fbpx
Wikipedia

Toronto Blue Jays

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.

Toronto Blue Jays
2023 Toronto Blue Jays season
Team logo
Major league affiliations
Current uniform
Retired numbers
Colours
  • Royal blue, navy blue, red, white[1][2]
           
Name
  • Toronto Blue Jays (1977–present)
Other nicknames
Ballpark
Major league titles
World Series titles (2)
AL Pennants (2)
AL East Division titles (6)
Wild card berths (3)
Front office
Principal owner(s)Rogers Communications[7]
PresidentMark Shapiro
General managerRoss Atkins
ManagerJohn Schneider

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."[8] 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.[1][2] 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. 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. 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. 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.

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 and 2022. 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.

From 1977 to 2022, the Blue Jays' overall win–loss record is 3,598–3,627 (.498).[9]

History

Expansion team

The Blue Jays were approved as part of the 1977 Major League Baseball expansion discussions, after Toronto's original plan of getting a Major League Baseball team by buying and moving the San Francisco Giants fell through; they would be added alongside the Seattle Mariners. The team was represented by legal counsel Herb Solway and Gord Kirke. Kirke prepared the original documents which led to the founding of the team in 1976.[10]

1977–1994: The Pat Gillick era

1977–1981

 
The Blue Jays' second game in its inaugural season. Unlike the first game played in a snow storm, this day was bright and sunny with the temperature well below freezing.

The Blue Jays played their first game on April 7, 1977, against the Chicago White Sox 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 Doug Ault's two home runs. That win would be one of only 54 of the 1977 season, as the Blue Jays finished last in the AL East, with a record of 54–107. After the season, assistant general manager Pat Gillick succeeded Peter Bavasi as general manager of the team, a position he would hold until 1994.[11]

In 1978, the team improved their record by five games, but remained last, with a record of 59–102. In 1979, after a 53–109 last place finish, shortstop Alfredo Griffin was named American League co-Rookie of the Year. In addition, the Blue Jays' first mascot, BJ Birdy, made its debut in 1979.

In 1980, Bobby Mattick became manager, succeeding Roy Hartsfield, the Blue Jays' original manager. In Mattick's first season as manager, although the team remained at the bottom, Toronto nearly reached the 70-win mark, finishing with a record of 67–95, a 14-win improvement on 1979. Jim Clancy led with 13 wins and John Mayberry became the first Jay to hit 30 home runs in a season.

In the strike-divided season of 1981, the Blue Jays finished last in the AL East in both halves of the season. They were a dismal 16–42 in the first half but improved dramatically in the second, finishing the 48-game second half at 21–27, for a combined record of 37–69.

1982–1984

Under new manager Bobby Cox, Toronto's first solid season came in 1982[12] as the Jays finished 78–84. Their pitching staff was led by starters Dave Stieb, Jim Clancy, and Luis Leal, and the outfield featured a young Lloyd Moseby and Jesse Barfield. 1982 was also the first year the Jays did not place last, finishing sixth in the East out of seven teams.

In 1983, the Blue Jays compiled their first winning record, 89–73, finishing in fourth place, nine games behind the eventual World Series champions, the Baltimore Orioles. First baseman Willie Upshaw became the first Blue Jay to get at least 100 RBIs in a season.

The Jays' progress continued in 1984, finishing with the same 89–73 record, but this time in a distant second place behind another World Series champion, the Detroit Tigers. After 1984, Alfredo Griffin went to the Oakland Athletics,[13] thus giving a permanent spot to young Dominican shortstop Tony Fernández, who would become a fan favourite for many years.[14]

1985: The "Drive of '85" and first AL East title

 
Dave Stieb has the second highest number of wins among pitchers in the 1980s.

In 1985, Toronto won its first championship of any sort: the first of its six American League East division titles. The Blue Jays featured strong pitching and a balanced offense. Tony Fernández excelled in his first full season, and veteran pitcher Doyle Alexander led the team with 17 wins, including a division-clinching complete-game win. Their mid-season call-up of relief pitcher Tom Henke also proved to be important. The team finished 99–62 (the franchise record for most wins), two games in front of the New York Yankees. The Jays faced the Kansas City Royals in the American League Championship Series (ALCS), and took a three-game-to-one lead. However, Kansas City won three consecutive games to win the series 4–3, on the way to their first World Series championship. The Blue Jays' successful season was dubbed the "Drive of '85".[15]

After the playoffs, Cox, the AL Manager of the Year, suddenly left the Blue Jays to become general manager of the Atlanta Braves, the team he had previously managed.

1986–1988

 
Left fielder George Bell was named the American League MVP in 1987.

With Jimy Williams taking over as manager, the Blue Jays could not duplicate their success in 1986, sliding to a fourth-place tie at 86–76. Jesse Barfield and George Bell led the way with 40 and 31 home runs, respectively, while Jim Clancy, Mark Eichhorn, and Jimmy Key tied for the team wins lead with 14 each.

In 1987, the Blue Jays held a 3+12-game lead with a week to go in the season, then lost their last seven in a row to finish two games behind the Detroit Tigers, getting swept on the last weekend by the Tigers. The Jays finished with a 96–66 record, second-best in the major leagues, but to no avail. However, George Bell (.308 batting average, 47 home runs, 134 RBI) was named the AL's Most Valuable Player (MVP), the first Blue Jay to earn that honor.

In 1988, however, Toronto could not duplicate the successes of the previous season. The team tied the Milwaukee Brewers for third in the division at 87–75, only two games behind the division champion Boston Red Sox. Still, the season had numerous highlights. First baseman Fred McGriff hit 34 home runs, and Dave Stieb had back-to-back starts in which he lost a no-hitter with two out and two strikes in the ninth inning.

1989–1991: Cito Gaston takes charge, two more AL East titles

 
Cito Gaston was named Blue Jays' manager during the 1989 season.

In 1989, the Blue Jays' new retractable roofed home, SkyDome, opened mid-season. It also marked the beginning of an extremely successful five-year period for the team. In May, management fired manager Jimy Williams and replaced him with Cito Gaston, 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 AL East title by two games, with an 89–73 record. Fred McGriff's 36 home runs led the AL. On May 28, George Bell's walk-off home run, off of Chicago White Sox closer Bobby Thigpen, marked the end of the Exhibition Stadium era. The first game at the new stadium took place on June 5 against the Milwaukee Brewers; the Jays lost 5–3. In the 1989 ALCS, Rickey Henderson led the World Series champion Oakland Athletics to a 4–1 series win.

In 1990, the Blue Jays again had a strong season, but finished second, two games behind the Boston Red Sox. Dave Stieb pitched his only no-hitter, beating the Cleveland Indians 3–0 in front of a less-than-capacity crowd at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. As of 2018, it remains the only no-hitter ever pitched by a Blue Jay. During the off-season, the Blue Jays made one of the two biggest trades in franchise history, sending All-Star shortstop Tony Fernández and first baseman Fred McGriff to the San Diego Padres in exchange for outfielder Joe Carter and second baseman Roberto Alomar. The Jays also obtained centre fielder Devon White from the California Angels. These deals, particularly the trade with San Diego, were instrumental in the team's future success.

Carter, Alomar and White would prove to be extremely effective additions, as the Blue Jays again won the division in 1991, as Carter drove in Alomar for the division-winning run. Once again, however, the team fell short in the postseason, losing to the Minnesota Twins, who were on the way to their second World Series victory in five seasons, in the ALCS. In 1991, the Blue Jays became the first Major League club ever to draw over four million fans in one season.

  • Team record 1989: 89 wins–73 losses, W%- 0.549
  • Team record 1990: 86 wins–76 losses, W%- 0.531, 2 games behind division leader
  • Team record 1991: 91 wins–71 losses, W%- 0.562

1992–1993: World Series champions

1992: Canada's first World Series title

After the 1991 season had ended, the Blue Jays acquired pitcher Jack Morris, 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 World Series MVP. To add veteran leadership to their explosive offence, Toronto signed Dave Winfield to be the team's designated hitter.

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 Milwaukee Brewers. They also went the entire season without being swept in any series, becoming the first team in 49 years to accomplish the feat.[16] The Blue Jays met the Oakland Athletics (who had the same record as the Jays and won the AL West by six games over the defending champion Twins) in the ALCS, 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 Roberto Alomar's huge game-tying two-run homer off A's closer Dennis Eckersley 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.

The Blue Jays then faced the Atlanta Braves in the World Series. 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 Ed Sprague hit a 9th-inning two-run home run off Braves closer Jeff Reardon 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 7+13-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,[17] but Otis Nixon singled in the tying run off the Blue Jays' closer Tom Henke. It was the first run the Toronto bullpen had given up in the series. The game was decided in the 11th inning, when Dave Winfield 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 Mike Timlin fielded Otis Nixon'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. Pat Borders, 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.

  • Team record 1992: 96 wins–66 losses, W%- 0.593
1993: Back-to-back champs
 
Fireworks at the SkyDome following the Blue Jays' victory in the 1993 World Series.

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 Paul Molitor from the Milwaukee Brewers and perennial playoff success Dave Stewart from the Oakland Athletics.

In 1993, the Blue Jays had seven All-Stars: outfielders Devon White and Joe Carter, infielders John Olerud and Roberto Alomar, designated hitter Molitor, plus starting pitcher Pat Hentgen, and closer Duane Ward. In August, the Jays acquired former nemesis Rickey Henderson from the Athletics. The Blue Jays cruised to a 95–67 record, seven games ahead of the New York Yankees, winning their third straight division title. The Jays beat the Chicago White Sox four games to two in the ALCS, and then the Philadelphia Phillies, four games to two, for their second straight World Series 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 walk-off home run to clinch the series off of Phillies closer Mitch Williams. Only the second World Series-winning walk-off home run in the history of Major League Baseball (following Bill Mazeroski's in Game 7 in 1960), 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 radio broadcaster Tom Cheek's call:

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!

— Tom Cheek

Molitor was named the World Series MVP after hitting .500 in the series. In the regular season, three Blue Jays—Olerud, Molitor and Alomar—finished 1–2–3 for the AL batting crown, led by Olerud's franchise record .363 average. It was the first time in 100 years that the top three hitters in the league were from the same team.[11][18]

  • Team record 1993: 95 wins–67 losses, W%- 0.586

1994 season

Expectations were high for the Blue Jays for the 1994 season, following back-to-back championships, but they slumped to a 55–60 record and a third-place finish (16 games back of the New York Yankees) before the players' strike. It was their first losing season since 1982. Joe Carter, Paul Molitor and John Olerud enjoyed good years at the plate, but the pitching fell off. Juan Guzmán 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, Alex Gonzalez, Carlos Delgado and Shawn Green, did show much promise for the future. At the time of the strike, their fellow Canadian cousins, the Montreal Expos, had the best record in the majors, leading some to consider the possibility of a Canadian three-peat in 1994.

On October 31, 1994, Gillick, the longtime Blue Jays general manager, resigned and handed the reins of the team to assistant general manager and Toronto native Gord Ash,[11] who would lead the team in its most tumultuous era yet.

  • Team record 1994: 55 wins–60 losses, W%- 0.478, 16 games behind division leader

1995–2001: The Gord Ash era

1995–2000

 
Blue Jays pitcher Pat Hentgen won the Cy Young Award in 1996.

In their 1995 season, the Blue Jays showed they had lost their contending swagger of the past 12 years. Although they had most of the World Series teams cast, the Jays dropped dramatically to a dismal 56–88 record, placing last in the AL East, 30 games behind the Boston Red Sox. That year, team owner Labatt Breweries was bought by Belgian-based brewer Interbrew, making the Blue Jays the second major league team owned by interests outside of North America, after their expansion cousins, the Seattle Mariners (then owned by Nintendo).

1996 was another mediocre year for the Jays, despite Pat Hentgen's Cy Young Award (20–10, 3.22 ERA). Ed Sprague had a career year, hitting 36 home runs and driving in 101 runs. And the team's 74 wins did put them in fourth place, improving over 1995's last-place finish.

The Blue Jays started their 1997 season with high hopes. Not only did they radically change their uniforms, the team signed former Boston Red Sox ace Roger Clemens to a $24.75 million contract. Clemens had one of the best pitching seasons ever, winning the pitcher's Triple Crown and leading the AL with a record of 21–7, a 2.05 ERA, and 292 strikeouts. This was not enough to lead the Jays to the postseason, however, as they finished last for the second time in three years with a record of 76–86. Cito Gaston, 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 Interleague play, when the Blue Jays faced their Canadian rival, the Montreal Expos, for the first official games between the two teams. Before the start of their 1998 season, the Jays acquired closer Randy Myers and slugger Jose Canseco. Gaston was replaced with former Blue Jay Tim Johnson, who was 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 New York Yankees, who posted one of the greatest records in all of baseball history at 114–48. The Jays were, however, in contention for the wildcard spot until the final week.

Before the 1999 season, the Blue Jays traded Clemens to the Yankees for starting pitcher David Wells, second baseman Homer Bush and relief pitcher Graeme Lloyd. They also fired manager Tim Johnson during spring training after he lied about several things (including killing people in the Vietnam War) 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 Jim Fregosi, who managed the Phillies when they lost to the Blue Jays in the 1993 World Series. The offence picked up somewhat in 1999, but the pitching suffered without Clemens, as the Blue Jays finished at 84–78, in third place. After the 1999 season, the Blue Jays' original mascot for 20 years, BJ Birdy, was replaced by a duo named Ace and Diamond.

On November 8, 1999, Toronto traded star outfielder Shawn Green to the Los Angeles Dodgers for left-handed relief pitcher Pedro Borbón and right-fielder Raúl Mondesí. 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).

The 2000 season proved similar, as the Blue Jays had an 83–79 record, well out of the wild card race but only a slim 4+12 games behind the three-time defending World Series champion Yankees in the AL East, the first time since 1993 they had contended for the division. Carlos Delgado 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.

2000–2001

 
Bob File pitching for the Blue Jays at Fenway Park during the 2001 season.

On September 1, 2000, Rogers Communications Inc. purchased 80% of the baseball club for $160 million,[19] with Interbrew (later InBev) maintaining a 20% interest and the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce relinquishing its 10% share. Rogers eventually acquired the 20% owned by Interbrew and now has full ownership of the team.

The 2001 season marked the 25th anniversary of the franchise's inception. Buck Martinez, former catcher and broadcast announcer for the Blue Jays, took over as manager before the season began with a home game in Puerto Rico. The team had a disappointing season, falling back under .500 and finishing 80–82, with mediocre pitching and hitting. Delgado led the team again with 39 home runs and 102 RBI. After the season ended, the Jays fired Gord Ash, ending a seven-year tenure as general manager.

J. P. Ricciardi, then director of player development under Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane, was named Blue Jays' General Manager; he was expected to slash payroll immediately, stemming the tide of red ink. During the off-season, the team traded or let go of several popular players, including Alex Gonzalez, Paul Quantrill, Brad Fullmer and closer Billy Koch to let talented youngsters such as Eric Hinske and Felipe López get a chance to develop into major leaguers.

2002–2009: The J. P. Ricciardi and Roy Halladay era

2002 season

The Blue Jays started the 2002 season with slow progress in performance. Buck Martinez was fired about a third of the way through the season, with a 20–33 record. He was replaced by third base coach Carlos Tosca, an experienced minor league manager. They went 58–51 under Tosca to finish the season 78–84. Roy Halladay 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 Carlos Delgado. Promising young players were assigned to key roles; starting third baseman Eric Hinske won the Rookie of the Year Award at the season's conclusion, and 23-year-old centre fielder Vernon Wells had his first 100 RBI season.

