team records}} | ||
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | |||
===Season records=== | |||
|- | |||
*Highest Batting Average: .363, ] (1993) | |||
! rowspan="2" style="{{Baseball primary style|Toronto Blue Jays|border=2}};" | Statistic !! colspan="3" style="{{Baseball primary style|Toronto Blue Jays|border=2}};" | Single season record !! colspan="2" style="{{Baseball primary style|Toronto Blue Jays|border=2}};" | Career record | |||
* Most Games: 163, ] (1986) | |||
|- | |||
* Most Runs: 134, ] (1999) | |||
! style="{{Baseball primary style|Toronto Blue Jays|border=2}};"|Player | |||
* Most Hits: 215, ] (2003) | |||
! style="{{Baseball primary style|Toronto Blue Jays|border=2}};"|Record | |||
* Highest On-base %: .473, ] (1993) | |||
! style="{{Baseball primary style|Toronto Blue Jays|border=2}};"|Season | |||
* Highest Slugging %: .664, ] (2000) | |||
! style="{{Baseball primary style|Toronto Blue Jays|border=2}};"|Player | |||
* Highest OPS: 1.134, ] (2000) | |||
! style="{{Baseball primary style|Toronto Blue Jays|border=2}};"|Record | |||
* Most Doubles: 57, ] (2000) | |||
|- | |||
* Most Triples: 17, ] (1990) | |||
| Games played: || ] || 163 || ] || Tony Fernández || 1,450 | |||
* Most Home Runs: 54, ] (2010) | |||
|- | |||
* Most Grand Slams: 3, ] (1997) and ] (2000) | |||
| ]s: || ] || 735 || ] || ] || 6,018 | |||
* Most RBI: 145, ] (2003) | |||
|- | |||
* Most Stolen Bases: 60, ] (1984) | |||
| ]s: || Tony Fernández || 687 || 1986 || Vernon Wells || 5,470 | |||
* Most Wins: 22, ] (2003) | |||
|- | |||
* Lowest ERA: 2.05, ] (1997) | |||
| ]: || ] || .363 || ] || ] || .307 | |||
* Most Strikeouts: 292, ] (1997) | |||
|- | |||
* Most Appearances: 89, ] (1987) | |||
| ]: || John Olerud || .473 || 1993 || John Olerud || .395 | |||
* Complete Games: 19, ] (1982) | |||
|- | |||
* Saves: 45, ] (1993) | |||
| ]: || Carlos Delgado || .664 || ] || Carlos Delgado || .556 | |||
|- | |||
| ]: || Carlos Delgado || 1.134 || 2000 || Carlos Delgado || .949 | |||
|- | |||
| Runs scored: || ] || 134 || ] || Carlos Delgado || 889 | |||
|- | |||
| ]s: || Vernon Wells || 215 || 2003 || Tony Fernández || 1,583 | |||
|- | |||
| Total bases: || Carlos Delgado || 378 || 2000 || Carlos Delgado || 2,786 | |||
|- | |||
| ]s: || Carlos Delgado || 57 || 2000 || Carlos Delgado || 343 | |||
|- | |||
| ]s: || Tony Fernández || 17 || ] || Tony Fernández || 72 | |||
|- | |||
| ]s: || ] || 54 || ] || Carlos Delgado || 336 | |||
|- | |||
| ] || Carlos Delgado || 145 || 2003 || Carlos Delgado || 1,058 | |||
|- | |||
| ]: || José Bautista || 132 || ] || Carlos Delgado || 827 | |||
|- | |||
| ]s: || ] || 60 || ] || ] || 255 | |||
|- | |||
| Games played (pitcher): || ] || 89 || 1987 || ] || 505 | |||
|- | |||
| Games started: || ] || 40 || ] || ] || 408 | |||
|- | |||
| Wins: || ] || 22 || 2003 || Dave Stieb || 175 | |||
|- | |||
| Losses: || ]<br />] || 18 || ]<br />] || Jim Clancy || 140 | |||
|- | |||
| Winning percentage: || ] || 1.000 || ] || ] || .759 | |||
|- | |||
| ]: || Dave Stieb || 288.1 || 1982 || Dave Stieb || 2,873 | |||
|- | |||
| ]: || Mark Eichhorn || 1.72 || 1986 || ] || 2.48 | |||
|- | |||
| ]s: || ] || 129 || ] || Dave Stieb || 1,091 | |||
|- | |||
| Strikeouts: || Roger Clemens || 292 || 1997 || Dave Stieb || 1,658 | |||
|- | |||
| Complete Games: || Dave Stieb || 19 || 1982 || Dave Stieb || 102 | |||
|- | |||
| Shutouts: || Dave Stieb || 5 || 1982 || Dave Stieb || 30 | |||
|- | |||
| Saves: || ] || 45 || 1993 || ] || 217 | |||
|- | |||
! colspan="6" | <ref>{{cite web|title=Toronto Blue Jays Top 10 Batting Leaders|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/TOR/leaders_bat.shtml|website=Baseball Reference|access-date=December 15, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Toronto Blue Jays Top 10 Pitching Leaders|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/TOR/leaders_pitch.shtml|website=Baseball Reference|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|access-date=December 15, 2014}}</ref> | |||
|} | |||
=== |
===No-hitters=== | ||
Only one Blue Jays pitcher has thrown a ] in franchise history. It was accomplished by ] on September 2, 1990, after losing three no-hit bids with two outs in the ninth inning.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/history/teams?team=TOR|title=Toronto Blue Jays Franchise History|publisher=ESPN|access-date=November 22, 2010}}</ref> | |||
*Highest Batting Average: .307, ] | |||
* Most At Bats: 5,470, ] | |||
* Most Games: 1,450, ] | |||
* Most Runs: 889, ] | |||
* Most Hits: 1,583, ] | |||
* Highest Slugging %: .556, ] | |||
* Most Doubles: 343, ] | |||
* Most Triples: 72, ] | |||
* Most Home Runs: 336, ] | |||
* Most RBIs: 1,058, ] | |||
* Most Stolen Bases: 255, ] | |||
* Most Wins: 175, ] | |||
* Lowest ERA: 3.42, ] and ] | |||
* Strikeouts: 1,658, ] | |||
* Complete Games: 103, ] | |||
* Saves: 217, ] | |||
* No-hitters: 1, ] | |||
No ], a special subcategory of no-hitter, has been thrown in Blue Jays history. The franchise came closest on August 4, 1989, when Stieb gave up a double to Yankees' batter ] with two outs in the ninth, who then scored by the next batter.<ref name="history 2">{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/teams/toro.shtml|title=Toronto Blue Jays|work=Baseball Almanac|access-date=November 22, 2010}}</ref> | |||
===Baseball Hall of Famers=== | |||
Six former Blue Jays have been elected into the ]. Roberto Alomar, elected to the Hall of Fame in 2011, is the first player to be inducted based primarily on service as a Blue Jay: | |||
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center; border:1" | |||
<center>{{HOFList | |||
|- | |||
|Current Team Name = Toronto Blue Jays | |||
! style="{{Baseball primary style|Toronto Blue Jays|border=2}}"|# | |||
| All Team Names = Blue Jays | |||
! style="{{Baseball primary style|Toronto Blue Jays|border=2}}"|Date | |||
| ColorA# = 000000 | |||
! style="{{Baseball primary style|Toronto Blue Jays|border=2}}"|Pitcher | |||
| ColorB# = C0C0C0 | |||
! style="{{Baseball primary style|Toronto Blue Jays|border=2}}"|Final score | |||
| ColorC# = 005AC0 | |||
! style="{{Baseball primary style|Toronto Blue Jays|border=2}}"|Base-<br />runners | |||
| ColorD# = FFFFFF | |||
! style="{{Baseball primary style|Toronto Blue Jays|border=2}}"|Opponent | |||
| Team Name 1 = '''Blue Jays''' | |||
! style="{{Baseball primary style|Toronto Blue Jays|border=2}}"|Catcher | |||
| List 1.1 =''']''' | |||
! style="{{Baseball primary style|Toronto Blue Jays|border=2}}"|Plate umpire | |||
| List 1.2 =]<sup>†</sup> | |||
! style="{{Baseball primary style|Toronto Blue Jays|border=2}}"|Manager | |||
| List 1.3 = ]<br>] | |||
!class="unsortable" style="{{Baseball primary style|Toronto Blue Jays|border=2}}"| Notes | |||
| List 1.4 =] | |||
!class="unsortable" style="{{Baseball primary style|Toronto Blue Jays|border=2}}"| Ref | |||
| List 1.5 =] | |||
|- | |||
| Team Name 2 = | |||
| 1 | |||
| List 2.1 = | |||
| {{dts|September 2, 1990}} | |||
| List 2.2 = | |||
| {{sortname|Dave|Stieb}} | |||
| List 2.3 = | |||
| {{nts|3}}–0 | |||
| List 2.4 = | |||
| 4 | |||
| List 2.5 = | |||
| ] | |||
| Team Name 3 = | |||
| {{sortname|Pat|Borders}} | |||
| List 3.1 = | |||
| {{sortname|Drew|Coble}} | |||
| List 3.2 = | |||
| {{sortname|Cito|Gaston|}} | |||
| List 3.3 = | |||
|align="left"| | |||
| List 3.4 = | |||
*First and only ] in franchise history | |||
| List 3.5 = | |||
*First and only no-hitter on the road | |||
| Team Name 4 = | |||
*First and only right-handed pitcher to throw a no-hitter in franchise history | |||
| List 4.1 = | |||
| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CLE/CLE199009020.shtml|title=September 2, 1990 Toronto Blue Jays at Cleveland Indians Play by Play and Box Score |work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|access-date=November 22, 2010}}</ref> | |||
| List 4.2 = | |||
|- | |||
| List 4.3 = | |||
|} | |||
| List 4.4 = | |||
| List 4.5 = | |||
