(Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
Toronto Blue Jays legend Jose Bautista has decided to officially call it quits at 42 years old.
Bautista hasn’t played in MLB since 2018, but he wasn’t officially retired.
That will happen this week, as he will sign a one-day contract with Toronto to officially retire as a Blue Jay.
He will participate in a ceremony in which he will be added to the Jays’ Level of Excellence.
This will be on Saturday.
Fans, of course, started sharing memories of Bautista.
Jose Bautista will sign 1-day contract to retire with Blue Jayshttps://t.co/mstIRrawom
I love this so, so much! Provided the greatest memories for the more recent era. The current iteration is trying, but the magic of 2014-2016 hit different!#NextLevel
— Parmveer (@reevmrap) August 11, 2023
There are plenty: the huge home run to guide the Jays to victory against the Texas Rangers in the 2015 American League Division Series (and the unforgettable bat flip), the brawl with Rougned Odor a year later, and many more.
Jose Bautista is sighing a one day contract so he can retire as a bluejay pic.twitter.com/GyKO9SEMNY
— focus_sportsszn (@EthanLopezwv) August 11, 2023
BautistaがTORの選手として引退。
2015年のALDSでのホームランとそれのせいでOdorにぶん殴られたことは忘れられない。 https://t.co/dwM5Qu8mi4 pic.twitter.com/a52DVeAXcQ
— えむおか (@BijotoYakyu) August 11, 2023
Most of them came in a Blue Jays uniform, but he actually played with several other franchises: the Baltimore Orioles, the Tampa Bay Rays, the Kansas City Royals, the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Atlanta Braves, the New York Mets, and the Philadelphia Phillies.
Despite a relatively mediocre start to his MLB tenure, Bautista had a phenomenal peak in which he went to six All-Star Games (2010–2015), three Silver Slugger Awards (2010, 2011, 2014), two Hank Aaron Awards (2010, 2011), and led MLB in home runs twice.
He retires with a .247/.361/.475 line, 344 home runs, and a solid .836 OPS.
All things considered, he showed by far his best version as a Blue Jay (2008-2017) and will live forever in fans’ hearts.
#JoseBautista #BatFlip mural located at #Spadina & #Oxley ahead of #JoeyBats‘ induction in the #BlueJays #LevelOfExcellence this Saturday 8/12/2023!#NextLevel #Bautista #MLB #TorontoSports #Alex6ixSports https://t.co/iqk7eoUWhC
— @Alex6ixSports (@alex6ixsports) August 11, 2023
He is, without a doubt, a true legend in Toronto after he led the team to consecutive AL Championship Series appearances in 2015 and 2016.
The post Fans React To Today’s Jose Bautista News appeared first on The Cold Wire.