  • Team record 2002: 78 wins–84 losses, W%- 0.481, 25.5 games behind division leader, third in division

2003 season

The 2003 season 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 Cy Young Award, going 22–7, with a 3.25 ERA. In July, Shannon Stewart was traded to the Minnesota Twins for Bobby Kielty, another outfielder with a much lower batting average than Stewart's. Although the Jays finished in third place in their division, Delgado was second in the voting for the American League MVP Award. In the off-season, Kielty was traded to the Oakland Athletics for starter Ted Lilly.

  • Team record 2003: 86 wins–76 losses, W%- 0.531, 15 games behind division leader, third in division

2004 season

The 2004 season 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 Miguel Batista and reliever Justin Speier were relatively successful, veteran Pat Hentgen faltered throughout the season and retired on July 24. Rookies and minor league callups David Bush, Jason Frasor, Josh Towers 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 Carlos Tosca was fired on August 8, 2004, and was replaced by first base coach John Gibbons. Long-time first baseman Carlos Delgado became a free agent in the off-season. Nevertheless, prospects Russ Adams, Gabe Gross, and Alex Ríos provided excitement for the fans. Rookie pitchers David Bush, Gustavo Chacín and Jason Frasor also showed promise for the club's future. The Blue Jays' lone MLB All-Star Game representative was Lilly.

  • Team record 2004: 67 wins–94 losses, W%- 0.416, 33.5 games behind division leader, fifth in division

2005 season

 
After the 2004 season, FieldTurf replaced AstroTurf as the Rogers Centre's playing surface.

SkyDome was renamed Rogers Centre and was extensively renovated. The Blue Jays had a good start to the 2005 season. 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 Corey Koskie broke his finger, taking him out of the line-up, but the club was pleasantly surprised with the performance of rookie call-up Aaron Hill 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 Guillermo Quiróz, John-Ford Griffin, and Shaun Marcum. 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.

  • Team record 2005: 80 wins–82 losses, W%- 0.494, 15 games behind division leader, third in division

2006 season

In 2006, the team experienced its most successful season in years. On July 2, Troy Glaus, Vernon Wells, Roy Halladay, B. J. Ryan, and Alex Ríos were picked to represent the Blue Jays at the All-Star Game.[20] 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 Boston Red Sox, 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.

  • Team record 2006: 87 wins–75 losses, W%- 0.537, 10 games behind division leader, second in division

2007 season

 
Dustin McGowan pitching for the Blue Jays in the 2007 season.

The 2007 season 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 Tommy John surgery. Prior to the season, the team signed starting pitchers John Thomson, Tomo Ohka, and Víctor Zambrano; each of them was released before the end of the season. However, young starters Shaun Marcum and Dustin McGowan had break-out years, with 12 wins each. On June 24, McGowan pitched a complete game one-hitter. On June 28, Frank Thomas became the 21st major league player to hit 500 career home runs. Aaron Hill also had a break-out year, setting a team record for second baseman with 47 doubles.

  • Team record 2007: 83 wins–79 losses, W%- 0.512, 13 games behind division leader, third in division

2008 season

The Blue Jays' 2008 season 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 Jesse Litsch 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 John Gibbons and several members of his coaching staff, and re-hired Cito Gaston. 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.

  • Team record 2008: 86 wins–76 losses, W%- 0.531, 11 games behind division leader, fourth in division

2009 season

 
Blue Jays pitcher Roy Halladay during the 2009 season.

The 2009 season saw the addition of two new patches on the Blue Jays' uniforms: on the right arm, a bright red maple leaf (part of the Canadian flag), and on the left arm, a small black band with "TED" written on it, in reference to the late team owner Ted Rogers, who died in the off-season.

On Opening Day at the Rogers Centre, the Blue Jays, led by Roy Halladay, beat the Detroit Tigers 12–5. Aaron Hill and Roy Halladay both had excellent years and represented the Blue Jays at the 2009 All-Star Game in St. Louis. The Jays started the season well, posting a 27–14 record; however, immediately afterwards, the Jays fell into a nine-game losing streak and was never able to recover for the remainder of the season. In mid-August, GM J. P. Ricciardi allowed the Chicago White Sox to claim Alex Ríos off waivers. With two games remaining in what was a disappointing season, Ricciardi was fired on October 3. He was replaced by assistant general manager Alex Anthopoulos.[21]

Despite a 75-win season, the Jays saw the strong return of Aaron Hill, who won the American League Comeback Player of the Year Award and the Silver Slugger for second base. Adam Lind, who also had a strong season, earned the Silver Slugger for designated hitter.

  • Team record 2009: 75 wins–87 losses, W%- 0.463, 28 games behind division leader, fourth in division

2010–2015: The Alex Anthopoulos and José Bautista era

2010 season

 
Kyle Drabek with the Blue Jays during the 2010 season. Drabek was acquired by the Jays in a multi-player trade involving Roy Halladay.

In the off-season, the Jays' ace Roy Halladay was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for Kyle Drabek, Travis d'Arnaud, and Michael Taylor; Taylor was immediately traded to the Oakland Athletics for Brett Wallace. The team's significant free agent signings were that of catcher John Buck and shortstop Álex González.[22]

The 2010 season was a surprising 10-win improvement over the last season. It was a career year for José Bautista, who hit 54 home runs, breaking George Bell's franchise record of 47. In doing so, he became the 26th player to reach 50 home runs and the first since Alex Rodriguez and Prince Fielder 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 2000 Blue Jays. The Blue Jays tied the 1996 Baltimore Orioles for the third-most home runs by a team in a single season. Seven players (José Bautista, Vernon Wells, Aaron Hill, Adam Lind, Lyle Overbay, John Buck, and Edwin Encarnación) hit 20 home runs or more throughout the season, tying an MLB record previously set by four teams, including the 2000 Blue Jays.

On July 14, the Jays traded Álex González and two minor league prospects—left-handed pitcher Tim Collins and shortstop Tyler Pastornicky—to the Atlanta Braves for Jo-Jo Reyes and Yunel Escobar.

On August 7, catching prospect J. P. Arencibia made his major league debut. He went 4-for-5 with two home runs, including a home run hit on the first pitch he saw. The next day, starting pitcher Brandon Morrow came within one out of a no-hitter, 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

Led by new manager John Farrell, the 2011 Blue Jays finished with a .500 record. After signing a five-year $64 million contract extension, José Bautista followed up his record-setting 2010 season with an arguably better season. He finished with a Major League-leading 43 home runs, along with 103 RBI, 132 walks, and a .302 average. Rookie J. P. Arencibia also had a successful year, setting a Blue Jays single-season record with 23 home runs by a catcher. In August, third base prospect Brett Lawrie made his Major League debut and hit .293 with 9 home runs, 4 triples, and 25 RBI, in just 43 games.

Starting pitcher and ace Ricky Romero led the team with 15 wins and a 2.92 ERA. He also became an All-Star for the first time in his career. The other starting pitchers were inconsistent, and Farrell used 12 different starters over the course of the season.[23] Jon Rauch and Frank Francisco, both acquired in the off-season, shared the closer role.[24] They both struggled through the first half of the season, though Francisco improved in the last two months of the season, and had six saves in September.

On July 31, the Blue Jays retired their first number, Roberto Alomar's #12, one week after Alomar became the first Hall of Famer to be inducted as a Blue Jay.[25]

  • Team record 2011: 81 wins–81 losses, W%- 0.500, 16 games behind division leader, fourth in division

2012 season

 
Jose Bautista warming up prior to a game against the Los Angeles Angels during the 2012 season.

The 2012 season was an injury-plagued year for the Blue Jays, having used 31 total pitchers, which set a franchise record.[26] In June, three starting pitchers (Brandon Morrow, Kyle Drabek, and Drew Hutchison) were lost to injury in a span of four days, two of whom required Tommy John surgery;[26] in addition, starters Dustin McGowan and Jesse Litsch missed the entire season due to injury. In the second half of the season, some key players in Toronto's line-up, including All-Star José Bautista, missed a significant amount of playing time due to injury, sending the team into a freefall and culminating in a 73–89 record. Despite the underachievements of Ricky Romero and Adam Lind, Casey Janssen established himself as a reliable closer (22 SV, 2.52 ERA) and Edwin Encarnación developed into one of the league's best power hitters (.280 average, 42 home runs, 110 RBI).

On April 5, 2012, the team opened on the road in Cleveland, where they beat the Indians 7–4 in 16 full innings, during this game they set the record of the longest opening-day game in the Major League history. The previous record of 15 innings had been set by the Washington Senators and Philadelphia Athletics on April 13, 1926, and tied by the Detroit Tigers and the Indians on April 19, 1960.[27]

On April 20, the Jays turned a triple play against the Kansas City Royals in a 4–3 win. It was the first triple play they turned since September 21, 1979.[28]

  • Team record 2012: 73 wins–89 losses, W%- 0.451, 22 games behind division leader, fourth in division

2013 season

 
John Gibbons arguing with umpire Mike DiMuro. He returned as the Blue Jays manager prior to the start of the 2013 season.

During the off-season, the Toronto Blue Jays traded Farrell to the Boston Red Sox per his wishes, and former manager John Gibbons returned to manage the Blue Jays. The Jays also made a blockbuster trade with the Miami Marlins, leading to a series of other blockbuster trades and signings, including with the New York Mets for National League Cy Young winner R. A. Dickey and free agents including Melky Cabrera. On June 8, the Blue Jays played the then-longest game in franchise history by innings, winning 4–3 in 18 innings against the visiting Texas Rangers, which would be broken one season later.[29] The Jays matched their franchise record of 11 consecutive wins in a 13–5 home win over the Baltimore Orioles on June 23.[30] However, the Jays had a losing season overall.

  • Team record 2013: 74 wins–88 losses, W%- 0.457, 23 games behind division leader, fifth in division, 17.5 games behind AL wild card cutoff, eighth in AL wild card

2014 season

Pitcher Roy Halladay signed a one-day contract with the Blue Jays before retiring from baseball, citing injuries. The Jays had a nine-game win streak from May 20 to 28, as well as wins in 18 of 21 between May 15 and June 6. On August 10, the Blue Jays played the longest game in franchise history by both time and innings, winning 6–5 in 19 innings and playing 6 hours, 37 minutes against the visiting Detroit Tigers.[31]

  • Team record 2014: 83 wins–79 losses, W%- .512, 13 games behind division leader, third in division, 5 games behind AL wild card cutoff, sixth in AL wild card

2015: Return to the playoffs, AL East champions

During the off-season, the Jays signed Toronto-born catcher Russell Martin[32] through free agency. The Jays acquired Marco Estrada,[33] Devon Travis,[34] All-Star third baseman Josh Donaldson,[35] and Michael Saunders[36] in trades. The Jays claimed Justin Smoak,[37] Andy Dirks,[38] and Chris Colabello off waivers.[39] However, Dirks, along with John Mayberry Jr., were eventually non–tendered; the Jays later signed Dirks to a minor league contract.[40] Melky Cabrera[41] and Brandon Morrow[42] left through free agency and Juan Francisco was claimed off waivers by the Boston Red Sox.[43]

 
The Blue Jays celebrate after clinching the American League East in 2015; they went as far as the ALCS, only to lose against the eventual World Series-winning Kansas City Royals.

The Jays later traded José Reyes and pitching prospects Miguel Castro, Jeff Hoffman, and Jesus Tinoco to the Colorado Rockies for All-Star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and reliever LaTroy Hawkins. Two days later, they acquired All-Star pitcher David Price from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for pitching prospects Daniel Norris, Matt Boyd, and Jairo Labourt.

The Jays had two 11-game winning streaks during this season. On September 25, the Blue Jays clinched a playoff berth, ending the longest active playoff drought in North American professional sports (see List of Major League Baseball franchise postseason droughts).[44] They subsequently claimed the AL East division title on September 30, after defeating the Baltimore Orioles 15–2 in the first game of a doubleheader.[45]

The Blue Jays faced the Texas Rangers in the ALDS. After losing back-to-back home games, they won the next three games in a row to take the five-game series, advancing to the ALCS; a three-game comeback series victory had not been accomplished since 2012 by the San Francisco Giants.[46] During game five of the series in Toronto, Blue Jays' right fielder José Bautista executed what Andrew Keh of The New York Times described as possibly "the most ostentatious bat flip in MLB history" after hitting a go-ahead, three-run home run off Rangers relief pitcher Sam Dyson.[47] Bautista wrote an article about the bat flip published in November 2015 in The Players' Tribune.[48]

The Blue Jays then faced the Kansas City Royals in the ALCS, losing the series 4–2 in Kansas City; the Royals would eventually win the World Series.[49]

After the playoffs, Donaldson was named AL MVP, becoming the first Blue Jay to win the award since George Bell in 1987.

  • Team record 2015: 93 wins–69 losses, W%- .574

2016–present: The Ross Atkins era

2016: Wild Card winners

Upon the expiration of Paul Beeston's contract, Mark Shapiro replaced him as president of the Blue Jays. Alex Anthopoulos resigned two months after the hiring of Shapiro. Ross Atkins subsequently took his place.

During the off-season, David Price left the Blue Jays through free agency, signing with the Boston Red Sox, while the Blue Jays signed J. A. Happ. On March 4, 2016, infielder Maicer Izturis announced his retirement from baseball. A few weeks later, Brad Penny and Rafael Soriano, both veterans under minor league contract with the Blue Jays, retired from baseball as well.

 
Josh Donaldson slides into second base during the first game of the 2016 ALDS.

On May 15, 2016, the Blue Jays and the Texas Rangers brawled against each other in Arlington, Texas. The brawl happened when Matt Bush threw a pitch at Jose Bautista, then Bautista made an illegal slide, and Rougned Odor punched Bautista. Bautista was later suspended for one game.

On May 31, 2016, the Blue Jays traded for Jason Grilli from the Atlanta Braves. Before the non-waiver trade deadline at 4 pm EDT on August 1, 2016, the Blue Jays traded for Joaquín Benoit, Melvin Upton Jr., Scott Feldman, and Francisco Liriano. On August 25, 2016, the Blue Jays re-acquired popular backup catcher Dioner Navarro in a trade with the Chicago White Sox. This was done before the August 31 trade deadline making Navarro eligible to be on the postseason roster.

On October 2, 2016, the Blue Jays clinched their first Wild Card berth with a Detroit Tigers loss to the Atlanta Braves. On October 4, 2016, the Blue Jays defeated the Baltimore Orioles in the American League Wild Card Game in extra innings, via a walk-off three-run home run by Edwin Encarnación in the bottom of the 11th inning. On October 9, 2016, the Blue Jays completed a sweep of the Texas Rangers in the American League Division Series to advance to the American League Championship Series for the second consecutive year. On October 19, 2016, the Blue Jays were eliminated from World Series contention with a 3–0 loss to the Cleveland Indians in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series.