| Footnote1 =<sup>†</sup> – Pat Gillick was elected as an Executive/Pioneer due in part to his contributions to baseball as general manager of the Blue Jays.<ref>{{cite web|last=Carr|first=Samantha|title=Emotional Election|url=http://baseballhall.org/news/voting-news/emotional-election|publisher=National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|accessdate=5 January 2011|date=6 December 2010}}</ref> | |||
| Footnote2 = | |||
| Footnote3 = | |||
| Footnote4 = | |||
|}}</center> | |||
===Triple Crown champions=== | |||
], a second baseman with the ], served as a coach with the Jays early in their history, and was the first person associated with the franchise to be elected to the Hall, in 1986. ], the Hall of Fame pitcher and 300-game winner, was a broadcaster for the Blue Jays during their first few years. | |||
] won the pitching ] in 1997 and 1998.<ref>{{cite web|title=Triple Crown Winners|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/triple_crowns.shtml|website=Baseball Reference|access-date=December 17, 2014}}</ref> | |||
=== |
===Baseball Hall of Famers=== | ||
Eleven former Blue Jays, one former manager, and one former general manager have been elected into the ]. Second baseman Roberto Alomar, elected to the Hall of Fame in 2011, is the first player to be inducted based primarily on service as a player for the Blue Jays. | |||
] | |||
{{See also|List of Major League Baseball retired numbers}} | |||
{{Baseball hall of fame list | |||
On July 31, 2011, second baseman Roberto Alomar was the first person to have his number retired by the Blue Jays.<ref>http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110719&content_id=21993596&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb </ref> | |||
| Current Team Name = Toronto Blue Jays | |||
| All Team Names = Blue Jays | |||
| ColorA# = 134A8E | |||
| ColorB# = FFFFFF | |||
| ColorC# = 1D2D5C | |||
| ColorD# = FFFFFF | |||
| Team Name 1 = '''Toronto Blue Jays''' | |||
| List 1.1 = ''']'''<br />] | |||
| List 1.2 = ]<sup>†</sup><br />]<sup>‡</sup><br />] | |||
| List 1.3 = ]<br />]<br />] | |||
| List 1.4 = ]<br />]<br />] | |||
| List 1.5 = ]<br />] | |||
| Team Name 2 = | |||
| List 2.1 = | |||
| List 2.2 = | |||
| List 2.3 = | |||
| List 2.4 = | |||
| List 2.5 = | |||
| Team Name 3 = | |||
| List 3.1 = | |||
| List 3.2 = | |||
| List 3.3 = | |||
| List 3.4 = | |||
| List 3.5 = | |||
| Team Name 4 = | |||
| List 4.1 = | |||
| List 4.2 = | |||
| List 4.3 = | |||
| List 4.4 = | |||
| List 4.5 = | |||
| Footnote1 =<sup>†</sup> – Pat Gillick was elected as an Executive/Pioneer; accordingly, he is not depicted on his plaque wearing a cap. The Hall of Fame recognizes the Blue Jays as his primary team.<ref>{{cite web |title=Gillick, Pat |url=https://baseballhall.org/hall-of-famers/gillick-pat |website=Baseball Hall of Fame - Hall of Famers |access-date=January 31, 2019}}</ref> | |||
| Footnote2 =<sup>‡</sup> – Roy Halladay's plaque does not depict him with a cap insignia;<ref>{{cite news |title=No hat logo for Halladay's Hall plaque; Mussina uncertain |url=http://www.philly.com/wires/ap/no-hat-logo-halladays-hall-plaque-mussina-uncertain-20190124.html |access-date=January 31, 2019 |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=January 23, 2019}}</ref> however, the Hall of Fame recognizes the Blue Jays as his primary team.<ref>{{cite web |title=Halladay, Roy |url=https://baseballhall.org/hall-of-famers/halladay-roy |website=Baseball Hall of Fame - Hall of Famers |access-date=January 31, 2019}}</ref> | |||
| Footnote3 = | |||
| Footnote4 = | |||
| }} | |||
], a second baseman with the ], served as a hitting coach with the Blue Jays early in their history, 1977–1981, and was the first person associated with the franchise to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, in 1986. | |||
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:120%; border:3px;" | |||
|- style="text-align:center; background:#498bae;" | |||
||]<br /><b>]<br />2B: 1991–1995<br /><font size=1></font> | |||
|} | |||
], the Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher (1972) and career 300-game winner, was a radio broadcaster for the Blue Jays with ] during their first few years, 1977–1981. | |||
===Level of Excellence=== | |||
===Ford C. Frick Award recipients=== | |||
The team has also instituted a "Level of Excellence" on the 400 level of the ], where the following Jays personnel are honoured: | |||
{{Ford C. Frick award list | |||
| Current Team Name = Toronto Blue Jays | |||
| All Team Names = Blue Jays | |||
| ColorA# = 134A8E | |||
| ColorB# = FFFFFF | |||
| ColorC# = 1D2D5C | |||
| ColorD# = FFFFFF | |||
| List 1 = | |||
| List 2 = ''']''' | |||
| List 3 = | |||
| List 4 = ] | |||
| List 5 = | |||
| Footnote1 = | |||
| Footnote2 = | |||
| Footnote3 = | |||
| Footnote4 = | |||
| }} | |||
===BBWAA Career Excellence Award recipients=== | |||
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:120%; border:3px;" | |||
{| class="toccolours" style="font-size:95%;" style="margin:1em auto 1em auto" | |||
|- style="text-align:center; background:#498bae;" | |||
|- | |||
|]<br /><b>]<br />SS: 1983–1990, 1993, 1998–1999, 2001<br /><font size=1></font> | |||
! colspan="1" style="text-align:center; {{Baseball primary style|Toronto Blue Jays}};"|'''Toronto Blue Jays {{Baseball primary link|Toronto Blue Jays|BBWAA Career Excellence Award}} recipients''' | |||
|]<br /><b>]<br />LF: 1981–1990<br /><font size=1></font> | |||
|- | |||
|]<br /><b>]<br />2B: 1991–1995<br /><font size=1></font> | |||
| colspan="1" style="text-align:center; {{Baseball secondary style|Toronto Blue Jays}};"|'''Affiliation according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum''' | |||
|- style="text-align:center; background:#498bae;" | |||
|- | |||
|]<br /><b>]<br />RF,1B: 1991–1997<br /><font size=1></font> | |||
| | |||
|]<br /><b>]<br />P: 1978–1992, 1998<br /><font size=1></font> | |||
{| style="margin:1em auto;" | |||
|]<br /><b>]<br />M: 1989–1997, 2008–2010<br /><font size=1></font> | |||
|valign="top"| | |||
|- style="text-align:center; background:#498bae;" | |||
|width="50"| | |||
|]<br /><b>]<br />Broadcaster: 1977–2005<br /><font size=1></font> | |||
|valign="top"| | |||
|]<br /><b>]<br />VP: 1976–1989; President: 1989–1997, 2008–present<br /><font size=1></font> | |||
|width="50"| | |||
|]<br /><b>]<br />GM: 1978–1995<br /><font size=1></font> | |||
|valign="top"|''']''' | |||
|width="50"| | |||
|valign="top"| | |||
|width="50"| | |||
|valign="top"| | |||
|} | |||
: '''Names in bold''' received the award based primarily on their work covering the Blue Jays. | |||
|- | |||
|} | |} | ||
===Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame=== | |||
==References== | |||
{{Main|Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame}} | |||
{{Reflist}} | |||
:Some text copied via the GFDL from | |||
==External links== | |||
{{Portalbox|Baseball|Toronto}} | |||
{{Commons category|Toronto Blue Jays}} | |||
* {{MLBTeam|Toronto|BlueJays|TOR}} | |||
* | |||
* | |||
* | |||
* {{dmoz|Sports/Baseball/Major_League/Teams/Toronto_Blue_Jays|Toronto Blue Jays}} | |||
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | |||
{{S-start}} | |||
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"| ''']''' | |||
|- | |- | ||
! colspan=5 style="{{Baseball primary style|Toronto Blue Jays}}"|Blue Jays in the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame | |||
| style="width:30%; text-align:center;"| Preceded by:<br />''']''' <br /> ] | |||
| style="width:40%; text-align:center;"| ] & ] | |||
| style="width:30%; text-align:center;"| Succeeded by :<br />''']'''<br /> ] | |||
|- | |- | ||
! style="{{Baseball secondary style|Toronto Blue Jays}}"|No. | |||
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"| ''']''' | |||
! style="{{Baseball secondary style|Toronto Blue Jays}}"|Inductee | |||
! style="{{Baseball secondary style|Toronto Blue Jays}}"|Position | |||
! style="{{Baseball secondary style|Toronto Blue Jays}}"|Tenure | |||