  • Team record 2016: 89 wins–73 losses, W%- .549

2017 season

On November 11, 2016, it was announced that Toronto had signed designated hitter Kendrys Morales to a three-year, $33 million deal.[50] The contract became official on November 18.[51]

 
Roberto Osuna during the 2017 season

On December 5, 2016, Steve Pearce signed a two-year, $12.5 million contract with Toronto.[52] On January 5, 2017, Edwin Encarnación signed a three-year, $60 million contract with the Cleveland Indians.[53] On January 18, 2017, Bautista signed a one-year, $18 million contract with the Blue Jays. The contract includes a $17 million mutual option for the 2018 season, as well as a $20 million vesting option for 2019.[54] The following day, Michael Saunders signed with the Philadelphia Phillies. However, in late June, the Phillies released Saunders and the Jays signed him to a minor league contract.[55]

On April 2, one day before the start of the regular season, Melvin Upton Jr. was released.[56] By the end of April, the Jays had the worst record in all of MLB.[57]

On July 2, the Jays traded Grilli to the Texas Rangers for Eduard Pinto.[58] Pearce hit two walk-off grand slams in a span of three days: one against the Oakland Athletics on July 27 and another against the Los Angeles Angels on July 30, the latter of which is an ultimate grand slam.

The Blue Jays wore special red-and-white uniforms at select games during the 2017 season to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Canada.[59]

  • Team record 2017: 76 wins–86 losses, W%- .469, 17 games behind division leader, fourth in division, 9 games behind AL wild card cutoff, eighth in AL wild card

2018 season

The Blue Jays declined their mutual option on José Bautista, allowing him to enter free agency. He then signed with the Atlanta Braves, later the New York Mets, and eventually with the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Blue Jays traded two prospects to the San Diego Padres for Yangervis Solarte. The Blue Jays also acquired Curtis Granderson and Seung-hwan Oh as free agents.

On June 22, Roberto Osuna was suspended for 75 games after being accused of sexual assault on May 8 and applied retroactively from the date of the incident.

In July, the Blue Jays traded Pearce to the Boston Red Sox for a prospect, Santiago Espinal. They also dealt three pitchers: J. A. Happ to the New York Yankees, Seung-hwan Oh to the Colorado Rockies, and Roberto Osuna to the Houston Astros.

In August, the Blue Jays traded Josh Donaldson to the Cleveland Indians for a player to be named later, later revealed to be a pitching prospect, Julian Merryweather. The Blue Jays also traded Curtis Granderson to the Milwaukee Brewers for a prospect.

On September 26, it was confirmed by the Blue Jays that manager John Gibbons would not return for the 2019 season.[60]

  • Team record 2018: 73 wins–89 losses, W%- .451, 35 games behind division leader, fourth in division, 24 games behind AL wild card cutoff, seventh in AL wild card

2019 season

 
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. during the 2019 season

On October 25, 2018, the Blue Jays announced that Charlie Montoyo had been hired as their new manager.[61]

Early in the season, the Blue Jays traded Kendrys Morales to the Oakland Athletics and Kevin Pillar to the San Francisco Giants.

During the season, the Blue Jays called up Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Cavan Biggio, and Bo Bichette for the first time. The three are second-generation Major League Baseball players with the first two also being sons of Hall of Famers Vladimir Guerrero Sr. and Craig Biggio, respectively; Bo Bichette is the son of Dante Bichette.

Nearing the trade deadline, the Blue Jays traded Marcus Stroman to the New York Mets and Aaron Sanchez to the Houston Astros.

  • Team record 2019: 67 wins–95 losses, W%- .414, 36 games behind division leader, fourth in division, 29 games behind AL wild card cutoff, ninth in AL wild card

2020 season: Temporarily in Buffalo

 
A Blue Jays home game at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York in July 2021

Over the 2019–20 off-season, the Blue Jays signed free agents Tanner Roark[62] and Hyun-jin Ryu.[63] The Blue Jays also signed Shun Yamaguchi from the Yomiuri Giants, the first player the Blue Jays successfully signed via the posting system.[64]

On January 18, 2020, the Toronto Blue Jays unveiled a new blue alternate uniform.[65]

On July 24, 2020, it was announced that the Toronto Blue Jays would play a majority of their home games in Buffalo, New York, at their Triple-A affiliate Buffalo Bisons ballpark, Sahlen Field, as the Canadian government disallowed the Blue Jays and their opponents from playing in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic.[66]

The Blue Jays reached the Wild Card series of the postseason, only to be swept by the Tampa Bay Rays in two games. The Blue Jays scored only three runs total in the two games.

  • Team record 2020: 32 wins–28 losses, W%- .533

2021 season: Temporarily in Dunedin and Buffalo

On successive days in January 2021, the Blue Jays signed relief pitchers Kirby Yates[67] and Tyler Chatwood,[68] and outfielder George Springer.[69] The Blue Jays also signed infielder Marcus Semien.[70] However, Yates was out for the entire season to recover from Tommy John surgery.

The Toronto Blue Jays played their home games in TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida until June 1 when they moved back to Sahlen Field in Buffalo.[71] On July 16, the Blue Jays announced that they would finally return to Rogers Centre in Toronto on July 30 after the Canadian government allowed the Blue Jays and their opponents to play in Canada.[72]

Alek Manoah was called up to the majors for the first time this season.

Despite having 91 wins in 2021, the Toronto Blue Jays were fourth in the American League East and one game back of the Wild Card cutoff, preventing them from reaching the postseason.

  • Team record 2021: 91 wins–71 losses, W%- .562, 9 games behind division leader, fourth in division, 1 game behind AL wild card cutoff, third in AL wild card.

2022 season

During the off-season, the Blue Jays signed Kevin Gausman, Yimi Garcia, and Yusei Kikuchi as Robbie Ray, Marcus Semien, and Kirby Yates left for free agency. The off-season is mainly affected by a lockout that lasted from December 2021 to March 2022. After the lockout, the Blue Jays traded for Matt Chapman from the Oakland Athletics, as well as traded Randal Grichuk for Raimel Tapia. On July 13, the team released Charlie Montoyo as the manager for the team. With his four seasons with Toronto (2019–2022), he had a win-loss record of 236–235 (.501), and made it to the playoffs once (2020 ALWC). The new interim manager is bench coach John Schneider. At the trade deadline, the Blue Jays traded for Whit Merrifield from the Kansas City Royals. After the trade deadline, the Blue Jays claimed Jackie Bradley Jr. from waivers.

The Blue Jays clinched home advantage for the American League Wild Card Series and hosted the Seattle Mariners. However, the Mariners swept the Blue Jays in two games, overcoming an 8-1 deficit in game 2.

  • Team record 2022: 92 wins–70 losses, W%- .568

2023 season

During the off-season, the Blue Jays traded Teoscar Hernández to the Seattle Mariners for Erik Swanson and Adam Macko. The Blue Jays hired Don Mattingly as the new bench coach. The Blue Jays later signed Chris Bassitt and Kevin Kiermaier and traded Gabriel Moreno and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Daulton Varsho.

Popularity

Valuation of the Blue Jays 1991–present (in US dollars)
  Financial World[73]    Forbes[74][75]    Bloomberg News[76][d]

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.[77] 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.[11] 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.[78]

Several Blue Jays became very popular in Toronto and across 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 just one year), with 7,454,753 All-Star votes.[79] 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.[80]

Culture

 
Ace and Junior exchange greetings before the game. Ace was the Blue Jays' second mascot, introduced in 2000. Junior is a mascot occasionally seen for Junior Jays day promotions.

"OK Blue Jays"

During the seventh-inning stretch of home games, before singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game", Blue Jay fans sing and clap to "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 is played at home games.

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 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 a personalized jersey.[81]

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. On June 29, 2019, "O Canada" was sung in Cree and English.[82] On September 30, 2021, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, "O Canada" was sung in English, French, and Anishinaabemowin. On 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 a 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. 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

 
Exterior entrance to the Jays Shop at Rogers Centre

The Blue Jays operate a store that sells primarily Blue Jays merchandise called the Jays Shop. This store has three locations: two at Rogers Centre and one in the Toronto Eaton Centre.

Uniforms

1977–1988

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 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. Caps were blue with the Blue Jays logo on a white panel in front.[83]

1989–1996

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 was 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-paneled blue caps at home. By 1993, the all-blue caps were worn universally, supplanting and eventually retiring the original cap design.[83]

In 1994 the Blue Jays began wearing blue alternate uniforms with the team name and numerals in white/blue/white split letters.[83]

1997–2003

The Blue Jays updated their logo prior to the 1997 season, with a new bird design and 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.[84]

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.[84]

Before the 2001 season slight modifications were made with 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 sleeve, while the alternate white uniforms brought back chest numerals.[84]

2004–2011

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.[85][86]

2012–present

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. While the original logo contained a baseball behind the Blue Jay head, the new logo removed the baseball altogether. 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.[87][88] In 2015, the Blue Jays began wearing a modernized version of the white-paneled blue caps they originally wore from 1977 to 1993 as an alternate.[89]

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.[90]

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 add the flag of Canada or a red maple leaf on the uniform.[91]

Rivalries

Montreal Expos

The 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.[92] 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.[93]

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.[94]

Broadcasting

 
Canadian regions subject to MLB blackout
  Toronto Blue Jays exclusively
  Shared with Seattle Mariners
  Shared with Minnesota Twins
  Shared with Boston Red Sox
Note: Toronto Blue Jays territory covers all of Canada

Radio

The 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 by 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.[95]

Radio broadcasts of Blue Jays games are originated 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.[96]

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.[97] 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.[98][99] 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,[100] 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), with Buck Martinez as the play-by-play announcer,[101] and Pat Tabler as the primary colour analyst. On select games, play-by-play is handled by Dan Shulman, with Martinez and Tabler on commentary.[102] Toronto Raptors play-by-play announcer Matt Devlin has also filled in for Martinez in a select number of games. 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.[103] 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.[104]

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.[105]

 
Jamie Campbell and Gregg Zaun providing Sportsnet coverage of a Toronto Blue Jays game in 2011

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."[106]

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.[107][108] 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.[109][110] Sportsnet and Omni announced a regular season of Sunday broadcasts in Tagalog for the 2019 season.[111]

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.[112] Jacques Doucet, former Montreal Expos radio announcer, broadcast the Blue Jays on TVA Sports from 2011 until his retirement in 2022.[113][114]

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.[115] 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.[116] The channel would have been dedicated to coverage of baseball, combining content from the United States-based MLB Network with original Canadian content.[117] However, the channel was never launched, and Rogers sponsored an application to allow distribution of the U.S. MLB Network on Canadian providers instead.[118][119]

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.[120] In 2022, however, MLB allowed Sportsnet to carry its own production of Blue Jays postseason games.[121]

Roster

40-man roster Non-roster invitees Coaches/Other

Pitchers

Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders


Pitchers

Catchers

  • 75 Stevie Berman
  • 55 Rob Brantly
  • 74 Zach Britton
  • 71 Phil Clarke
  • 72 Andres Sosa


Outfielders


Manager

Coaches



40 active, 0 inactive, 24 non-roster invitees

  7-, 10-, or 15-day injured list
* Not on active roster
Suspended list
Roster, coaches, and NRIs updated February 18, 2023
Transactions • Depth chart
All MLB rosters

Minor league affiliations

The Toronto Blue Jays farm system consists of seven minor league affiliates.[122]

Season by season record

Awards and other achievements

Award winners and league leaders

Franchise records

Statistic Single season record Career record
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
[123][124]

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.[125]

No perfect games, a special subcategory of no-hitter, have 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 and he scored by the next batter.[126]

# Date Pitcher Final score Base-
runners
Opponent Catcher Plate umpire Manager Notes Ref
1 September 2, 1990 Dave Stieb 3–0 4 Cleveland Indians Pat Borders Drew Coble Cito Gaston
  • First and only no-hitter in franchise history
  • First and only no-hitter on the road
  • First and only right-handed pitcher to throw a no-hitter in franchise history
[127]

Triple Crown champions

Roger Clemens won the pitching Triple Crown in 1997 and 1998.[128]

Baseball Hall of Famers

Ten 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.

Toronto Blue Jays Hall of Famers
Affiliation according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
  • Players and managers listed in bold are depicted on their Hall of Fame plaques wearing a Blue Jays cap insignia.
  •  – 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.[129]
  • – Roy Halladay's plaque does not depict him with a cap insignia;[130] however, the Hall of Fame recognizes the Blue Jays as his primary team.[131]

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
Affiliation according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
  • Names in bold received the award based primarily on their work as broadcasters for the Blue Jays.

BBWAA Career Excellence Award recipients

Toronto Blue Jays BBWAA Career Excellence Award recipients
Affiliation according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
Names in bold received the award based primarily on their work covering the Blue Jays.

Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame

Blue Jays in the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
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
35 Jeff Francis P 2015 Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, attended University of British Columbia
43 Cito Gaston Manager 1989–1997
2008–2010
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

 
Jackie Robinson's number was retired by every team in MLB on April 15, 1997.
 
Roberto
Alomar

2B
Retired
July 31, 2011
 
Roy
Halladay

P
Retired
March 29, 2018
 
Jackie
Robinson

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.[132]

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.[133]

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
 
Roberto Alomar*
2B: 1991–1995
 
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

*Roberto Alomar was inducted into the Level of Excellence in 2008, but was removed in 2021 after he was banned from baseball.