! style="{{Baseball secondary style|Toronto Blue Jays}}"|Notes | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 12 || ] || ] || 1991–1995 || | |||
| style="width:30%; text-align:center;"| Preceded by:<br />''']'''<br /> ] | |||
| style="width:40%; text-align:center;"| ] & ] | |||
| style="width:30%; text-align:center;"| Succeeded by :<br />''']'''<br /> ] | |||
|- | |- | ||
| — || ] || ] || 1995–2001 || Born in Toronto, attended ] | |||
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"| ''']''' | |||
|- | |- | ||
| — || ] || Executive || 1976–1997<br>2008–2015 || Born in ], attended ] | |||
| style="width:30%; text-align:center;"| Preceded by:<br />''']'''<br /> ] | |||
| style="width:40%; text-align:center;"| ] | |||
| style="width:30%; text-align:center;"| Succeeded by :<br />''']'''<br /> ] | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 11 || ] || ] || 1981, 1983–1990 || | |||
| style="width:30%; text-align:center;"| Preceded by:<br />''']'''<br /> ] | |||
| style="width:40%; text-align:center;"| ] | |||
| style="width:30%; text-align:center;"| Succeeded by :<br />''']'''<br /> ] | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 29, 43 || ] || ]/] || 1991–1997 || | |||
| style="width:30%; text-align:center;"| Preceded by:<br />''']'''<br /> ] | |||
| style="width:40%; text-align:center;"| ] – ] | |||
| style="width:30%; text-align:center;"| Succeeded by :<br />''']'''<br /> ] | |||
|- | |- | ||
| — || ] || Broadcaster || 1977–2004 || | |||
{{S-end}} | |||
{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%; margin:auto;" | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 6, 21, 25 || ] || ] || 1993–2004 || | |||
! style="background:#ccf;"| ] Championship Navigation Boxes | |||
|- | |- | ||
| — || ] || Broadcaster || 2011–present || Elected mainly for his broadcasting career with ], Born in ] | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
| 20, 22, 40 || ] || ] || 1987–1992, 2000 || Born in ], raised in ] | |||
|- | |||
| 1 || ] || ] || 1983–1990, 1993<br>1998–1999, 2001 || | |||
|- | |||
| 35 || ] || ] || 2015 || Born in ], attended ] | |||
|- | |||
| 43 || ] || Manager || 1989–1997<br>2008–2010 || | |||
|- | |||
| — || ] || ] || 1978–1994 || | |||
|- | |||
| 32, 52 || ] || ] || 1998–2009 || | |||
|- | |||
| — || ] || Executive || 1976–1993 || Born in ], ] | |||
|- | |||
| 50 || ] || ] || 1985–1992 || | |||
|- | |||
| 41 || ] || ] || 1991–1999, 2004 || | |||
|- | |||
| 47 || ] || ] || 2005 || Born in ], attended ] | |||
|- | |||
| — || ] || Broadcaster || 1977–1989 || | |||
|- | |||
| 3 || ] || Manager || 1980–1981 || | |||
|- | |||
| 39 || ] || ]/] || 1977–1979 || Born in ] | |||
|- | |||
| 15 || ] || ] || 1980–1989 || | |||
|- | |||
| 9 || ] || ] || 1989–1996 || | |||
|- | |||
| 48 || ] || ] || 1996–2001 || Born in ] | |||
|- | |||
| — || ] || Scout || 1976–2002 || Born in ] | |||
|- | |||
| — || ]|| Scout || 1987–1993 || Born in ] | |||
|- | |||
| 24 || ] || ]/]/] || 2007–2008 || Born in ], grew up in ] | |||
|- | |||
| — || ]|| Executive || 1976–2014 || Born in Toronto | |||
|- | |||
| 37 || ] || ] || 1979–1992, 1998 || | |||
|- | |||
| 31 || ] || ] || 1986–1995 || | |||
|- | |||
| 12 || ] || ] || 1977–1978, 1980–1989 || | |||
|} | |||
===Retired numbers=== | |||
] | |||
{{See also|List of Major League Baseball retired numbers}} | |||
{{retired number list| | |||
{{retired number|image=BlueJays 32 retired.png|alt=32|name=]|pos=P|date=March 29, 2018}} | |||
{{retired number|image=BlueJays-Retired-42.png|alt=42|name=]|pos=All MLB|honored=April 15, 1997}} | |||
}} | |||
Soon after becoming the first person to be inducted in the Hall of Fame as a Blue Jay, on July 31, 2011, second baseman Roberto Alomar was the first person to have his number, #12, retired by the Blue Jays.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110719&content_id=21993596&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb |title=Roberto Alomar's uniform number to be retired by Blue Jays|publisher=MLB|access-date=November 19, 2011}}</ref> However, #12 was unretired due to controversies surrounding Alomar.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/ca/mlb/news/jordan-hicks-number-12-blue-jays-roberto-alomar-unretired/uwmzbqac8liwroyhy5tazvkp|title=Why is Jordan Hicks Wearing No. 12 for Blue Jays? How Roberto Alomar's Former Number was Unretired|last=Jarden|first=Sam|website=]|date=July 31, 2023|access-date=February 27, 2024}}</ref> ] became the first Blue Jay since 2011 to wear this number. | |||
On March 29, 2018, the Blue Jays retired #32 in honour of ], who died in an airplane crash on November 7, 2017, becoming the second number to be retired by the Blue Jays.<ref>{{cite news|title=Blue Jays to retire number 32 in honour of Roy Halladay|url=https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/blue-jays-to-retire-number-32-in-honour-of-roy-halladay/c-266307870|publisher=MLB Advanced Media|date=February 12, 2018|access-date=April 22, 2018}}</ref> | |||
{{Clear}} | |||
===Level of Excellence=== | |||
In 1996, the Blue Jays instituted a "Level of Excellence" on the 500 level of the ], honouring "tremendous individual achievement." | |||
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:120%; border:3px" | |||
|- style="text-align:center; background:#498bae;" | |||
|]<br />''']'''<br />SS, 3B: 1983–1990, 1993, 1998–1999, 2001 <br /> | |||
|]<br />''']'''<br />LF: 1981–1990<br /> | |||
|]<br />''']'''<br />1B: 1993–2004<br /> | |||
|- style="text-align:center; background:#498bae;" | |||
|]<br />''']'''<br />RF, 1B: 1991–1997<br /> | |||
|]<br />''']'''<br />P: 1979–1992, 1998<br /> | |||
|]<br />''']'''<br />Manager: 1989–1997, 2008–2010<br /> | |||
|- style="text-align:center; background:#498bae;" | |||
|]<br />''']'''<br />Broadcaster: 1977–2005<br /> | |||
|]<br />''']'''<br />VP: 1976–1989; President: 1989–1997, 2008–2015<br /> | |||
|]<br />''']'''<br />P: 1998–2009<br /> | |||
|- style="text-align:center; background:#498bae;" | |||
|]<br />''']'''<br />GM: 1978–1994<br /> | |||
|]<br />]<br />RF, 3B: 2008–2017<br /> | |||
|} | |||
Players' uniform numbers were listed—and in Tom Cheek's case, the number of consecutive games he called for the Blue Jays<ref name="Level of Excellence">{{cite web|title=Level of Excellence|url=http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/tor/history/level_of_excellence.jsp|publisher=Toronto Blue Jays|access-date=November 19, 2011|archive-date=November 5, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111105102726/http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/tor/history/level_of_excellence.jsp|url-status=dead}}</ref>—until the 2013 All-Star Break, even though, with the exception of ] and ] these numbers have not been retired. During the 2013 All-Star Break, the Level of Excellence was redesigned for the addition of Carlos Delgado's name. The redesign removed all uniform numbers from the Level of Excellence aside from Roberto Alomar's retired #12, Roy Halladay's retired #32 and Tom Cheek's 4306 consecutive called games streak.<ref name="McNeil retired numbers">{{cite web|last=McNeil|first=Shane|title=YOUR CALL: SHOULD THE BLUE JAYS RETIRE ANY MORE NUMBERS?|url=https://www.tsn.ca/mlb/story/?id=372126|work=TSN|access-date=November 19, 2011|date=July 20, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118083706/http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/story/?id=372126|archive-date=January 18, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> On April 30, 2021, the Blue Jays announced that they would remove Alomar from the Level of Excellence and take down his banner at Rogers Centre after he was banned from baseball for sexual harassment.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/BlueJays/photos/a.381692688771/10158463576833772 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/34558408771/10158463576833772 |archive-date=February 26, 2022 |url-access=limited|title=Facebook|website=www.facebook.com}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Davidi |first1=Shi |title=MLB, Blue Jays sever ties with Roberto Alomar after sexual misconduct investigation |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article/mlb-puts-roberto-alomar-ineligible-list-reviewing-sexual-misconduct-allegation/ |website=Sportsnet}}</ref> | |||