Players' uniform numbers were listed—and in Tom Cheek's case, the number of consecutive games he called for the Blue Jays[134]—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 games called streak.[135] 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.[136][137]

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.[138]

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.[139] They also provide baseball education and life skill workshops to the youth of communities across Canada.[140][141][142]

Notes

  1. ^ Known as SkyDome from 1989 to 2005.
  2. ^ 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 until July 30) at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York.[6]
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ Unlike the Forbes valuations, Bloomberg includes contributions from regional sports networks and related businesses in the total value.[76]

References

  1. ^ a b "The "Blue" is back in Blue Jays". BlueJays.com (Press release). MLB Advanced Media. November 18, 2011. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "History of the Logo". BlueJays.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  3. ^ Calcaterra, Craig (July 24, 2020). "The Buffalo Blue Jays are officially happening". NBC Sports. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  4. ^ "Buffalo Blue Jays? MLB might play in WNY after Canada bars team from Toronto". Syracuse.com. July 19, 2020. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  5. ^ Machlin, Tvzi (July 24, 2020). "Toronto Blue Jays Officially Decide On New Home For 2020 Season". The Spun. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  6. ^ Matheson, Keegan (July 24, 2020). "Blue Jays to play home games in Buffalo". BlueJays.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  7. ^ "Front Office Directory". BlueJays.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  8. ^ Matheson, Keegan (December 21, 2020). "Here's how the Blue Jays got their name". BlueJays.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved July 18, 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ^ "Toronto Blue Jays Team History & Encyclopedia". Baseball Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
  10. ^ Livesey, Bruce (January 25, 2006). "The champs' champion". Canadian Lawyer Magazine. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
  11. ^ a b c d Blue Jays Timeline November 29, 2014, at the Wayback Machine BlueJays.com. Accessed on December 7, 2011.
  12. ^ Ken Carson and Larry Millson (2016). From Hockey to Baseball: I kept them in stitches. FriesenPress. p. 100. ISBN 9781460280126.
  13. ^ ROSS NEWHAN (October 18, 1988). "THE WORLD SERIES : OAKLAND ATHLETICS vs. LOS ANGELES DODGERS : Griffin Covers Gap at Shortstop for Dodgers". Los Angeles Times.
  14. ^ Joanne Gerstner (2015). Toronto Blue Jays. ABDO. p. 18. ISBN 9781629688411.
  15. ^ Braun, Wayne; Brehl, Jack (1985). The Drive of '85: A Salute to the Blue Jays by the Toronto Star. Doubleday Canada. ISBN 978-0-385-25037-5.
  16. ^ 1943 St. Louis Cardinals Baseball-Reference.com. Accessed on June 13, 2014.
  17. ^ "October 24, 1992 World Series Game 6 at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium Play by Play and Box Score". Baseball-Reference.com. October 24, 1992. Retrieved February 19, 2011.
  18. ^ 1893 National League Batting Leaders Baseball-Reference.com. Accessed on May 29, 2012.
  19. ^ "Ted Rogers buys The Blue Jays". CBC News. September 1, 2000. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
  20. ^ Bastian, Jordan (July 2, 2006). "Five Jays named to AL All-Star squad". MLB. Retrieved June 18, 2007.[permanent dead link]
  21. ^ Bastian, Jordan (October 3, 2009). . MLB Advanced Media. Archived from the original on October 6, 2009. Retrieved October 3, 2009.
  22. ^ Jordan Bastian / MLB.com. . Toronto Blue Jays. MLB. Archived from the original on March 30, 2012. Retrieved February 19, 2011.
  23. ^ . USA Today. January 25, 2011. Archived from the original on March 13, 2012. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
  24. ^ . Tsn.ca. January 25, 2011. Archived from the original on January 28, 2011. Retrieved February 19, 2011.
  25. ^ Zwelling, Arden (December 12, 2012), "Game Changers: The New Blue Jays", Sportsnet Magazine
  26. ^ a b "A season to forget in Blue Jay land". The Globe and Mail. October 2, 2012.
  27. ^ "Blue Jays outlast Indians in 16-inning marathon opener". CBC Sports. April 5, 2012.
  28. ^ Zwolinski, Mark (April 21, 2012). "Blue Jays turn triple play in 4-3 win over Kansas City Royals". Toronto Star. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  29. ^ Kennedy, Brendan (June 8, 2013). "Toronto Blue Jays win longest game in 18 innings". TheStar.com. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
  30. ^ Chisholm, Gregor (June 23, 2013). "Blowout win puts Blue Jays firmly in AL East race". MLB.com. Retrieved June 23, 2013.
  31. ^ "Detroit Tigers at Toronto Blue Jays – August 10, 2014". MLB.com. Retrieved August 10, 2014.
  32. ^ MacLeod, Robert (November 18, 2014). "Blue Jays make Russell Martin signing official". Globe and Mail. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
  33. ^ Lott, John (November 1, 2014). "Toronto Blue Jays trade Adam Lind, GM hopes it will pave the way for a roster shake-up". National Post. Archived from the original on November 1, 2014. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
  34. ^ Kennedy, Brendan (November 12, 2014). "Blue Jays trade Anthony Gose to Tigers". thestar.com. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
  35. ^ Kennedy, Brendan (November 28, 2014). "Blue Jays trade Brett Lawrie to A's for Josh Donaldson". Toronto Star. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
  36. ^ Stark, Jayson (December 3, 2014). "J.A. Happ traded to Mariners". ESPN. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
  37. ^ Divish, Ryan (October 28, 2014). . Seattle Times. Archived from the original on October 4, 2017. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
  38. ^ "Blue Jays add Andy Dirks, Jeff Francis". Toronto Sun. October 31, 2014. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
  39. ^ "Toronto Blue Jays claim first baseman and outfielder Chris Colabello off waivers". National Post. Canadian Press. December 8, 2014. Archived from the original on December 8, 2014. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
  40. ^ "Blue Jays make Andy Dirks, John Mayberry Jr and Justin Smoak free agents". Globe and Mail. Associated Press. December 3, 2014. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
  41. ^ Sullivan, Paul (December 15, 2014). "Melky Cabrera deal official: $42 million from White Sox over 3 years". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
  42. ^ Kennedy, Brendan (December 16, 2014). "Oft-injured Blue Jays starter Brandon Morrow signs with San Diego Padres". Toronto Star. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
  43. ^ Kennedy, Brendan (November 19, 2014). "Red Sox claim Juan Francisco on waivers from Blue Jays". Toronto Star. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
  44. ^ Kennedy, Brendan (September 25, 2015). "Toronto Blue Jays clinch playoff spot for first time in 22 years". thestar.com. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  45. ^ "Blue Jays clinch AL East". September 30, 2015.
  46. ^ "Blue Jays advance to ALCS after emotional win over Rangers - Sportsnet.ca".
  47. ^ Keh, Andrew (October 15, 2015). "Baseball reaches a flipping point". The New York Times. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
  48. ^ Bautista, José (November 9, 2015). "Are you flipping kidding me?". The Players' Tribune staff. The Players' Tribune. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  49. ^ "Blue Jays tough playoff loss ends season of discovery | CBC News".
  50. ^ "Report: Blue Jays sign Kendrys Morales to three-year deal". sports.yahoo.com.
  51. ^ Kruth, Cash (November 18, 2016). . MLB.com. Archived from the original on November 19, 2016. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  52. ^ Nicholson-Smith, Ben (December 5, 2016). "Blue Jays sign Steve Pearce to two-year, $12.5M deal". sportsnet.ca. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  53. ^ Bastian, Jordan (January 5, 2017). . mlb.com. Archived from the original on January 5, 2017. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
  54. ^ Chisholm, Gregor; Sanchez, Jesse (January 18, 2017). . MLB.com. Archived from the original on January 18, 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  55. ^ Nicholson-Smith, Ben (June 28, 2017). "Blue Jays sign Michael Saunders to minor-league deal". Sportsnet. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
  56. ^ "Blue Jays place Roberto Osuna on 10-day DL, Upton Jr. released". Sportsnet. April 2, 2017. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
  57. ^ Buffery, Steve (April 20, 2017). "Blue Jays' bats deathly silent in loss to Red Sox". torontosun.com. Retrieved June 5, 2017.
  58. ^ . MLB.com. Archived from the original on August 1, 2017. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
  59. ^ "Blue Jays unveil new 'Canadiana' uniforms". BlueJays.com (Press release). MLB Advanced Media. January 20, 2017. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  60. ^ Armstrong, Laura (September 26, 2018). "Blue Jays make it official: John Gibbons won't be back as manager next year". Toronto Star. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  61. ^ Chisholm, Gregor (October 25, 2018). "Blue Jays hire Rays coach Montoyo as skipper". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. Retrieved October 25, 2018.
  62. ^ Matheson, Keegan; Brudnicki, Alexis (December 18, 2019). "Roark, Blue Jays finalize 2-year deal". BlueJays.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  63. ^ Harrigan, Thomas (December 27, 2019). "Blue Jays sign left-hander Ryu to 4-year deal". BlueJays.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  64. ^ Matheson, Keegan (December 28, 2019). "Yamaguchi's deal with Blue Jays finalized". BlueJays.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  65. ^ "Blue Jays unveil #NEWBLUE alternate uniform". BlueJays.com (Press release). MLB Advanced Media. January 18, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  66. ^ "Blue Jays will play 'majority' of home games in Buffalo". cbc.ca (Press release). July 24, 2020. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  67. ^ "Toronto adds high-upside reliever Kirby Yates". MLB.com.
  68. ^ "Blue Jays add depth with RHP Chatwood". MLB.com.
  69. ^ "Springer, Blue Jays finalize 6-year deal". MLB.com.
  70. ^ "Blue Jays officially announce Marcus Semien signing". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
  71. ^ Davidi, Shi (May 5, 2021). "Blue Jays announce move back to Buffalo's Sahlen Field for June 1". Sportsnet. Retrieved July 7, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  72. ^ "Blue Jays Receive National Interest Exemption To Return To Canada On July 30". MLB Trade Rumors.com. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  73. ^ Data from the following annual reports:
    • Baldo, Anthony; Biesada, Alexandra; Hackney, Holt; Ozanian, Michael K; Taub, Stephen (July 9, 1991). "Secrets of the front office: What America's pro teams are worth". Financial World: 28.
    • Ozanian, Michael K; Taub, Stephen; Morris, Kathleen; Fink, Ronald (July 7, 1992). "Big leagues, bad business". Financial World: 34.
    • Ozanian, Michael K; Taub, Stephen; Fink, Ronald; Kimelman, John; Reingold, Jennifer; Starr, Jason (May 25, 1993). "Foul ball". Financial World: 50.
    • Ozanian, Michael K; Fink, Ronald; Kimelman, John; Reingold, Jennifer; Osterland, Andrew; Starr, Jason; Grabarek, Brooke (May 10, 1994). "The $11 billion pastime: Why sports franchise values are soaring even as team profits fall". Financial World: 50.
    • Ozanian, Michael K; Atre, Tushar; Fink, Ronald; Reingold, Jennifer (May 9, 1995). "Suite deals: Why new stadiums are shaking up the pecking order of sports franchises". Financial World: 42.
    • Atre, Tushar; Auns, Kristine; Badenhausen, Kurt; McAuliffe, Kevin (May 20, 1996). "The high-stakes game of team ownership". Financial World: 49.
    • Badenhausen, Kurt; Nikolov, Christopher (June 17, 1997). "More than a game: An in-depth look at the raging bull market in sports franchises". Financial World: 40.
  74. ^ "Toronto Blue Jays". Forbes. March 2014. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  75. ^ "#20 Toronto Blue Jays". Forbes. April 19, 2007. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  76. ^ a b "Major League Baseball Franchise Valuations". Bloomberg L.P. October 23, 2013. Retrieved June 3, 2014.
  77. ^ "Timeline". MLB.com.
  78. ^ "Yankees reach four million in tickets sales for second consecutive season". MLB. July 2, 2006. Retrieved December 13, 2011.[permanent dead link]
  79. ^ . Toronto Star. July 3, 2011. Archived from the original on August 26, 2011. Retrieved December 7, 2011.
  80. ^ . MLB. July 8, 2015. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  81. ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 12, 2014. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  82. ^ "Kiya Bruno sings O Canada in Cree & English at Blue Jays game". sportsnet.ca. June 29, 2019. Retrieved June 30, 2019.
  83. ^ a b c "Thread on Threads Part I: Blue Jays' Logos and Uniforms, 1977-1996". SB Nation. November 17, 2011. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  84. ^ a b c "Thread on Threads Part II: Blue Jays' Logos and Uniforms, 1997-2003". SB Nation. November 18, 2011. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  85. ^ "Know your postseason graphics: Toronto Blue Jays edition". SportingNews.com. October 7, 2015. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  86. ^ David Singh (October 7, 2015). "Dark Days". Sportsnet. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  87. ^ Zwolinski, Mark (August 9, 2011). "Jays making a uniform change". The Toronto Star.
  88. ^ Chisholm, Gregor (November 18, 2011). . BlueJays.MLB.com. Archived from the original on November 21, 2011. Retrieved November 19, 2011.
  89. ^ "Blue Jays will be wearing new white panel caps on Sunday". SB Nation. August 11, 2015. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  90. ^ Brudnicki, Alexis (January 18, 2020). "Blue Jays unveil 'New Blue' jerseys for 2020". mlb.com. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  91. ^ "Toronto Blue Jays: Ranking the top 5 jerseys of all time". FanSided. Retrieved July 2, 2022.
  92. ^ Buffery, Steve (June 3, 2014). "Jays-Tigers rivalry isn't what it used to be". torontosun.com. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  93. ^ "Niyo: Picture still cloudy for muddled Tigers". Detroit News. Retrieved July 18, 2017. 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.
  94. ^ "What Safeco Field Is Like When It Gets Invaded by Blue Jays Fans". Sports. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  95. ^ Fordin, Spencer. "Cheek's wife accepts Frick Award with moving speech". MLB. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  96. ^ "Sportsnet terminates Gregg Zaun after allegations of inappropriate behaviour". Sportsnet. November 30, 2017. Retrieved November 30, 2017.
  97. ^ "Sportsnet parts ways with veteran Blue Jays announcer Mike Wilner". thestar.com. November 27, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  98. ^ "Sportsnet cuts Blue Jays radio broadcast for 2021, will simulcast TV coverage over airwaves". thestar.com. February 26, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  99. ^ "Blue Jays become first MLB team without a dedicated radio feed". Awful Announcing. February 27, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  100. ^ "Blue Jays Radio Network". Toronto Blue Jays. MLB. April 1, 2021.
  101. ^ Jordan Bastian / MLB.com (January 17, 2006). . Toronto Blue Jays. MLB. Archived from the original on March 30, 2012. Retrieved February 19, 2011.
  102. ^ Gregor Chisholm / MLB.com (November 19, 2015). . Major League Baseball. MLB. Archived from the original on June 2, 2016. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
  103. ^ , Blue Jays press release, May 13, 2010
  104. ^ Dowbiggun, Bruce. . Globe and Mail. Canada. Archived from the original on August 23, 2010. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
  105. ^ "Great Canadian Ratings Report: Blue Jays continue to set records for Sportsnet". Yahoo! Sports Canada. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  106. ^ . BlueJays.com. MLB Advanced Media. Archived from the original on October 22, 2013. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
  107. ^ "OMNI to air Blue Jays vs Red Sox in Mandarin, Thursday". Citynews.ca. Rogers Media. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
  108. ^ . Broadcaster Magazine. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
  109. ^ "OMNI to field Blue Jays games in Tagalog this summer". Cartt.ca. June 1, 2018. Retrieved May 12, 2019.[permanent dead link]
  110. ^ . The Columbia Valley Pioneer. June 1, 2018. Archived from the original on May 12, 2019. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
  111. ^ "Sportsnet to field all Toronto Blue Jays games". Cartt.ca. March 26, 2019. Retrieved May 12, 2019.[permanent dead link]
  112. ^ "TVA Sports: French-language home of the Blue Jays for the next three seasons". MLB.com. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  113. ^ Gendron-Martin, Raphaël. "Doucet et Brulotte de nouveau réunis". Le Journal de Montréal. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  114. ^ Staff, TSN ca (October 5, 2022). "Ford C. Frick Award finalists Jerry Howarth Jacques Doucet Toronto Blue Jays Montreal Expos". TSN. Retrieved March 3, 2023. 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.
  115. ^ "Mulliniks, Barfield join CBC's Blue Jays booth". Canada: CBC. June 7, 2007. Retrieved June 18, 2007.
  116. ^ "Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2008-171" (PDF). Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. August 13, 2008. (PDF) from the original on July 7, 2013. Retrieved July 2, 2015.
  117. ^ Houston, William (January 7, 2009). "Baseball TV may launch this year". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved July 2, 2015.
  118. ^ "Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2012-637". Canadian Radio-Television Commission. November 21, 2012. Retrieved July 2, 2015.
  119. ^ "Rogers bids to bring MLB Network to Canada". CBC News. June 20, 2012. Retrieved July 2, 2015.
  120. ^ . Metro. Archived from the original on October 10, 2016. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
  121. ^ Laskaris, Adam (October 3, 2022). "Buck Martinez to lead Sportsnet's Blue Jays' playoff broadcasts". Daily Hive. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
  122. ^ "Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Affiliates". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  123. ^ "Toronto Blue Jays Top 10 Batting Leaders". Baseball Reference. Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  124. ^ "Toronto Blue Jays Top 10 Pitching Leaders". Baseball Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  125. ^ "Toronto Blue Jays Franchise History". ESPN. Retrieved November 22, 2010.
  126. ^ "Toronto Blue Jays". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved November 22, 2010.
  127. ^ "September 2, 1990 Toronto Blue Jays at Cleveland Indians Play by Play and Box Score". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 22, 2010.
  128. ^ "Triple Crown Winners". Baseball Reference. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  129. ^ "Gillick, Pat". Baseball Hall of Fame - Hall of Famers. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
  130. ^ "No hat logo for Halladay's Hall plaque; Mussina uncertain". The Philadelphia Inquirer. January 23, 2019. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
  131. ^ "Halladay, Roy". Baseball Hall of Fame - Hall of Famers. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
  132. ^ "Roberto Alomar's uniform number to be retired by Blue Jays". MLB. Retrieved November 19, 2011.
  133. ^ "Blue Jays to retire number 32 in honour of Roy Halladay". MLB Advanced Media. February 12, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  134. ^ . Toronto Blue Jays. Archived from the original on November 5, 2011. Retrieved November 19, 2011.
  135. ^ McNeil, Shane (July 20, 2011). . TSN. Archived from the original on January 18, 2012. Retrieved November 19, 2011.
  136. ^ "Facebook". www.facebook.com. Archived from the original on February 26, 2022.
  137. ^ Davidi, Shi. "MLB, Blue Jays sever ties with Roberto Alomar after sexual misconduct investigation". Sportsnet.
  138. ^ "Blue Jays to honour Jose Bautista on Level of Excellence". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
  139. ^ "Kitchener resident wins $3.8 million in 50/50 draw to support Toronto Blue Jays charity | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  140. ^ "Jays Care Foundation". Flaghouse - Physical Education Equipment - Recreational Products. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  141. ^ "How Jays Care Foundation builds up Unstoppable Kids". www.sportsnet.ca. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  142. ^ "JAYS CARE FOUNDATION". CanadaHelps - Donate to any charity in Canada. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
Some text copied via the GFDL from BR Bullpen article on the 2009 Blue Jays

External links

  • Toronto Blue Jays official website
Awards and achievements
Preceded by World Series champions
19921993
Succeeded by
Preceded by American League champions
19921993
Succeeded by

toronto, blue, jays, canadian, professional, baseball, team, based, toronto, blue, jays, compete, major, league, baseball, member, club, american, league, east, division, since, 1989, team, played, home, games, primarily, rogers, centre, downtown, toronto, 202. 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 Toronto Blue Jays2023 Toronto Blue Jays seasonEstablished in 1977Team logoMajor league affiliationsAmerican League 1977 present East Division 1977 present Current uniformRetired numbers123242ColoursRoyal blue navy blue red white 1 2 NameToronto Blue Jays 1977 present Other nicknamesThe Jays Buffalo Blue Jays 2020 2021 3 4 5 BallparkRogers Centre 1989 2019 2021 present a Sahlen Field 2020 June 2021 July 2021 b TD Ballpark April 2021 May 2021 c Exhibition Stadium 1977 1989 Major league titlesWorld Series titles 2 19921993AL Pennants 2 19921993AL East Division titles 6 198519891991199219932015Wild card berths 3 201620202022Front officePrincipal owner s Rogers Communications 7 PresidentMark ShapiroGeneral managerRoss AtkinsManagerJohn SchneiderThe 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 8 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 1 2 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 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 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 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 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 and 2022 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 From 1977 to 2022 the Blue Jays overall win loss record is 3 598 3 627 498 9 Contents 1 History 1 1 Expansion team 1 2 1977 1994 The Pat Gillick era 1 2 1 1977 1981 1 2 2 1982 1984 1 2 3 1985 The Drive of 85 and first AL East title 1 2 4 1986 1988 1 2 5 1989 1991 Cito Gaston takes charge two more AL East titles 1 2 6 1992 1993 World Series champions 1 2 6 1 1992 Canada s first World Series title 1 2 6 2 1993 Back to back champs 1 2 7 1994 season 1 3 1995 2001 The Gord Ash era 1 3 1 1995 2000 1 3 2 2000 2001 1 4 2002 2009 The J P Ricciardi and Roy Halladay era 1 4 1 2002 season 1 4 2 2003 season 1 4 3 2004 season 1 4 4 2005 season 1 4 5 2006 season 1 4 6 2007 season 1 4 7 2008 season 1 4 8 2009 season 1 5 2010 2015 The Alex Anthopoulos and Jose Bautista era 1 5 1 2010 season 1 5 2 2011 season 1 5 3 2012 season 1 5 4 2013 season 1 5 5 2014 season 1 5 6 2015 Return to the playoffs AL East champions 1 6 2016 present The Ross Atkins era 1 6 1 2016 Wild Card winners 1 6 2 2017 season 1 6 3 2018 season 1 6 4 2019 season 1 6 5 2020 season Temporarily in Buffalo 1 6 6 2021 season Temporarily in Dunedin and Buffalo 1 6 7 2022 season 1 6 8 2023 season 2 Popularity 3 Culture 3 1 OK Blue Jays 3 2 Mascots 3 3 Sunday Salute 3 4 National anthems 3 5 Canada Day 3 6 Jays Shop 4 Uniforms 4 1 1977 1988 4 2 1989 1996 4 3 1997 2003 4 4 2004 2011 4 5 2012 present 4 6 Canada Day uniforms 5 Rivalries 5 1 Montreal Expos 5 2 Detroit Tigers 5 3 Seattle Mariners 6 Broadcasting 6 1 Radio 6 2 Television 7 Roster 8 Minor league affiliations 9 Season by season record 10 Awards and other achievements 10 1 Award winners and league leaders 10 2 Franchise records 10 3 No hitters 10 4 Triple Crown champions 10 5 Baseball Hall of Famers 10 6 Ford C Frick Award recipients 10 7 BBWAA Career Excellence Award recipients 10 8 Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame 10 9 Retired numbers 10 10 Level of Excellence 11 Charity and partnerships 12 Notes 13 References 14 External linksHistoryMain article History of the Toronto Blue Jays This section may be too long to read and navigate comfortably Please consider splitting content into sub articles condensing it or adding subheadings Please discuss this issue on the article s talk page August 2021 Expansion team The Blue Jays were approved as part of the 1977 Major League Baseball expansion discussions after Toronto s original plan of getting a Major League Baseball team by buying and moving the San Francisco Giants fell through they would be added alongside the Seattle Mariners The team was represented by legal counsel Herb Solway and Gord Kirke Kirke prepared the original documents which led to the founding of the team in 1976 10 1977 1994 The Pat Gillick era 1977 1981 The Blue Jays second game in its inaugural season Unlike the first game played in a snow storm this day was bright and sunny with the temperature well below freezing The Blue Jays played their first game on April 7 1977 against the Chicago White Sox 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 Doug Ault s two home runs That win would be one of only 54 of the 1977 season as the Blue Jays finished last in the AL East with a record of 54 107 After the season assistant general manager Pat Gillick succeeded Peter Bavasi as general manager of the team a position he would hold until 1994 11 In 1978 the team improved their record by five games but remained last with a record of 59 102 In 1979 after a 53 109 last place finish shortstop Alfredo Griffin was named American League co Rookie of the Year In addition the Blue Jays first mascot BJ Birdy made its debut in 1979 In 1980 Bobby Mattick became manager succeeding Roy Hartsfield the Blue Jays original manager In Mattick s first season as manager although the team remained at the bottom Toronto nearly reached the 70 win mark finishing with a record of 67 95 a 14 win improvement on 1979 Jim Clancy led with 13 wins and John Mayberry became the first Jay to hit 30 home runs in a season In the strike divided season of 1981 the Blue Jays finished last in the AL East in both halves of the season They were a dismal 16 42 in the first half but improved dramatically in the second finishing the 48 game second half at 21 27 for a combined record of 37 69 1982 1984 Under new manager Bobby Cox Toronto s first solid season came in 1982 12 as the Jays finished 78 84 Their pitching staff was led by starters Dave Stieb Jim Clancy and Luis Leal and the outfield featured a young Lloyd Moseby and Jesse Barfield 1982 was also the first year the Jays did not place last finishing sixth in the East out of seven teams In 1983 the Blue Jays compiled their first winning record 89 73 finishing in fourth place nine games behind the eventual World Series champions the Baltimore Orioles First baseman Willie Upshaw became the first Blue Jay to get at least 100 RBIs in a season The Jays progress continued in 1984 finishing with the same 89 73 record but this time in a distant second place behind another World Series champion the Detroit Tigers After 1984 Alfredo Griffin went to the Oakland Athletics 13 thus giving a permanent spot to young Dominican shortstop Tony Fernandez who would become a fan favourite for many years 14 1985 The Drive of 85 and first AL East title Dave Stieb has the second highest number of wins among pitchers in the 1980s Main article 1985 Toronto Blue Jays season In 1985 Toronto won its first championship of any sort the first of its six American League East division titles The Blue Jays featured strong pitching and a balanced offense Tony Fernandez excelled in his first full season and veteran pitcher Doyle Alexander led the team with 17 wins including a division clinching complete game win Their mid season call up of relief pitcher Tom Henke also proved to be important The team finished 99 62 the franchise record for most wins two games in front of the New York Yankees The Jays faced the Kansas City Royals in the American League Championship Series ALCS and took a three game to one lead However Kansas City won three consecutive games to win the series 4 3 on the way to their first World Series championship The Blue Jays successful season was dubbed the Drive of 85 15 After the playoffs Cox the AL Manager of the Year suddenly left the Blue Jays to become general manager of the Atlanta Braves the team he had previously managed 1986 1988 Left fielder George Bell was named the American League MVP in 1987 With Jimy Williams taking over as manager the Blue Jays could not duplicate their success in 1986 sliding to a fourth place tie at 86 76 Jesse Barfield and George Bell led the way with 40 and 31 home runs respectively while Jim Clancy Mark Eichhorn and Jimmy Key tied for the team wins lead with 14 each In 1987 the Blue Jays held a 3 1 2 game lead with a week to go in the season then lost their last seven in a row to finish two games behind the Detroit Tigers getting swept on the last weekend by the Tigers The Jays finished with a 96 66 record second best in the major leagues but to no avail However George Bell 308 batting average 47 home runs 134 RBI was named the AL s Most Valuable Player MVP the first Blue Jay to earn that honor In 1988 however Toronto could not duplicate the successes of the previous season The team tied the Milwaukee Brewers for third in the division at 87 75 only two games behind the division champion Boston Red Sox Still the season had numerous highlights First baseman Fred McGriff hit 34 home runs and Dave Stieb had back to back starts in which he lost a no hitter with two out and two strikes in the ninth inning 1989 1991 Cito Gaston takes charge two more AL East titles Cito Gaston was named Blue Jays manager during the 1989 season In 1989 the Blue Jays new retractable roofed home SkyDome opened mid season It also marked the beginning of an extremely successful five year period for the team In May management fired manager Jimy Williams and replaced him with Cito Gaston 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 AL East title by two games with an 89 73 record Fred McGriff s 36 home runs led the AL On May 28 George Bell s walk off home run off of Chicago White Sox closer Bobby Thigpen marked the end of the Exhibition Stadium era The first game at the new stadium took place on June 5 against the Milwaukee Brewers the Jays lost 5 3 In the 1989 ALCS Rickey Henderson led the World Series champion Oakland Athletics to a 4 1 series win In 1990 the Blue Jays again had a strong season but finished second two games behind the Boston Red Sox Dave Stieb pitched his only no hitter beating the Cleveland Indians 3 0 in front of a less than capacity crowd at Cleveland Municipal Stadium As of 2018 it remains the only no hitter ever pitched by a Blue Jay During the off season the Blue Jays made one of the two biggest trades in franchise history sending All Star shortstop Tony Fernandez and first baseman Fred McGriff to the San Diego Padres in exchange for outfielder Joe Carter and second baseman Roberto Alomar The Jays also obtained centre fielder Devon White from the California Angels These deals particularly the trade with San Diego were instrumental in the team s future success Carter Alomar and White would prove to be extremely effective additions as the Blue Jays again won the division in 1991 as Carter drove in Alomar for the division winning run Once again however the team fell short in the postseason losing to the Minnesota Twins who were on the way to their second World Series victory in five seasons in the ALCS In 1991 the Blue Jays became the first Major League club ever to draw over four million fans in one season Team record 1989 89 wins 73 losses W 0 549 Team record 1990 86 wins 76 losses W 0 531 2 games behind division leader Team record 1991 91 wins 71 losses W 0 5621992 1993 World Series champions 1992 Canada s first World Series title Main article 1992 Toronto Blue Jays season After the 1991 season had ended the Blue Jays acquired pitcher Jack Morris 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 World Series MVP To add veteran leadership to their explosive offence Toronto signed Dave Winfield to be the team s designated hitter 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 Milwaukee Brewers They also went the entire season without being swept in any series becoming the first team in 49 years to accomplish the feat 16 The Blue Jays met the Oakland Athletics who had the same record as the Jays and won the AL West by six games over the defending champion Twins in the ALCS 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 Roberto Alomar s huge game tying two run homer off A s closer Dennis Eckersley 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 The Blue Jays then faced the Atlanta Braves in the World Series 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 Ed Sprague hit a 9th inning two run home run off Braves closer Jeff Reardon 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 7 1 3 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 17 but Otis Nixon singled in the tying run off the Blue Jays closer Tom Henke It was the first run the Toronto bullpen had given up in the series The game was decided in the 11th inning when Dave Winfield 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 Mike Timlin fielded Otis Nixon 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 Pat Borders 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 Team record 1992 96 wins 66 losses W 0 5931993 Back to back champs Main article 1993 Toronto Blue Jays season Fireworks at the SkyDome following the Blue Jays victory in the 1993 World Series 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 Paul Molitor from the Milwaukee Brewers and perennial playoff success Dave Stewart from the Oakland Athletics In 1993 the Blue Jays had seven All Stars outfielders Devon White and Joe Carter infielders John Olerud and Roberto Alomar designated hitter Molitor plus starting pitcher Pat Hentgen and closer Duane Ward In August the Jays acquired former nemesis Rickey Henderson from the Athletics The Blue Jays cruised to a 95 67 record seven games ahead of the New York Yankees winning their third straight division title The Jays beat the Chicago White Sox four games to two in the ALCS and then the Philadelphia Phillies four games to two for their second straight World Series 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 walk off home run to clinch the series off of Phillies closer Mitch Williams Only the second World Series winning walk off home run in the history of Major League Baseball following Bill Mazeroski s in Game 7 in 1960 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 radio broadcaster Tom Cheek s call 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 Tom Cheek Molitor was named the World Series MVP after hitting 500 in the series In the regular season three Blue Jays Olerud Molitor and Alomar finished 1 2 3 for the AL batting crown led by Olerud s franchise record 363 average It was the first time in 100 years that the top three hitters in the league were from the same team 11 18 Team record 1993 95 wins 67 losses W 0 5861994 season Main article 1994 Toronto Blue Jays season Expectations were high for the Blue Jays for the 1994 season following back to back championships but they slumped to a 55 60 record and a third place finish 16 games back of the New York Yankees before the players strike It was their first losing season since 1982 Joe Carter Paul Molitor and John Olerud enjoyed good years at the plate but the pitching fell off Juan Guzman 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 Alex Gonzalez Carlos Delgado and Shawn Green did show much promise for the future At the time of the strike their fellow Canadian cousins the Montreal Expos had the best record in the majors leading some to consider the possibility of a Canadian three peat in 1994 On October 31 1994 Gillick the longtime Blue Jays general manager resigned and handed the reins of the team to assistant general manager and Toronto native Gord Ash 11 who would lead the team in its most tumultuous era yet Team record 1994 55 wins 60 losses W 0 478 16 games behind division leader1995 2001 The Gord Ash era 1995 2000 Blue Jays pitcher Pat Hentgen won the Cy Young Award in 1996 In their 1995 season the Blue Jays showed they had lost their contending swagger of the past 12 years Although they had most of the World Series teams cast the Jays dropped dramatically to a dismal 56 88 record placing last in the AL East 30 games behind the Boston Red Sox That year team owner Labatt Breweries was bought by Belgian based brewer Interbrew making the Blue Jays the second major league team owned by interests outside of North America after their expansion cousins the Seattle Mariners then owned by Nintendo 1996 was another mediocre year for the Jays despite Pat Hentgen s Cy Young Award 20 10 3 22 ERA Ed Sprague had a career year hitting 36 home runs and driving in 101 runs And the team s 74 wins did put them in fourth place