On March 5, 2023, the Blue Jays announced that ] would join the Level of Excellence on August 12, 2023, in a pre-game ceremony prior to their game that day versus the ].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Blue Jays to honour Jose Bautista on Level of Excellence |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/blue-jays-to-honour-jose-bautista-on-level-of-excellence/ |access-date=March 5, 2023 |website=Sportsnet.ca |language=en}}</ref> | |||
== Charity and partnerships == | |||
The Jays Care Foundation is the charitable arm of the Toronto Blue Jays baseball organization and conducts events to support local organizations and community members.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kitchener resident wins $3.8 million in 50/50 draw to support Toronto Blue Jays charity {{!}} Globalnews.ca |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/9172874/robert-kitchener-jays-care-50-50/ |access-date=December 8, 2022 |website=Global News |language=en-US}}</ref> They also provide baseball education and life skill workshops to the youth of communities across Canada.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jays Care Foundation |url=https://www.flaghouse.ca/Pages/Jays-Care-Foundation/ |access-date=December 8, 2022 |website=Flaghouse - Physical Education Equipment - Recreational Products |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=How Jays Care Foundation builds up Unstoppable Kids |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/jays-care-foundation-builds-unstoppable-kids/ |access-date=December 8, 2022 |website=www.sportsnet.ca}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=JAYS CARE FOUNDATION |url=https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/the-toronto-blue-jays-charitable-foundation/ |access-date=December 8, 2022 |website=CanadaHelps - Donate to any charity in Canada |language=en}}</ref> | |||
== Notes == | |||
{{Notelist}} | |||
==References== | |||
{{Reflist|30em}} | |||
:Some text copied via the GFDL from | |||
==External links== | |||
{{Commons category|Toronto Blue Jays}} | |||
* {{MLBTeam|Toronto|BlueJays|TOR}} | |||
{{S-start-collapsible|header={{S-ach}}}} | |||
{{s-bef|before = ]<br />]}} | |||
{{s-ttl|title = World Series champions|years = ]–]}} | |||
{{s-aft|after = ]<br />]}} | |||
{{s-bef|before = ]<br />]}} | |||
{{s-ttl|title = American League champions|years=]–]}} | |||
{{s-aft|after = ]<br />]}} | |||
{{S-end}} | |||
{{Toronto Blue Jays}} | |||
{{Navboxes|title=Articles related to Toronto Blue Jays | |||
|titlestyle={{Baseball primary style|Toronto Blue Jays|border=2}};|list1= | |||
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Latest revision as of 00:52, 17 December 2024
Major League Baseball franchise in Toronto, Ontario
Toronto Blue Jays | |||||
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2024 Toronto Blue Jays season | |||||
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Major league titles | |||||
World Series titles (2) | |||||
AL Pennants (2) | |||||
AL East Division titles (6) | |||||
Wild card berths (4) | |||||
Front office | |||||
Principal owner(s) | Rogers Communications | ||||
President | Mark Shapiro | ||||
General manager | Ross Atkins | ||||
Manager | John Schneider | ||||
Website | mlb.com/bluejays |
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games primarily at Rogers Centre in downtown Toronto.
The name "Blue Jays" originates from the bird of the same name, and blue is also the traditional colour of Toronto's collegiate and professional sports teams including the Maple Leafs (ice hockey) and the Argonauts (Canadian football). In 1976, out of the over 4,000 suggestions, 154 people selected the name "Blue Jays." In addition, the team was originally owned by the Labatt Brewing Company, makers of the popular beer Labatt Blue. Colloquially nicknamed the "Jays," the team's official colours are royal blue, navy blue, red, and white.
An expansion franchise, the club was founded in Toronto in 1977. Originally based at Exhibition Stadium, the team began playing its home games at SkyDome upon its opening in 1989. They are the second MLB franchise to be based outside the United States, and currently the only team based outside the U.S. after the first Canadian franchise, the Montreal Expos, became the Washington Nationals in 2005. Since 2000, the Blue Jays have been owned by Rogers Communications and in 2004, SkyDome was purchased by that company, which renamed it Rogers Centre. The Blue Jays and the Atlanta Braves are the only two MLB teams under corporate ownership; the Blue Jays are the only American League team to be under such ownership.
Due to border restrictions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Blue Jays played home games at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida for April and May of the 2021 season, and Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York for the 2020 season as well as June and July 2021, returning home to Toronto as of July 30 of that year.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Blue Jays went through struggles typical of an expansion team, frequently finishing last in their division. In 1983, they had their first winning season and two years later, became division champions. From 1985 to 1993, the Blue Jays were an AL East powerhouse, winning five division championships in nine seasons, including three consecutive from 1991 to 1993. During that run, the team also became back-to-back World Series champions in 1992 and 1993, led by a core group of award-winning All-Star players, including Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar, Joe Carter, John Olerud, and Devon White. The Blue Jays became the first (and, to date, only) team outside the U.S. to appear in and win a World Series and the fastest AL expansion team to do so, winning in its 16th year. As of 2019, they are one of only two MLB franchises that are undefeated through multiple World Series appearances, along with the National League's Miami Marlins. After 1993, the Blue Jays failed to qualify for the playoffs for 21 consecutive seasons until clinching a playoff berth and division championship in 2015. The team clinched a second consecutive playoff berth in 2016, after securing an AL wild card position. In both years, the Blue Jays beat the Texas Rangers in the AL Division Series, but lost the AL Championship Series. Most recently, they qualified for the playoffs as a wild card team in 2020, 2022, and 2023.
From 1977 to 2024, the Blue Jays' overall win-loss record is 3,761–3,788–3 (.498).
History
Main article: History of the Toronto Blue JaysThe Toronto Blue Jays came into existence in 1976, as one of two teams slated to join the American League for the following season, via the 1977 Major League Baseball expansion. Toronto had been mentioned as a potential major league city as early as the 1880s and been home to the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team of the International League, from 1896 to 1967. In January 1976, the San Francisco Giants nearly relocated to Toronto after owner Horace Stoneham agreed to sell the team to a Canadian consortium. The group, which included Labatt Breweries of Canada, The Globe and Mail's Howard Webster, and the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC), planned to rebrand the team as the Toronto Giants and play at Exhibition Stadium. However, a court ruling halted the move, and the Giants remained in San Francisco. Despite this setback, Toronto's ambition for an MLB team persisted, leading to their successful bid in the 1976 American League expansion, driven by a need to balance the league after Seattle was granted a team as a result of a lawsuit over their loss of the Pilots.