improving over 1995 s last place finish The Blue Jays started their 1997 season with high hopes Not only did they radically change their uniforms the team signed former Boston Red Sox ace Roger Clemens to a 24 75 million contract Clemens had one of the best pitching seasons ever winning the pitcher s Triple Crown and leading the AL with a record of 21 7 a 2 05 ERA and 292 strikeouts This was not enough to lead the Jays to the postseason however as they finished last for the second time in three years with a record of 76 86 Cito Gaston 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 Interleague play when the Blue Jays faced their Canadian rival the Montreal Expos for the first official games between the two teams Before the start of their 1998 season the Jays acquired closer Randy Myers and slugger Jose Canseco Gaston was replaced with former Blue Jay Tim Johnson who was 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 New York Yankees who posted one of the greatest records in all of baseball history at 114 48 The Jays were however in contention for the wildcard spot until the final week Before the 1999 season the Blue Jays traded Clemens to the Yankees for starting pitcher David Wells second baseman Homer Bush and relief pitcher Graeme Lloyd They also fired manager Tim Johnson during spring training after he lied about several things including killing people in the Vietnam War 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 Jim Fregosi who managed the Phillies when they lost to the Blue Jays in the 1993 World Series The offence picked up somewhat in 1999 but the pitching suffered without Clemens as the Blue Jays finished at 84 78 in third place After the 1999 season the Blue Jays original mascot for 20 years BJ Birdy was replaced by a duo named Ace and Diamond On November 8 1999 Toronto traded star outfielder Shawn Green to the Los Angeles Dodgers for left handed relief pitcher Pedro Borbon and right fielder Raul Mondesi 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 The 2000 season proved similar as the Blue Jays had an 83 79 record well out of the wild card race but only a slim 4 1 2 games behind the three time defending World Series champion Yankees in the AL East the first time since 1993 they had contended for the division Carlos Delgado 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 2000 2001 Bob File pitching for the Blue Jays at Fenway Park during the 2001 season On September 1 2000 Rogers Communications Inc purchased 80 of the baseball club for 160 million 19 with Interbrew later InBev maintaining a 20 interest and the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce relinquishing its 10 share Rogers eventually acquired the 20 owned by Interbrew and now has full ownership of the team The 2001 season marked the 25th anniversary of the franchise s inception Buck Martinez former catcher and broadcast announcer for the Blue Jays took over as manager before the season began with a home game in Puerto Rico The team had a disappointing season falling back under 500 and finishing 80 82 with mediocre pitching and hitting Delgado led the team again with 39 home runs and 102 RBI After the season ended the Jays fired Gord Ash ending a seven year tenure as general manager J P Ricciardi then director of player development under Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane was named Blue Jays General Manager he was expected to slash payroll immediately stemming the tide of red ink During the off season the team traded or let go of several popular players including Alex Gonzalez Paul Quantrill Brad Fullmer and closer Billy Koch to let talented youngsters such as Eric Hinske and Felipe Lopez get a chance to develop into major leaguers 2002 2009 The J P Ricciardi and Roy Halladay era 2002 season Main article 2002 Toronto Blue Jays season The Blue Jays started the 2002 season with slow progress in performance Buck Martinez was fired about a third of the way through the season with a 20 33 record He was replaced by third base coach Carlos Tosca an experienced minor league manager They went 58 51 under Tosca to finish the season 78 84 Roy Halladay 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 Carlos Delgado Promising young players were assigned to key roles starting third baseman Eric Hinske won the Rookie of the Year Award at the season s conclusion and 23 year old centre fielder Vernon Wells had his first 100 RBI season Team record 2002 78 wins 84 losses W 0 481 25 5 games behind division leader third in division2003 season Main article 2003 Toronto Blue Jays season The 2003 season 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 Cy Young Award going 22 7 with a 3 25 ERA In July Shannon Stewart was traded to the Minnesota Twins for Bobby Kielty another outfielder with a much lower batting average than Stewart s Although the Jays finished in third place in their division Delgado was second in the voting for the American League MVP Award In the off season Kielty was traded to the Oakland Athletics for starter Ted Lilly Team record 2003 86 wins 76 losses W 0 531 15 games behind division leader third in division2004 season Main article 2004 Toronto Blue Jays season The 2004 season 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 Miguel Batista and reliever Justin Speier were relatively successful veteran Pat Hentgen faltered throughout the season and retired on July 24 Rookies and minor league callups David Bush Jason Frasor Josh Towers 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 Carlos Tosca was fired on August 8 2004 and was replaced by first base coach John Gibbons Long time first baseman Carlos Delgado became a free agent in the off season Nevertheless prospects Russ Adams Gabe Gross and Alex Rios provided excitement for the fans Rookie pitchers David Bush Gustavo Chacin and Jason Frasor also showed promise for the club s future The Blue Jays lone MLB All Star Game representative was Lilly Team record 2004 67 wins 94 losses W 0 416 33 5 games behind division leader fifth in division2005 season After the 2004 season FieldTurf replaced AstroTurf as the Rogers Centre s playing surface Main article 2005 Toronto Blue Jays season SkyDome was renamed Rogers Centre and was extensively renovated The Blue Jays had a good start to the 2005 season 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 Corey Koskie broke his finger taking him out of the line up but the club was pleasantly surprised with the performance of rookie call up Aaron Hill 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 Guillermo Quiroz John Ford Griffin and Shaun Marcum 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 Team record 2005 80 wins 82 losses W 0 494 15 games behind division leader third in division2006 season Main article 2006 Toronto Blue Jays season In 2006 the team experienced its most successful season in years On July 2 Troy Glaus Vernon Wells Roy Halladay B J Ryan and Alex Rios were picked to represent the Blue Jays at the All Star Game 20 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 Boston Red Sox 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 Team record 2006 87 wins 75 losses W 0 537 10 games behind division leader second in division2007 season Dustin McGowan pitching for the Blue Jays in the 2007 season Main article 2007 Toronto Blue Jays season The 2007 season 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 Tommy John surgery Prior to the season the team signed starting pitchers John Thomson Tomo Ohka and Victor Zambrano each of them was released before the end of the season However young starters Shaun Marcum and Dustin McGowan had break out years with 12 wins each On June 24 McGowan pitched a complete game one hitter On June 28 Frank Thomas became the 21st major league player to hit 500 career home runs Aaron Hill also had a break out year setting a team record for second baseman with 47 doubles Team record 2007 83 wins 79 losses W 0 512 13 games behind division leader third in division2008 season Main article 2008 Toronto Blue Jays season The Blue Jays 2008 season 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 Jesse Litsch 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 John Gibbons and several members of his coaching staff and re hired Cito Gaston Meanwhile Alex Rios 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 Team record 2008 86 wins 76 losses W 0 531 11 games behind division leader fourth in division2009 season Blue Jays pitcher Roy Halladay during the 2009 season Main article 2009 Toronto Blue Jays season The 2009 season saw the addition of two new patches on the Blue Jays uniforms on the right arm a bright red maple leaf part of the Canadian flag and on the left arm a small black band with TED written on it in reference to the late team owner Ted Rogers who died in the off season On Opening Day at the Rogers Centre the Blue Jays led by Roy Halladay beat the Detroit Tigers 12 5 Aaron Hill and Roy Halladay both had excellent years and represented the Blue Jays at the 2009 All Star Game in St Louis The Jays started the season well posting a 27 14 record however immediately afterwards the Jays fell into a nine game losing streak and was never able to recover for the remainder of the season In mid August GM J P Ricciardi allowed the Chicago White Sox to claim Alex Rios off waivers With two games remaining in what was a disappointing season Ricciardi was fired on October 3 He was replaced by assistant general manager Alex Anthopoulos 21 Despite a 75 win season the Jays saw the strong return of Aaron Hill who won the American League Comeback Player of the Year Award and the Silver Slugger for second base Adam Lind who also had a strong season earned the Silver Slugger for designated hitter Team record 2009 75 wins 87 losses W 0 463 28 games behind division leader fourth in division2010 2015 The Alex Anthopoulos and Jose Bautista era 2010 season Kyle Drabek with the Blue Jays during the 2010 season Drabek was acquired by the Jays in a multi player trade involving Roy Halladay Main article 2010 Toronto Blue Jays season In the off season the Jays ace Roy Halladay was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for Kyle Drabek Travis d Arnaud and Michael Taylor Taylor was immediately traded to the Oakland Athletics for Brett Wallace The team s significant free agent signings were that of catcher John Buck and shortstop Alex Gonzalez 22 The 2010 season was a surprising 10 win improvement over the last season It was a career year for Jose Bautista who hit 54 home runs breaking George Bell s franchise record of 47 In doing so he became the 26th player to reach 50 home runs and the first since Alex Rodriguez and Prince Fielder 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 2000 Blue Jays The Blue Jays tied the 1996 Baltimore Orioles for the third most home runs by a team in a single season Seven players Jose Bautista Vernon Wells Aaron Hill Adam Lind Lyle Overbay John Buck and Edwin Encarnacion hit 20 home runs or more throughout the season tying an MLB record previously set by four teams including the 2000 Blue Jays On July 14 the Jays traded Alex Gonzalez and two minor league prospects left handed pitcher Tim Collins and shortstop Tyler Pastornicky to the Atlanta Braves for Jo Jo Reyes and Yunel Escobar On August 7 catching prospect J P Arencibia made his major league debut He went 4 for 5 with two home runs including a home run hit on the first pitch he saw The next day starting pitcher Brandon Morrow came within one out of a no hitter 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 division2011 season Main article 2011 Toronto Blue Jays season Led by new manager John Farrell the 2011 Blue Jays finished with a 500 record After signing a five year 64 million contract extension Jose Bautista followed up his record setting 2010 season with an arguably better season He finished with a Major League leading 43 home runs along with 103 RBI 132 walks and a 302 average Rookie J P Arencibia also had a successful year setting a Blue Jays single season record with 23 home runs by a catcher In August third base prospect Brett Lawrie made his Major League debut and hit 293 with 9 home runs 4 triples and 25 RBI in just 43 games Starting pitcher and ace Ricky Romero led the team with 15 wins and a 2 92 ERA He also became an All Star for the first time in his career The other starting pitchers were inconsistent and Farrell used 12 different starters over the course of the season 23 Jon Rauch and Frank Francisco both acquired in the off season shared the closer role 24 They both struggled through the first half of the season though Francisco improved in the last two months of the season and had six saves in September On July 31 the Blue Jays retired their first number Roberto Alomar s 12 one week after Alomar became the first Hall of Famer to be inducted as a Blue Jay 25 Team record 2011 81 wins 81 losses W 0 500 16 games behind division leader fourth in division2012 season Jose Bautista warming up prior to a game against the Los Angeles Angels during the 2012 season Main article 2012 Toronto Blue Jays season The 2012 season was an injury plagued year for the Blue Jays having used 31 total pitchers which set a franchise record 26 In June three starting pitchers Brandon Morrow Kyle Drabek and Drew Hutchison were lost to injury in a span of four days two of whom required Tommy John surgery 26 in addition starters Dustin McGowan and Jesse Litsch missed the entire season due to injury In the second half of the season some key players in Toronto s line up including All Star Jose Bautista missed a significant amount of playing time due to injury sending the team into a freefall and culminating in a 73 89 record Despite the underachievements of Ricky Romero and Adam Lind Casey Janssen established himself as a reliable closer 22 SV 2 52 ERA and Edwin Encarnacion developed into one of the league s best power hitters 280 average 42 home runs 110 RBI On April 5 2012 the team opened on the road in Cleveland where they beat the Indians 7 4 in 16 full innings during this game they set the record of the longest opening day game in the Major League history The previous record of 15 innings had been set by the Washington Senators and Philadelphia Athletics on April 13 1926 and tied by the Detroit Tigers and the Indians on April 19 1960 27 On April 20 the Jays turned a triple play against the Kansas City Royals in a 4 3 win It was the first triple play they turned since September 21 1979 28 Team record 2012 73 wins 89 losses W 0 451 22 games behind division leader fourth in division2013 season John Gibbons arguing with umpire Mike DiMuro He returned as the Blue Jays manager prior to the start of the 2013 season Main article 2013 Toronto Blue Jays season During the off season the Toronto Blue Jays traded Farrell to the Boston Red Sox per his wishes and former manager John Gibbons returned to manage the Blue Jays The Jays also made a blockbuster trade with the Miami Marlins leading to a series of other blockbuster trades and signings including with the New York Mets for National League Cy Young winner R A Dickey and free agents including Melky Cabrera On June 8 the Blue Jays played the then longest game in franchise history by innings winning 4 3 in 18 innings against the visiting Texas Rangers which would be broken one season later 29 The Jays matched their franchise record of 11 consecutive wins in a 13 5 home win over the Baltimore Orioles on June 23 30 However the Jays had a losing season overall Team record 2013 74 wins 88 losses W 0 457 23 games behind division leader fifth in division 17 5 games behind AL wild card cutoff eighth in AL wild card2014 season Main article 2014 Toronto Blue Jays season Pitcher Roy Halladay signed a one day contract with the Blue Jays before retiring from baseball citing injuries The Jays had a nine game win streak from May 20 to 28 as well as wins in 18 of 21 between May 15 and June 6 On August 10 the Blue Jays played the longest game in franchise history by both time and innings winning 6 5 in 19 innings and playing 6 hours 37 minutes against the visiting Detroit Tigers 31 Team record 2014 83 wins 79 losses W 512 13 games behind division leader third in division 5 games behind AL wild card cutoff sixth in AL wild card2015 Return to the playoffs AL East champions Main article 2015 Toronto Blue Jays season During the off season the Jays signed Toronto born catcher Russell Martin 32 through free agency The Jays acquired Marco Estrada 33 Devon Travis 34 All Star third baseman Josh Donaldson 35 and Michael Saunders 36 in trades The Jays claimed Justin Smoak 37 Andy Dirks 38 and Chris Colabello off waivers 39 However Dirks along with