The new Toronto franchise, purchased for $7 million, was named the Toronto Blue Jays following a contest that attracted over 4,000 suggestions. The name reflected Toronto's tradition of using blue in team colors and was influenced by majority owner Labatt Breweries' flagship beer, Labatt Blue. The franchise's first employee, Paul Beeston, began as vice president of business operations, and before the inaugural 1977 season, Peter Bavasi and Pat Gillick were appointed as president and assistant general manager, respectively. The Blue Jays debuted on April 7, 1977, with a win against the Chicago White Sox amid a snowstorm, marking the beginning of a journey from early struggles to eventual success. Throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Blue Jays showed gradual improvement, highlighted by their first winning season in 1983. The team's fortunes rose significantly under manager Bobby Cox in 1985 when they won their first American League East title. The late 1980s and early 1990s, under manager Cito Gaston, were particularly successful, with the Blue Jays winning multiple division titles and back-to-back World Series championships in 1992 and 1993, making them the first team outside the US to achieve this feat. Key players during this golden era included Roberto Alomar, Joe Carter, and Dave Stieb.
After the mid-1990s strike and subsequent downturn, the Blue Jays faced challenges but also saw the rise of talents like Roy Halladay and Carlos Delgado. The late 1990s brought brief revitalization with the acquisition of Roger Clemens. In the early 2000s, general manager J.P. Ricciardi led a rebuilding phase, culminating in a competitive roster by the mid-2000s. The team's resurgence in the 2010s featured playoff appearances in 2015 and 2016, driven by stars like José Bautista and Josh Donaldson. The Blue Jays continue to build for future success, with young talents like Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, and Cavan Biggio leading the charge, though Biggio was later traded in 2024.
2024 season
Main article: 2024 Toronto Blue Jays seasonDuring the off-season, the Blue Jays re-signed Kiermaier and signed utility player Isiah Kiner-Falefa, designated hitter Justin Turner, and pitcher Yariel Rodríguez. The Blue Jays also traded Santiago Espinal for a pitching prospect.
During the regular season, the Blue Jays designated Cavan Biggio for assignment and traded him for a prospect afterwards. Before the 2024 trade deadline, the Blue Jays traded away Yimi Garcia, Nate Pearson, Danny Jansen, Justin Turner, Yusei Kikuchi, Trevor Richards, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and Kevin Kiermaier.
Popularity
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. Updates on reimplementing the Graph extension, which will be known as the Chart extension, can be found on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
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In 1977, after just 50 home games, the Blue Jays set an MLB record for a first-year expansion team, with an overall attendance of 1,219,551 during those games. By the end of the season, 1,701,152 fans had attended. After setting an attendance record in 1990, with 3,885,284 fans, in 1991, the Blue Jays became the first MLB team to attract over four million fans, with an attendance of 4,001,526, followed by 4,028,318 in 1992. Each of those records were broken in 1993 by the expansion Colorado Rockies, although the Blue Jays' 1993 attendance of 4,057,947 stood as an AL record for 12 years until it was broken by the 2005 New York Yankees.
Several Blue Jays became very popular in Toronto and throughout the major leagues, starting with Dave Stieb, whose seven All-Star selections is a franchise record. He is closely followed by Roy Halladay and José Bautista, who were selected six times each, and by Roberto Alomar and Joe Carter, who were selected five times each. Bautista set a major league record in 2011 (which only stood for a year), with 7,454,753 All-Star votes. In his first season with the Blue Jays in 2015, Josh Donaldson set a new major league record by receiving 14,090,188 All-Star votes.
The team is popular throughout Canada, as the only MLB team based in the country following the relocation of the Montreal Expos to Washington. The team has played a number of exhibition games at BC Place in Vancouver including three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers prior to both the 1984 and 1985 seasons (the Vancouver Canadians were the AAA farm team of the Brewers at the time), as well as single games against the Detroit Tigers and Brewers in 1993 and against the Montreal Expos and Seattle Mariners in 1994 in a series billed as the "Baseball Classic". The Jays also played the Cleveland Indians in an exhibition game at War Memorial Stadium in nearby Buffalo, New York in 1987. More recently, the club has hosted a pair of exhibition games at Olympic Stadium in Montreal prior to the start of the season against the New York Mets (2014), Cincinnati Reds (2015), Boston Red Sox (2016), Pittsburgh Pirates (2017), St. Louis Cardinals (2018), Milwaukee Brewers (2019). A series against the New York Yankees was scheduled for 2020, but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The club also has discussed playing more games at BC Place with the president of the Vancouver Canadians.
Culture
"OK Blue Jays"
Main article: OK Blue JaysDuring the seventh-inning stretch of home games, before singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," Blue Jay fans sing and clap to the pop song "OK Blue Jays" by Keith Hampshire and The Bat Boys, which was released in 1983. The song was remixed in 2003, and since then, the new, shortened version has been played at home games.
"Let's Go Blue Jays"
At home games, the "Let's Go Blue Jays" chant is played four times followed by Charge being played thrice.
Mascots
Main article: Toronto Blue Jays mascotsFrom 1979 to 1999, BJ Birdy served as the Blue Jays' sole mascot, played by Kevin Shanahan. In 2000, he was replaced by a duo named Ace and Diamond. After the 2003 season, Diamond was removed by the team, leaving Ace as the team's sole mascot. Since the 2010s, Ace has been accompanied by his younger brother, Junior. This usually happens on the Jr. Jay Saturday promotions until the end of the 2017 season. The promotions were moved to select Sundays since the 2018 season since the Blue Jays can no longer hold early Saturday afternoon games to accommodate American national broadcasts on Fox, though Fox did occasionally broadcast Blue Jays games at the Rogers Centre.
Sunday Salute
Since 2012, every Sunday home game, the Blue Jays pay tribute to a member of the Canadian Armed Forces. During the third inning, the team presents the honoured member with a personalized jersey.
National anthems
Since 2005, "The Star-Spangled Banner" has been sung before "O Canada" at every home game. In some home games (including Canada Day home games and playoffs), "O Canada" is sung in English and French. When "O Canada" was sung during the Home Opener, Canada Day, and playoff games, a giant Canadian flag was carried by members of the Canadian Armed Forces. Sportsnet only airs the national anthems during the home opener, Canada Day, and playoff games. On June 29, 2019, "O Canada" was sung in Cree and English. On September 30, 2021, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, "O Canada" was sung in English, French, and Anishinaabemowin. On the following National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, September 30, 2022, "O Canada" was sung in French, English, and Blackfoot. For Blue Jays road games, "O Canada" is sung before the "Star Spangled Banner" as all road games (since the Expos moved to Washington, DC) for the Blue Jays are in the United States.
Canada Day
The Blue Jays traditionally host an afternoon home game during Canada Day. During the game, the team wears red jerseys instead of blue jerseys. During the pre-game ceremony, a giant Canadian flag is carried by members of the Canadian Armed Forces while "O Canada" is sung in English and French by a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force Band. The game was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, the game was held in Buffalo, New York due to Canada–U.S. travel restrictions.
Jays Shop
The Blue Jays operate a store called the Jays Shop that sells primarily Blue Jays merchandise. This store has two locations at Rogers Centre, though, until January 2023, there was an additional location in the Toronto Eaton Centre shopping mall.
Uniforms
1977–1988: Pullovers and powder blue
The Blue Jays wore pullover uniforms during their first decade of existence. The front of the home white uniforms contained the team name in a unique blue/white/blue split-letter style, with the team logo centred below. The road uniforms were powder blue, with the city name in front and the team logo centred below. Initially, the city name was rendered in bold blue letters before gaining a white outline the following season. By 1979, it was replaced by the team name in a split-lettered white/blue/white style. Player numerals also used the split-letter style, except on the road uniform during its first two seasons. Player names in blue were added to both uniforms for the 1980 season but were dropped from the road uniform in 1981. The caps were blue with the Blue Jays logo on a white panel in front.
In 2008, the Blue Jays' powder blue road uniform from this era was restored as an alternate home uniform worn every Friday until 2010.
1989–1996: Championship blues
The Blue Jays adopted buttoned uniforms upon moving to Rogers Centre (then SkyDome) in 1989. Aside from the additions of buttons and belts, the only change affecting the home uniforms was the relocation of the team logo to the left chest. The road uniforms changed from powder blue to grey, while the city name and numerals in blue/white/blue split letters were emblazoned, and the logo moved to the left chest. Player names were also added to the road uniform. All-blue caps were worn with their road uniform while keeping the white-panelled blue caps at home. By 1993, the all-blue caps were worn universally, supplanting and eventually retiring the original cap design.
In 1994 the Blue Jays began wearing blue alternate uniforms with the team name and numerals in white/blue/white split letters.
1997–2003: Red, teal and blue
The Blue Jays updated their logo prior to the 1997 season with a new bird design and an enlarged red maple leaf at the back. The usage of red was greatly increased on the team's new uniforms. On the home uniforms, the letters and numerals were changed to blue/teal/blue split letters, while road uniform letters and numerals were changed to blue/red/blue split letters. On the alternate blue uniforms, split letters and numerals became red/blue/red. Red also appeared on the pant and sleeve stripes, while the new logo occupied the left sleeve. Player names also took on the new block split-letter style. An updated all-blue cap was paired with the home and road uniforms, while a red-brimmed blue cap (with a modified logo without a baseball) was used with the blue alternates.
In 1999 the Blue Jays unveiled an alternate sleeveless white uniform, featuring the same lettering style as the regular home uniform. However, the chest numerals were replaced with the primary logo. Blue undershirts were worn with this uniform.
Before the 2001 season, slight modifications were made to the uniforms, eliminating the tricolour stripes and adding a single colour piping along the chest and neck. While the home uniforms remained mostly intact, the road uniforms gained blue sleeves in a faux-vest design. On the alternate white uniform (now a faux vest instead of a straight sleeveless design), the new "T-bird" logo replaced the primary "jay leaf" logo, which moved to the left sleeve. In 2003, the "T-bird" logo became the primary, taking over the previous logo's placement on the caps and sleeves, while the alternate white uniforms brought back chest numerals. The "T-bird" logo depicts a blue jay flexing its biceps and is nicknamed "Muscle Jay."
2004–2011: The "Black-and-Graphite Jays"
Before the 2004 season, the Blue Jays adopted a new visual identity, going with a black, silver and graphite motif. The home and black alternates simply read "Jays" in front and in a 3D-oriented diagonal arrangement, with the bird connected to the letter "J." Letters and numerals were in graphite with light blue and silver trim. The road uniforms featured the city name in a similar letter style as the logo, with graphite letters and numerals trimmed in light blue and silver. In 2008, however, amid complaints of illegibility, the Blue Jays tweaked their road uniforms to include 3D-style block letters and numerals in light blue trimmed in black and white, along with chest numerals. The "J-bird" alternate was added to the left sleeve. A red maple leaf would be added on the right sleeve starting in 2009. The Blue Jays wore all-black caps with the "J-bird" logo for much of the uniforms' existence, save for the 2004 and 2005 seasons when they wore all-graphite caps at home, and in 2007 when an alternate all-black cap with the "T" from the previous road uniform was used.
Since 2012: Return to traditional look
Prior to the 2012 season, the Blue Jays unveiled new uniforms and a new logo. The logo is a modernized version of the original logo used from 1977 to 1996. The bird's head was also made sleeker than its 1977–1996 predecessor. The uniforms are similar to the ones used from 1989 to 1996, the team's most successful era. New serifed split letters were also released. In 2015, the Blue Jays began wearing a modernized version of the white-panelled blue caps they originally wore from 1977 to 1993 as an alternate.
Before the 2020 season, the Blue Jays unveiled a modernized version of the powder blue uniforms, featuring navy/white/navy serifed split letters and numerals. These uniforms are paired with a powder-brimmed navy cap and an all-navy helmet.
Canada Day uniforms
Since 1996, the Blue Jays wore predominantly red or red-accented uniforms every July 1, Canada Day. The uniforms were based on the team's alternate uniforms they wore at the time but with red as the primary colour. On a few occasions, the Blue Jays added red trim to an existing white uniform (or, in the case of the 2006 uniforms, their black alternates) and sometimes added the flag of Canada or a red maple leaf on the uniform.
City Connect uniform
In 2024, the Blue Jays unveiled a City Connect uniform inspired by Toronto's nightlife. The jersey is nicknamed "Night Mode" and is a "pitch blue" (dark blue) uniform that features an illustration of the Toronto skyline in royal blue, centred by the "Toronto" wordmark in red. The "pitch blue" colour is a reference to Lake Ontario's reflection at night. The traditional Blue Jays logo patch on the sleeve is recoloured to match the uniform. The cap is also "pitch blue" and features a red maple leaf at the centre of a stylized red and blue "T" in split letters.
Rivalries
Montreal Expos
Main article: Pearson CupThe Montreal Expos were the Blue Jays' geographic National League rival, being the other Canadian MLB team before it was relocated. From 1978 to 1986, the teams played an annual mid-season exhibition game known as the Pearson Cup, named after former Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson. The teams began facing each other in the regular season in 1997 with the advent of interleague play. During the 2003 and 2004 seasons, the Expos' last two seasons before relocating to Washington, D.C., as the Nationals, the Pearson Cup was awarded after a pair of three-game sets.
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are the Blue Jays' geographic and traditional rival, dating back to the 1980s, when the teams were AL East contenders. The Tigers moved to the AL Central in 1998, and the rivalry has died down as a result, with the teams facing each other only six to seven times per year since 2011. Depending on traffic and border delays, Detroit is about a four-hour drive from Toronto. According to The Detroit News, a July 2017 three-game series at Comerica Park against the Blue Jays drew a season-best-to-date total attendance of 115,088.
Seattle Mariners
Although the Seattle Mariners are not a divisional rival, many Blue Jays fans from Western Canada travel to Seattle when the Blue Jays play there as Seattle is geographically closer to Western Canada than Toronto is. Depending on traffic and border delays, Seattle is about a three-hour drive from Vancouver. The Seattle Times estimated that Blue Jays fans represented around 70 percent of the crowd in Safeco Field for a June 2017 weekend series.
Broadcasting
See also: List of Toronto Blue Jays broadcastersRadio
See also: Toronto Blue Jays Radio NetworkThe Blue Jays' former radio play-by-play announcer, Tom Cheek, called every Toronto Blue Jays game from the team's inaugural contest on April 7, 1977, until June 3, 2004, when he took two games off following the death of his father—a streak of 4,306 consecutive regular-season games and 41 postseason games. Cheek later died on October 9, 2005, and the team commemorated him during their 2006 season by wearing a circular patch on the left sleeve of their home and road game jerseys. The patch was adorned with the letters 'TC', Cheek's initials, as well as a stylized microphone. Cheek is also honoured with a place in the Blue Jays' "Level of Excellence" in the upper level of the Rogers Centre; the number 4,306 is depicted beside his name. In 2008, Cheek received the third most votes from fans to be nominated for the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcasting excellence. Cheek finally received the Frick Award posthumously in 2013 after nine years on the ballot.
Radio broadcasts of Blue Jays games originate from Sportsnet 590 CJCL in Toronto, which, like the Blue Jays, is owned by Rogers Communications. After Cheek's retirement in 2005, Jerry Howarth, who had been Cheek's broadcasting partner since 1982, took over as lead play-by-play announcer, with Mike Wilner as the secondary play-by-play announcer. During the 2007 to 2012 seasons, former Blue Jays catcher Alan Ashby was the colour commentator. Former Blue Jays pitcher Jack Morris served as the colour commentator during the 2013 season, after which he was replaced by former Montreal Expos catcher Joe Siddall since the 2014 season.
Former Blue Jays pitcher Dirk Hayhurst filled in for Morris for some games during the 2013 season.
Another former catcher for the Blue Jays, Gregg Zaun, has served as the occasional colour commentator from the 2011 season until the end of the 2017 season when he was terminated amid accusations of improper conduct from several female employees.
Following Howarth's retirement in the 2017 season, Ben Wagner was hired as the primary radio play-by-play announcer, splitting said duties with Dan Shulman and Mike Wilner.
In November 2020, Mike Wilner was laid off by the team. In February 2021, it was announced that "in an effort to minimize travel and closely adhere to team, league, and government protocols related to the pandemic", all radio broadcasts for the 2021 season will be a simulcast of the television broadcast. Wagner will assume an alternative role. However, once the Blue Jays returned to Rogers Centre in late July 2021, dedicated radio broadcasts resumed.