John Mayberry Jr were eventually non tendered the Jays later signed Dirks to a minor league contract 40 Melky Cabrera 41 and Brandon Morrow 42 left through free agency and Juan Francisco was claimed off waivers by the Boston Red Sox 43 The Blue Jays celebrate after clinching the American League East in 2015 they went as far as the ALCS only to lose against the eventual World Series winning Kansas City Royals The Jays later traded Jose Reyes and pitching prospects Miguel Castro Jeff Hoffman and Jesus Tinoco to the Colorado Rockies for All Star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and reliever LaTroy Hawkins Two days later they acquired All Star pitcher David Price from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for pitching prospects Daniel Norris Matt Boyd and Jairo Labourt The Jays had two 11 game winning streaks during this season On September 25 the Blue Jays clinched a playoff berth ending the longest active playoff drought in North American professional sports see List of Major League Baseball franchise postseason droughts 44 They subsequently claimed the AL East division title on September 30 after defeating the Baltimore Orioles 15 2 in the first game of a doubleheader 45 The Blue Jays faced the Texas Rangers in the ALDS After losing back to back home games they won the next three games in a row to take the five game series advancing to the ALCS a three game comeback series victory had not been accomplished since 2012 by the San Francisco Giants 46 During game five of the series in Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista executed what Andrew Keh of The New York Times described as possibly the most ostentatious bat flip in MLB history after hitting a go ahead three run home run off Rangers relief pitcher Sam Dyson 47 Bautista wrote an article about the bat flip published in November 2015 in The Players Tribune 48 The Blue Jays then faced the Kansas City Royals in the ALCS losing the series 4 2 in Kansas City the Royals would eventually win the World Series 49 After the playoffs Donaldson was named AL MVP becoming the first Blue Jay to win the award since George Bell in 1987 Team record 2015 93 wins 69 losses W 5742016 present The Ross Atkins era 2016 Wild Card winners Main article 2016 Toronto Blue Jays season Upon the expiration of Paul Beeston s contract Mark Shapiro replaced him as president of the Blue Jays Alex Anthopoulos resigned two months after the hiring of Shapiro Ross Atkins subsequently took his place During the off season David Price left the Blue Jays through free agency signing with the Boston Red Sox while the Blue Jays signed J A Happ On March 4 2016 infielder Maicer Izturis announced his retirement from baseball A few weeks later Brad Penny and Rafael Soriano both veterans under minor league contract with the Blue Jays retired from baseball as well Josh Donaldson slides into second base during the first game of the 2016 ALDS On May 15 2016 the Blue Jays and the Texas Rangers brawled against each other in Arlington Texas The brawl happened when Matt Bush threw a pitch at Jose Bautista then Bautista made an illegal slide and Rougned Odor punched Bautista Bautista was later suspended for one game On May 31 2016 the Blue Jays traded for Jason Grilli from the Atlanta Braves Before the non waiver trade deadline at 4 pm EDT on August 1 2016 the Blue Jays traded for Joaquin Benoit Melvin Upton Jr Scott Feldman and Francisco Liriano On August 25 2016 the Blue Jays re acquired popular backup catcher Dioner Navarro in a trade with the Chicago White Sox This was done before the August 31 trade deadline making Navarro eligible to be on the postseason roster On October 2 2016 the Blue Jays clinched their first Wild Card berth with a Detroit Tigers loss to the Atlanta Braves On October 4 2016 the Blue Jays defeated the Baltimore Orioles in the American League Wild Card Game in extra innings via a walk off three run home run by Edwin Encarnacion in the bottom of the 11th inning On October 9 2016 the Blue Jays completed a sweep of the Texas Rangers in the American League Division Series to advance to the American League Championship Series for the second consecutive year On October 19 2016 the Blue Jays were eliminated from World Series contention with a 3 0 loss to the Cleveland Indians in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series Team record 2016 89 wins 73 losses W 5492017 season Main article 2017 Toronto Blue Jays season On November 11 2016 it was announced that Toronto had signed designated hitter Kendrys Morales to a three year 33 million deal 50 The contract became official on November 18 51 Roberto Osuna during the 2017 season On December 5 2016 Steve Pearce signed a two year 12 5 million contract with Toronto 52 On January 5 2017 Edwin Encarnacion signed a three year 60 million contract with the Cleveland Indians 53 On January 18 2017 Bautista signed a one year 18 million contract with the Blue Jays The contract includes a 17 million mutual option for the 2018 season as well as a 20 million vesting option for 2019 54 The following day Michael Saunders signed with the Philadelphia Phillies However in late June the Phillies released Saunders and the Jays signed him to a minor league contract 55 On April 2 one day before the start of the regular season Melvin Upton Jr was released 56 By the end of April the Jays had the worst record in all of MLB 57 On July 2 the Jays traded Grilli to the Texas Rangers for Eduard Pinto 58 Pearce hit two walk off grand slams in a span of three days one against the Oakland Athletics on July 27 and another against the Los Angeles Angels on July 30 the latter of which is an ultimate grand slam The Blue Jays wore special red and white uniforms at select games during the 2017 season to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Canada 59 Team record 2017 76 wins 86 losses W 469 17 games behind division leader fourth in division 9 games behind AL wild card cutoff eighth in AL wild card2018 season Main article 2018 Toronto Blue Jays season The Blue Jays declined their mutual option on Jose Bautista allowing him to enter free agency He then signed with the Atlanta Braves later the New York Mets and eventually with the Philadelphia Phillies The Blue Jays traded two prospects to the San Diego Padres for Yangervis Solarte The Blue Jays also acquired Curtis Granderson and Seung hwan Oh as free agents On June 22 Roberto Osuna was suspended for 75 games after being accused of sexual assault on May 8 and applied retroactively from the date of the incident In July the Blue Jays traded Pearce to the Boston Red Sox for a prospect Santiago Espinal They also dealt three pitchers J A Happ to the New York Yankees Seung hwan Oh to the Colorado Rockies and Roberto Osuna to the Houston Astros In August the Blue Jays traded Josh Donaldson to the Cleveland Indians for a player to be named later later revealed to be a pitching prospect Julian Merryweather The Blue Jays also traded Curtis Granderson to the Milwaukee Brewers for a prospect On September 26 it was confirmed by the Blue Jays that manager John Gibbons would not return for the 2019 season 60 Team record 2018 73 wins 89 losses W 451 35 games behind division leader fourth in division 24 games behind AL wild card cutoff seventh in AL wild card2019 season Main article 2019 Toronto Blue Jays season Vladimir Guerrero Jr during the 2019 season On October 25 2018 the Blue Jays announced that Charlie Montoyo had been hired as their new manager 61 Early in the season the Blue Jays traded Kendrys Morales to the Oakland Athletics and Kevin Pillar to the San Francisco Giants During the season the Blue Jays called up Vladimir Guerrero Jr Cavan Biggio and Bo Bichette for the first time The three are second generation Major League Baseball players with the first two also being sons of Hall of Famers Vladimir Guerrero Sr and Craig Biggio respectively Bo Bichette is the son of Dante Bichette Nearing the trade deadline the Blue Jays traded Marcus Stroman to the New York Mets and Aaron Sanchez to the Houston Astros Team record 2019 67 wins 95 losses W 414 36 games behind division leader fourth in division 29 games behind AL wild card cutoff ninth in AL wild card2020 season Temporarily in Buffalo Main article 2020 Toronto Blue Jays season A Blue Jays home game at Sahlen Field in Buffalo New York in July 2021 Over the 2019 20 off season the Blue Jays signed free agents Tanner Roark 62 and Hyun jin Ryu 63 The Blue Jays also signed Shun Yamaguchi from the Yomiuri Giants the first player the Blue Jays successfully signed via the posting system 64 On January 18 2020 the Toronto Blue Jays unveiled a new blue alternate uniform 65 On July 24 2020 it was announced that the Toronto Blue Jays would play a majority of their home games in Buffalo New York at their Triple A affiliate Buffalo Bisons ballpark Sahlen Field as the Canadian government disallowed the Blue Jays and their opponents from playing in Canada during the COVID 19 pandemic 66 The Blue Jays reached the Wild Card series of the postseason only to be swept by the Tampa Bay Rays in two games The Blue Jays scored only three runs total in the two games Team record 2020 32 wins 28 losses W 5332021 season Temporarily in Dunedin and Buffalo Main article 2021 Toronto Blue Jays season On successive days in January 2021 the Blue Jays signed relief pitchers Kirby Yates 67 and Tyler Chatwood 68 and outfielder George Springer 69 The Blue Jays also signed infielder Marcus Semien 70 However Yates was out for the entire season to recover from Tommy John surgery The Toronto Blue Jays played their home games in TD Ballpark in Dunedin Florida until June 1 when they moved back to Sahlen Field in Buffalo 71 On July 16 the Blue Jays announced that they would finally return to Rogers Centre in Toronto on July 30 after the Canadian government allowed the Blue Jays and their opponents to play in Canada 72 Alek Manoah was called up to the majors for the first time this season Despite having 91 wins in 2021 the Toronto Blue Jays were fourth in the American League East and one game back of the Wild Card cutoff preventing them from reaching the postseason Team record 2021 91 wins 71 losses W 562 9 games behind division leader fourth in division 1 game behind AL wild card cutoff third in AL wild card 2022 season Main article 2022 Toronto Blue Jays season During the off season the Blue Jays signed Kevin Gausman Yimi Garcia and Yusei Kikuchi as Robbie Ray Marcus Semien and Kirby Yates left for free agency The off season is mainly affected by a lockout that lasted from December 2021 to March 2022 After the lockout the Blue Jays traded for Matt Chapman from the Oakland Athletics as well as traded Randal Grichuk for Raimel Tapia On July 13 the team released Charlie Montoyo as the manager for the team With his four seasons with Toronto 2019 2022 he had a win loss record of 236 235 501 and made it to the playoffs once 2020 ALWC The new interim manager is bench coach John Schneider At the trade deadline the Blue Jays traded for Whit Merrifield from the Kansas City Royals After the trade deadline the Blue Jays claimed Jackie Bradley Jr from waivers The Blue Jays clinched home advantage for the American League Wild Card Series and hosted the Seattle Mariners However the Mariners swept the Blue Jays in two games overcoming an 8 1 deficit in game 2 Team record 2022 92 wins 70 losses W 5682023 season Main article 2023 Toronto Blue Jays season During the off season the Blue Jays traded Teoscar Hernandez to the Seattle Mariners for Erik Swanson and Adam Macko The Blue Jays hired Don Mattingly as the new bench coach The Blue Jays later signed Chris Bassitt and Kevin Kiermaier and traded Gabriel Moreno and Lourdes Gurriel Jr to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Daulton Varsho PopularityValuation of the Blue Jays 1991 present in US dollars Financial World 73 Forbes 74 75 Bloomberg News 76 d 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 77 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 11 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 78 Several Blue Jays became very popular in Toronto and across the major leagues starting with Dave Stieb whose seven All Star selections is a franchise record He is closely followed by Roy Halladay and Jose 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 just one year with 7 454 753 All Star votes 79 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 80 Culture Ace and Junior exchange greetings before the game Ace was the Blue Jays second mascot introduced in 2000 Junior is a mascot occasionally seen for Junior Jays day promotions OK Blue Jays Main article OK Blue Jays During the seventh inning stretch of home games before singing Take Me Out to the Ball Game Blue Jay fans sing and clap to 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 is played at home games Mascots Main article 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 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 a personalized jersey 81 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 On June 29 2019 O Canada was sung in Cree and English 82 On September 30 2021 the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation O Canada was sung in English French and Anishinaabemowin On 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 a 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 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 Exterior entrance to the Jays Shop at Rogers Centre The Blue Jays operate a store that sells primarily Blue Jays merchandise called the Jays Shop This store has three locations two at Rogers Centre and one in the Toronto Eaton Centre Uniforms1977 1988 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 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 Caps were blue with the Blue Jays logo on a white panel in front 83 1989 1996 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 was 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 paneled blue caps at home By 1993 the all blue caps were worn universally supplanting and eventually retiring the original cap design 83 In 1994 the Blue Jays began wearing blue alternate uniforms with the team name and numerals in white blue white split letters 83 1997 2003 The Blue Jays updated their logo prior to the 1997 season with a new bird design and 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 84 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 84 Before the 2001 season slight modifications were made with 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 sleeve while the alternate white uniforms brought back chest numerals 84 2004 2011 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 85 86 2012 present 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 While the original logo contained a baseball behind the Blue Jay head the new logo removed the baseball altogether 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 87 88 In 2015 the Blue Jays began wearing a modernized version of the white paneled blue caps they originally wore from 1977 to 1993 as an alternate 89 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 90 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 add the flag of Canada or a red maple leaf on the uniform 91 RivalriesMontreal Expos Main article Pearson Cup The 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 92 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 93 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 94 BroadcastingSee also List of Toronto Blue Jays broadcasters Canadian regions subject to MLB blackout Toronto Blue Jays exclusively Shared with Seattle Mariners Shared with Minnesota Twins Shared with Boston Red Sox Note Toronto Blue Jays territory covers all of Canada Radio The 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 by 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 95 Radio broadcasts of Blue Jays games are originated 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 96 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 97 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 98 99 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 100 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 with Buck Martinez as the play by play announcer 101 and Pat Tabler as the primary colour analyst On select games play by play is handled by Dan Shulman with Martinez and Tabler on commentary 102 Toronto Raptors play by play announcer Matt Devlin has also filled in for Martinez in a select number of games 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 103 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 104 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 