The Blue Jays have the largest geographical home market in all of baseball, encompassing all of Canada. Despite this, the number of radio stations that broadcast games is actually quite small. Only 18 radio stations across the country aired at least some Blue Jays games during the 2021 season, which is fewer affiliates than most MLB teams, which have more stations covering smaller geographic areas.
Television
All Blue Jays games are carried nationally on Sportsnet (which, like the Blue Jays, is owned by Rogers Communications). As of 2023, Dan Shulman serves as the lead play-by-play announcer, with Buck Martinez as the primary colour commentator; on select series, Toronto Raptors play-by-play announcer Matt Devlin calls the game in place of Shulman, and Joe Siddall works colour commentary in place of Martinez. Prior to that, Martinez had been the primary play-by-play announcer alongside colour commentator Pat Tabler, with Shulman only calling games sporadically since 2016. In previous years, the colour analyst role rotated between Pat Tabler, Rance Mulliniks, Darrin Fletcher, and from 2011 to 2017, Gregg Zaun. Sportsnet became the team's primary carrier soon after it launched in the late 1990s and became the team's exclusive broadcaster in 2010. As of August 2010, Sportsnet One also broadcasts Blue Jays games (often in case of scheduling conflicts with the main Sportsnet channels). Rogers was, however, criticized by fans and critics due to Sportsnet One only being carried by Rogers Cable systems on launch.
Sportsnet's broadcasts of the 2015 American League Division Series involving the Blue Jays were among the highest-rated telecasts in network history, with Game 4 drawing an audience of 4.38 million viewers.
In September 2012, AMI-tv simulcast three Blue Jays games with described video provided by CJCL correspondent Sam Cosentino, which included explanations of on-screen graphics. Paul Beeston praised AMI's involvement, stating that "to our knowledge, we are the first sports organization to have our games provided through this revolutionary approach to accommodating the needs of the blind and low-vision community."
On June 27, 2013, Rogers' over-the-air Toronto multicultural Omni Television station CJMT-DT simulcast a Blue Jays game, scheduled to be started by Taiwanese player Chien-Ming Wang, with commentary in Mandarin, marking the first ever Canadian MLB broadcast in the language. In June 2018, Omni announced that it would air Sunday afternoon games in Tagalog, the most spoken language of the Philippines, through the remainder of the season. Sportsnet and Omni announced a regular season of Sunday broadcasts in Tagalog for the 2019 season.
TVA Sports has aired games in French since 2011, with Denis Casavant and François Paquet on play-by-play and Rodger Brulotte on colour. The channel currently has rights to 81 Blue Jay games per season in a three-year deal signed in 2023. Jacques Doucet, former Montreal Expos radio announcer, broadcast the Blue Jays on TVA Sports from 2011 until his retirement in 2022.
The Sports Network (TSN), which (like the Jays) was owned by Labatt from 1984 to 1995, served as the primary cable television outlet for the Blue Jays prior to the launch of Sportsnet. TSN (and later, its sister channel TSN2) continued to carry approximately ten Jays games through the 2009 season until May 2010; most recently, Rod Black handled play-by-play while Tabler served as colour commentator on these telecasts. CBC has carried Blue Jays games intermittently throughout the team's history, most recently in 2007 and 2008; those broadcasts featured Jim Hughson as the play-by-play announcer, and former Blue Jays Rance Mulliniks and Jesse Barfield on colour commentary. Games also aired on CTV (except in Montreal) from the team's inception until the late 1990s. The Blue Jays have not appeared over-the-air in Canada in English since 2008.
In 2008, Rogers Communications, owner of the Jays, was granted a license by the Canadian Radio-Television Commission (CRTC) for a "Baseball TV" specialty channel. The channel would have been dedicated to coverage of baseball, combining content from the United States–based MLB Network with original Canadian content. However, the channel was never launched, and Rogers sponsored an application to allow distribution of the U.S. MLB Network on Canadian providers instead.
Due to the structure of Rogers' MLB broadcast contracts, Sportsnet is not permitted to use its domestic production for Blue Jays games if the team is in postseason play (as it is technically still considered a regional broadcaster) and instead carries the U.S. broadcast (such as Fox in 2015, and TBS in 2016). This is in contrast to the NBA's Toronto Raptors (via TSN and Sportsnet), as well as the NHL and MLS's Canadian-based teams (via Hockey Night in Canada on CBC and Sportsnet, and TSN respectively) who were allowed to produce their own broadcasts during postseason games. Buck Martinez has served as a colour commentator for post-season coverage ultimately simulcast by Sportsnet, however, having formerly worked Division Series games for TBS and on the MLB International broadcast of the 2016 World Series. In 2022, however, MLB allowed Sportsnet to carry its own production of Blue Jays postseason games as it is technically a national broadcaster.
Roster
Toronto Blue Jays 2025 spring training roster | ||||||
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40-man roster | Non-roster invitees | Coaches/Other | ||||
Pitchers
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Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders
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Pitchers
Catchers
Infielders
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Manager Coaches
40 active, 0 inactive, 5 non-roster invitees 7-, 10-, or 15-day injured list |
Minor league affiliations
Main article: List of Toronto Blue Jays minor league affiliatesThe Toronto Blue Jays farm system consists of six minor league affiliates.
Class | Team | League | Location | Ballpark | Affiliated |
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Triple-A | Buffalo Bisons | International League | Buffalo, New York | Sahlen Field | 2013 |
Double-A | New Hampshire Fisher Cats | Eastern League | Manchester, New Hampshire | Delta Dental Stadium | 2003 |
High-A | Vancouver Canadians | Northwest League | Vancouver, British Columbia | Nat Bailey Stadium | 2011 |
Single-A | Dunedin Blue Jays | Florida State League | Dunedin, Florida | TD Ballpark | 1987 |
Rookie | FCL Blue Jays | Florida Complex League | Englebert Complex | Dunedin, Florida | 2007 |
DSL Blue Jays | Dominican Summer League | Boca Chica, Santo Domingo | Baseball City Complex | 2009 |
Season by season record
Main article: List of Toronto Blue Jays seasonsAwards and other achievements
Award winners and league leaders
Main article: Toronto Blue Jays award winners and league leadersFranchise records
Main article: Toronto Blue Jays team recordsStatistic | Single season record | Career record | |||
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Player | Record | Season | Player | Record | |
Games played: | Tony Fernández | 163 | 1986 | Tony Fernández | 1,450 |
Plate appearances: | Vernon Wells | 735 | 2003 | Carlos Delgado | 6,018 |
At bats: | Tony Fernández | 687 | 1986 | Vernon Wells | 5,470 |
Batting average: | John Olerud | .363 | 1993 | Roberto Alomar | .307 |
On-base percentage: | John Olerud | .473 | 1993 | John Olerud | .395 |
Slugging percentage: | Carlos Delgado | .664 | 2000 | Carlos Delgado | .556 |
On-base plus slugging: | Carlos Delgado | 1.134 | 2000 | Carlos Delgado | .949 |
Runs scored: | Shawn Green | 134 | 1999 | Carlos Delgado | 889 |
Hits: | Vernon Wells | 215 | 2003 | Tony Fernández | 1,583 |
Total bases: | Carlos Delgado | 378 | 2000 | Carlos Delgado | 2,786 |
Doubles: | Carlos Delgado | 57 | 2000 | Carlos Delgado | 343 |
Triples: | Tony Fernández | 17 | 1990 | Tony Fernández | 72 |
Home runs: | José Bautista | 54 | 2010 | Carlos Delgado | 336 |
RBI | Carlos Delgado | 145 | 2003 | Carlos Delgado | 1,058 |
Walks: | José Bautista | 132 | 2011 | Carlos Delgado | 827 |
Stolen bases: | Dave Collins | 60 | 1984 | Lloyd Moseby | 255 |
Games played (pitcher): | Mark Eichhorn | 89 | 1987 | Jason Frasor | 505 |
Games started: | Jim Clancy | 40 | 1982 | Dave Stieb | 408 |
Wins: | Roy Halladay | 22 | 2003 | Dave Stieb | 175 |
Losses: | Jerry Garvin Phil Huffman |
18 | 1977 1979 |
Jim Clancy | 140 |
Winning percentage: | Dennis Lamp | 1.000 | 1985 | Roger Clemens | .759 |
Innings pitched: | Dave Stieb | 288.1 | 1982 | Dave Stieb | 2,873 |
ERA: | Mark Eichhorn | 1.72 | 1986 | Tom Henke | 2.48 |
Earned runs: | Erik Hanson | 129 | 1996 | Dave Stieb | 1,091 |
Strikeouts: | Roger Clemens | 292 | 1997 | Dave Stieb | 1,658 |
Complete Games: | Dave Stieb | 19 | 1982 | Dave Stieb | 102 |
Shutouts: | Dave Stieb | 5 | 1982 | Dave Stieb | 30 |
Saves: | Duane Ward | 45 | 1993 | Tom Henke | 217 |
No-hitters
Only one Blue Jays pitcher has thrown a no-hitter in franchise history. It was accomplished by Dave Stieb on September 2, 1990, after losing three no-hit bids with two outs in the ninth inning.
No perfect games, a special subcategory of no-hitter, has been thrown in Blue Jays history. The franchise came closest on August 4, 1989, when Stieb gave up a double to Yankees' batter Roberto Kelly with two outs in the ninth, who then scored by the next batter.
# | Date | Pitcher | Final score | Base- runners |
Opponent | Catcher | Plate umpire | Manager | Notes | Ref |
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1 | September 2, 1990 | Dave Stieb | 3–0 | 4 | Cleveland Indians | Pat Borders | Drew Coble | Cito Gaston |
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Triple Crown champions
Roger Clemens won the pitching Triple Crown in 1997 and 1998.
Baseball Hall of Famers
Eleven former Blue Jays, one former manager, and one former general manager have been elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Second baseman Roberto Alomar, elected to the Hall of Fame in 2011, is the first player to be inducted based primarily on service as a player for the Blue Jays.
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Bobby Doerr, a second baseman with the Boston Red Sox, served as a hitting coach with the Blue Jays early in their history, 1977–1981, and was the first person associated with the franchise to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, in 1986.
Early Wynn, the Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher (1972) and career 300-game winner, was a radio broadcaster for the Blue Jays with Tom Cheek during their first few years, 1977–1981.
Ford C. Frick Award recipients
Toronto Blue Jays Ford C. Frick Award recipients | |||||||||
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Affiliation according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum | |||||||||
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BBWAA Career Excellence Award recipients
Toronto Blue Jays BBWAA Career Excellence Award recipients | |||||||||
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Affiliation according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum | |||||||||
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Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
Main article: Canadian Baseball Hall of FameBlue Jays in the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame | ||||
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No. | Inductee | Position | Tenure | Notes |
12 | Roberto Alomar | 2B | 1991–1995 | |
— | Gord Ash | GM | 1995–2001 | Born in Toronto, attended York University |
— | Paul Beeston | Executive | 1976–1997 2008–2015 |
Born in Welland, Ontario, attended University of Western Ontario |
11 | George Bell | LF | 1981, 1983–1990 | |
29, 43 | Joe Carter | OF/1B | 1991–1997 | |
— | Tom Cheek | Broadcaster | 1977–2004 | |
6, 21, 25 | Carlos Delgado | 1B | 1993–2004 | |
— | Jacques Doucet | Broadcaster | 2011–present | Elected mainly for his broadcasting career with Montreal Expos, Born in Montreal |
20, 22, 40 | Rob Ducey | OF | 1987–1992, 2000 | Born in Toronto, raised in Cambridge |
1 | Tony Fernández | SS | 1983–1990, 1993 1998–1999, 2001 |
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35 | Jeff Francis | P | 2015 | Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, attended University of British Columbia |
43 | Cito Gaston | Manager | 1989–1997 2008–2010 |
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— | Pat Gillick | GM | 1978–1994 | |
32, 52 | Roy Halladay | P | 1998–2009 | |
— | Peter Hardy | Executive | 1976–1993 | Born in Toronto, Ontario |
50 | Tom Henke | P | 1985–1992 | |
41 | Pat Hentgen | P | 1991–1999, 2004 | |
47 | Corey Koskie | 3B | 2005 | Born in Anola, Manitoba, attended University of Manitoba |
— | Tony Kubek | Broadcaster | 1977–1989 | |
3 | Bobby Mattick | Manager | 1980–1981 | |
39 | Dave McKay | 2B/3B | 1977–1979 | Born in Vancouver, British Columbia |
15 | Lloyd Moseby | CF | 1980–1989 | |
9 | John Olerud | 1B | 1989–1996 | |
48 | Paul Quantrill | P | 1996–2001 | Born in London, Ontario |
— | Jim Ridley | Scout | 1976–2002 | Born in Toronto |
— | Gladwyn Scott | Scout | 1987–1993 | Born in Hamiota, Manitoba |
24 | Matt Stairs | OF/DH/1B | 2007–2008 | Born in St. John, New Brunswick, grew up in Fredericton, New Brunswick |
— | Howard Starkman | Executive | 1976–2014 | Born in Toronto |
37 | Dave Stieb | P | 1979–1992, 1998 | |
31 | Duane Ward | P | 1986–1995 | |
12 | Ernie Whitt | C | 1977–1978, 1980–1989 |
Retired numbers
See also: List of Major League Baseball retired numbers
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Soon after becoming the first person to be inducted in the Hall of Fame as a Blue Jay, on July 31, 2011, second baseman Roberto Alomar was the first person to have his number, #12, retired by the Blue Jays. However, #12 was unretired due to controversies surrounding Alomar. Jordan Hicks became the first Blue Jay since 2011 to wear this number.
On March 29, 2018, the Blue Jays retired #32 in honour of Roy Halladay, who died in an airplane crash on November 7, 2017, becoming the second number to be retired by the Blue Jays.
Level of Excellence
In 1996, the Blue Jays instituted a "Level of Excellence" on the 500 level of the Rogers Centre, honouring "tremendous individual achievement."
Tony Fernández SS, 3B: 1983–1990, 1993, 1998–1999, 2001 |
George Bell LF: 1981–1990 |
Carlos Delgado 1B: 1993–2004 |
Joe Carter RF, 1B: 1991–1997 |
Dave Stieb P: 1979–1992, 1998 |
Cito Gaston Manager: 1989–1997, 2008–2010 |
Tom Cheek Broadcaster: 1977–2005 |
Paul Beeston VP: 1976–1989; President: 1989–1997, 2008–2015 |
Roy Halladay P: 1998–2009 |
Pat Gillick GM: 1978–1994 |
José Bautista RF, 3B: 2008–2017 |
Players' uniform numbers were listed—and in Tom Cheek's case, the number of consecutive games he called for the Blue Jays—until the 2013 All-Star Break, even though, with the exception of Roberto Alomar and Roy Halladay these numbers have not been retired. During the 2013 All-Star Break, the Level of Excellence was redesigned for the addition of Carlos Delgado's name. The redesign removed all uniform numbers from the Level of Excellence aside from Roberto Alomar's retired #12, Roy Halladay's retired #32 and Tom Cheek's 4306 consecutive called games streak. On April 30, 2021, the Blue Jays announced that they would remove Alomar from the Level of Excellence and take down his banner at Rogers Centre after he was banned from baseball for sexual harassment.
On March 5, 2023, the Blue Jays announced that Jose Bautista would join the Level of Excellence on August 12, 2023, in a pre-game ceremony prior to their game that day versus the Chicago Cubs.
Charity and partnerships
The Jays Care Foundation is the charitable arm of the Toronto Blue Jays baseball organization and conducts events to support local organizations and community members. They also provide baseball education and life skill workshops to the youth of communities across Canada.
Notes
- Known as SkyDome from 1989 to 2005.
- As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto, the Blue Jays played their home games during the 2020 Major League Baseball season and 2021 season (from June 1 until July 21) at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York.
- As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto, the Blue Jays played their first 21 home games during the 2021 Major League Baseball season at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida before returning to Sahlen Field in June 2021.
- The Atlanta Braves are owned by Liberty Media.
- Unlike the Forbes valuations, Bloomberg includes contributions from regional sports networks and related businesses in the total value.
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Not just with all those Blue Jays fans flocking to downtown Detroit, thousands of them among a crowd for the finale of three-game series that drew a season-best 115,088 attendance.
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- Some text copied via the GFDL from BR Bullpen article on the 2009 Blue Jays
External links
Awards and achievements | ||
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Preceded byMinnesota Twins 1991 |
World Series champions 1992–1993 |
Succeeded byAtlanta Braves 1995 |
Preceded byMinnesota Twins 1991 |
American League champions 1992–1993 |
Succeeded byCleveland Indians 1995 |
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World Series championships (2) | |||||||||||||||
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