105 Jamie Campbell and Gregg Zaun providing Sportsnet coverage of a Toronto Blue Jays game in 2011 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 106 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 107 108 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 109 110 Sportsnet and Omni announced a regular season of Sunday broadcasts in Tagalog for the 2019 season 111 TVA Sports has aired games in French since 2011 with Denis Casavant and Francois 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 112 Jacques Doucet former Montreal Expos radio announcer broadcast the Blue Jays on TVA Sports from 2011 until his retirement in 2022 113 114 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 115 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 116 The channel would have been dedicated to coverage of baseball combining content from the United States based MLB Network with original Canadian content 117 However the channel was never launched and Rogers sponsored an application to allow distribution of the U S MLB Network on Canadian providers instead 118 119 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 120 In 2022 however MLB allowed Sportsnet to carry its own production of Blue Jays postseason games 121 RosterToronto Blue Jays 2023 spring training rostervte40 man roster Non roster invitees Coaches OtherPitchers 52 Anthony Bass 40 Chris Bassitt 17 Jose Berrios 90 Adam Cimber 65 Hagen Danner 93 Yimi Garcia 34 Kevin Gausman 37 Chad Green 31 Thomas Hatch 16 Yusei Kikuchi 6 Alek Manoah 58 Tim Mayza 24 Nate Pearson 56 Zach Pop 33 Trevor Richards 68 Jordan Romano 99 Hyun jin Ryu 50 Erik Swanson 46 Zach Thompson 57 Trent Thornton 45 Mitch White 60 Yosver Zulueta Catchers 9 Danny Jansen 30 Alejandro KirkInfielders 44 Addison Barger 13 Brandon Belt 11 Bo Bichette 8 Cavan Biggio 26 Matt Chapman 5 Santiago Espinal 27 Vladimir Guerrero Jr 48 Spencer Horwitz 49 Leo Jimenez 51 Otto Lopez 2 Orelvis Martinez 15 Whit MerrifieldOutfielders 39 Kevin Kiermaier 38 Nathan Lukes 4 George Springer 25 Daulton Varsho Pitchers 66 Luke Bard 83 Jimmy Burnette 79 Brandon Eisert 35 Julian Fernandez 63 Junior Fernandez 73 Bowden Francis 43 Paul Fry 80 Adrian Hernandez 36 Drew Hutchison 64 Jay Jackson 76 Hayden Juenger 82 Casey Lawrence 54 Matt Peacock 81 Jackson Rees 77 Sem Robberse 82 Jimmy Robbins 70 Ricky TiedemannCatchers 75 Stevie Berman 55 Rob Brantly 74 Zach Britton 71 Phil Clarke 72 Andres SosaOutfielders 67 Wynton Bernard 47 Vinny Capra Manager 14 John SchneiderCoaches 60 Alex Andreopoulos bullpen catcher 53 Mark Budzinski first base 85 David Howell pitching strategist 19 Dave Hudgens hitting strategist 78 Luis Hurtado bullpen catcher 22 Gil Kim field coordinator 18 Guillermo Martinez hitting 23 Don Mattingly bench coach 59 Hunter Mense assistant hitting 20 Luis Rivera third base 41 Pete Walker pitching 21 Jeff Ware bullpen 86 Adam Yudelman coach 40 active 0 inactive 24 non roster invitees 7 10 or 15 day injured list Not on active roster Suspended list Roster coaches and NRIs updated February 18 2023 Transactions Depth chart All MLB rostersMinor league affiliationsMain article List of Toronto Blue Jays minor league affiliates The Toronto Blue Jays farm system consists of seven minor league affiliates 122 Level Team League Location RelationshipTriple A Buffalo Bisons International League Buffalo New York AffiliationDouble A New Hampshire Fisher Cats Eastern League Manchester New Hampshire AffiliationHigh A Vancouver Canadians Northwest League Vancouver British Columbia AffiliationSingle A Dunedin Blue Jays Florida State League Dunedin Florida OwnershipRookie FCL Blue Jays Florida Complex League Dunedin Florida OwnershipDSL Blue Jays Dominican Summer League Boca Chica Santo Domingo OwnershipDSL Brewers Blue Jays Dominican Summer League Boca Chica Santo Domingo OwnershipSeason by season recordMain article List of Toronto Blue Jays seasonsAwards and other achievementsAward winners and league leaders Main article Toronto Blue Jays award winners and league leaders Franchise records Main article Toronto Blue Jays team records Statistic Single season record Career recordPlayer Record Season Player RecordGames played Tony Fernandez 163 1986 Tony Fernandez 1 450Plate appearances Vernon Wells 735 2003 Carlos Delgado 6 018At bats Tony Fernandez 687 1986 Vernon Wells 5 470Batting average John Olerud 363 1993 Roberto Alomar 307On base percentage John Olerud 473 1993 John Olerud 395Slugging percentage Carlos Delgado 664 2000 Carlos Delgado 556On base plus slugging Carlos Delgado 1 134 2000 Carlos Delgado 949Runs scored Shawn Green 134 1999 Carlos Delgado 889Hits Vernon Wells 215 2003 Tony Fernandez 1 583Total bases Carlos Delgado 378 2000 Carlos Delgado 2 786Doubles Carlos Delgado 57 2000 Carlos Delgado 343Triples Tony Fernandez 17 1990 Tony Fernandez 72Home runs Jose Bautista 54 2010 Carlos Delgado 336RBI Carlos Delgado 145 2003 Carlos Delgado 1 058Walks Jose Bautista 132 2011 Carlos Delgado 827Stolen bases Dave Collins 60 1984 Lloyd Moseby 255Games played pitcher Mark Eichhorn 89 1987 Jason Frasor 505Games started Jim Clancy 40 1982 Dave Stieb 408Wins Roy Halladay 22 2003 Dave Stieb 175Losses Jerry GarvinPhil Huffman 18 19771979 Jim Clancy 140Winning percentage Dennis Lamp 1 000 1985 Roger Clemens 759Innings pitched Dave Stieb 288 1 1982 Dave Stieb 2 873ERA Mark Eichhorn 1 72 1986 Tom Henke 2 48Earned runs Erik Hanson 129 1996 Dave Stieb 1 091Strikeouts Roger Clemens 292 1997 Dave Stieb 1 658Complete Games Dave Stieb 19 1982 Dave Stieb 102Shutouts Dave Stieb 5 1982 Dave Stieb 30Saves Duane Ward 45 1993 Tom Henke 217 123 124 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 125 No perfect games a special subcategory of no hitter have 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 and he scored by the next batter 126 Date Pitcher Final score Base runners Opponent Catcher Plate umpire Manager Notes Ref1 September 2 1990 Dave Stieb 3 0 4 Cleveland Indians Pat Borders Drew Coble Cito Gaston First and only no hitter in franchise history First and only no hitter on the road First and only right handed pitcher to throw a no hitter in franchise history 127 Triple Crown champions Roger Clemens won the pitching Triple Crown in 1997 and 1998 128 Baseball Hall of Famers Ten 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 Toronto Blue Jays Hall of FamersAffiliation according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and MuseumToronto Blue Jays Roberto AlomarBobby Cox Pat Gillick Roy Halladay Rickey Henderson Fred McGriffPaul Molitor Jack MorrisPhil Niekro Scott Rolen Frank ThomasDave WinfieldPlayers and managers listed in bold are depicted on their Hall of Fame plaques wearing a Blue Jays cap insignia 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 129 Roy Halladay s plaque does not depict him with a cap insignia 130 however the Hall of Fame recognizes the Blue Jays as his primary team 131 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 recipientsAffiliation according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and MuseumTom Cheek Tony KubekNames in bold received the award based primarily on their work as broadcasters for the Blue Jays BBWAA Career Excellence Award recipients Toronto Blue Jays BBWAA Career Excellence Award recipientsAffiliation according to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and MuseumBob ElliottNames in bold received the award based primarily on their work covering the Blue Jays Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame Main article Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame Blue Jays in the Canadian Baseball Hall of FameNo Inductee Position Tenure Notes12 Roberto Alomar 2B 1991 1995 Gord Ash GM 1995 2001 Born in Toronto attended York University Paul Beeston Executive 1976 19972008 2015 Born in Welland Ontario attended University of Western Ontario11 George Bell LF 1981 1983 199029 43 Joe Carter OF 1B 1991 1997 Tom Cheek Broadcaster 1977 20046 21 25 Carlos Delgado 1B 1993 2004 Jacques Doucet Broadcaster 2011 present Elected mainly for his broadcasting career with Montreal Expos Born in Montreal20 22 40 Rob Ducey OF 1987 1992 2000 Born in Toronto raised in Cambridge1 Tony Fernandez SS 1983 1990 19931998 1999 200135 Jeff Francis P 2015 Born in Vancouver British Columbia attended University of British Columbia43 Cito Gaston Manager 1989 19972008 2010 Pat Gillick GM 1978 199432 52 Roy Halladay P 1998 2009 Peter Hardy Executive 1976 1993 Born in Toronto Ontario50 Tom Henke P 1985 199241 Pat Hentgen P 1991 1999 200447 Corey Koskie 3B 2005 Born in Anola Manitoba attended University of Manitoba Tony Kubek Broadcaster 1977 19893 Bobby Mattick Manager 1980 198139 Dave McKay 2B 3B 1977 1979 Born in Vancouver British Columbia15 Lloyd Moseby CF 1980 19899 John Olerud 1B 1989 199648 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 Manitoba24 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 Toronto37 Dave Stieb P 1979 1992 199831 Duane Ward P 1986 199512 Ernie Whitt C 1977 1978 1980 1989Retired numbers Jackie Robinson s number was retired by every team in MLB on April 15 1997 See also List of Major League Baseball retired numbers RobertoAlomar2BRetired July 31 2011 RoyHalladayPRetired March 29 2018 JackieRobinsonAll MLBHonored April 15 1997Soon 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 132 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 133 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 FernandezSS 3B 1983 1990 1993 1998 1999 2001 George BellLF 1981 1990 Roberto Alomar 2B 1991 1995 Carlos Delgado1B 1993 2004 Joe CarterRF 1B 1991 1997 Dave StiebP 1979 1992 1998 Cito GastonManager 1989 1997 2008 2010 Tom CheekBroadcaster 1977 2005 Paul BeestonVP 1976 1989 President 1989 1997 2008 2015 Roy HalladayP 1998 2009 Pat GillickGM 1978 1994 Roberto Alomar was inducted into the Level of Excellence in 2008 but was removed in 2021 after he was banned from baseball Players uniform numbers were listed and in Tom Cheek s case the number of consecutive games he called for the Blue Jays 134 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 games called streak 135 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 136 137 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 138 Charity and partnershipsThe Jays Care Foundation is the charitable arm of the Toronto Blue Jays baseball organization and conducts events to support local organizations and community members 139 They also provide baseball education and life skill workshops to the youth of communities across Canada 140 141 142 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 until July 30 at Sahlen Field in Buffalo New York 6 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 Unlike the Forbes valuations Bloomberg includes contributions from regional sports networks and related businesses in the total value 76 References a b The Blue is back in Blue Jays BlueJays com Press release MLB Advanced Media November 18 2011 Retrieved May 5 2020 a b History of the Logo BlueJays com MLB Advanced Media Retrieved May 5 2020 Calcaterra Craig July 24 2020 The Buffalo Blue Jays are officially happening NBC Sports Retrieved July 24 2020 Buffalo Blue Jays MLB might play in WNY after Canada bars team from Toronto Syracuse com July 19 2020 Retrieved July 24 2020 Machlin Tvzi July 24 2020 Toronto Blue Jays Officially Decide On New Home For 2020 Season The Spun Retrieved July 24 2020 Matheson Keegan July 24 2020 Blue Jays to play home games in Buffalo BlueJays com MLB Advanced Media Retrieved September 28 2020 Front Office Directory BlueJays com MLB Advanced Media Retrieved May 5 2020 Matheson Keegan December 21 2020 Here s how the Blue Jays got their name BlueJays com MLB Advanced Media Retrieved July 18 2021 a href Template Cite news html title Template Cite news cite news a CS1 maint url status link Toronto Blue Jays Team History amp Encyclopedia Baseball Reference Sports Reference LLC Retrieved October 13 2022 Livesey Bruce January 25 2006 The champs champion Canadian Lawyer Magazine Retrieved May 2 2019 a b c d Blue Jays Timeline Archived November 29 2014 at the Wayback Machine BlueJays com Accessed on December 7 2011 Ken Carson and Larry Millson 2016 From Hockey to Baseball I kept them in stitches FriesenPress p 100 ISBN 9781460280126 ROSS NEWHAN October 18 1988 THE WORLD SERIES OAKLAND ATHLETICS vs LOS ANGELES DODGERS Griffin Covers Gap at Shortstop for Dodgers Los Angeles Times Joanne Gerstner 2015 Toronto Blue Jays ABDO p 18 ISBN 9781629688411 Braun Wayne Brehl Jack 1985 The Drive of 85 A Salute to the Blue Jays by the Toronto Star Doubleday Canada ISBN 978 0 385 25037 5 1943 St Louis Cardinals Baseball Reference com Accessed on June 13 2014 October 24 1992 World Series Game 6 at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium Play by Play and Box Score Baseball Reference com October 24 1992 Retrieved February 19 2011 1893 National League Batting Leaders Baseball Reference com Accessed on May 29 2012 Ted Rogers buys The Blue Jays CBC News September 1 2000 Retrieved December 28 2013 Bastian Jordan July 2 2006 Five Jays named to AL All Star squad MLB Retrieved June 18 2007 permanent dead link Bastian Jordan October 3 2009 Ricciardi out as Blue Jays GM MLB Advanced Media Archived from the original on October 6 2009 Retrieved October 3 2009 Jordan Bastian MLB com Blue Jays ink shortstop Gonzalez Toronto Blue Jays MLB Archived from the original on March 30 2012 Retrieved February 19 2011 Spring preview Rotation key for Blue Jays USA Today January 25 2011 Archived from the original on March 13 2012 Retrieved March 12 2012 Blue Jays acquire Francisco in exchange for Napoli Tsn ca January 25 2011 Archived from the original on January 28 2011 Retrieved February 19 2011 Zwelling Arden December 12 2012 Game Changers The New Blue Jays Sportsnet Magazine a b A season to forget in Blue Jay land The Globe and Mail October 2 2012 Blue Jays outlast Indians in 16 inning marathon opener CBC Sports April 5 2012 Zwolinski Mark April 21 2012 Blue Jays turn triple play in 4 3 win over Kansas City Royals Toronto Star Retrieved April 22 2018 Kennedy Brendan June 8 2013 Toronto Blue Jays win longest game in 18 innings TheStar com Retrieved June 8 2013 Chisholm Gregor June 23 2013 Blowout win puts Blue Jays firmly in AL East race MLB com Retrieved June 23 2013 Detroit Tigers at Toronto Blue Jays August 10 2014 MLB com Retrieved August 10 2014 MacLeod Robert November 18 2014 Blue Jays make Russell Martin signing official Globe and Mail Retrieved December 16 2014 Lott John November 1 2014 Toronto Blue Jays trade Adam Lind GM hopes it will pave the way for a roster shake up National Post Archived from the original on November 1 2014 Retrieved December 16 2014 Kennedy Brendan November 12 2014 Blue Jays trade Anthony Gose to Tigers thestar com Retrieved December 16 2014 Kennedy Brendan November 28 2014 Blue Jays trade Brett Lawrie to A s for Josh Donaldson Toronto Star Retrieved December 16 2014 Stark Jayson December 3 2014 J A Happ traded to Mariners ESPN Retrieved December 16 2014 Divish Ryan October 28 2014 Justin Smoak claimed off waivers by the Blue Jays Seattle Times Archived from the original on October 4 2017 Retrieved December 16 2014 Blue Jays add Andy Dirks Jeff Francis Toronto Sun October 31 2014 Retrieved December 16 2014 Toronto Blue Jays claim first baseman and outfielder Chris Colabello off waivers National Post Canadian Press December 8 2014 Archived from the original on December 8 2014 Retrieved December 16 2014 Blue Jays make Andy Dirks John Mayberry Jr and Justin Smoak free agents Globe and Mail Associated Press December 3 2014 Retrieved December 16 2014 Sullivan Paul December 15 2014 Melky Cabrera deal official 42 million from White Sox over 3 years Chicago Tribune Retrieved December 16 2014 Kennedy Brendan December 16 2014 Oft injured Blue Jays starter Brandon Morrow signs with San Diego Padres Toronto Star Retrieved December 16 2014 Kennedy Brendan November 19 2014 Red Sox claim Juan Francisco on waivers from Blue Jays Toronto Star Retrieved December 16 2014 Kennedy Brendan September 25 2015 Toronto Blue Jays clinch playoff spot for first time in 22 years thestar com Retrieved September 26 2015 Blue Jays clinch AL East September 30 2015 Blue Jays advance to ALCS after emotional win over Rangers Sportsnet ca Keh Andrew October 15 2015 Baseball reaches a flipping point The New York Times Retrieved November 11 2015 Bautista Jose November 9 2015 Are you flipping kidding me The Players Tribune staff The Players Tribune Retrieved November 17 2015 Blue Jays tough playoff loss ends season of discovery CBC News Report Blue Jays sign Kendrys Morales to three year deal sports yahoo com Kruth Cash November 18 2016 Blue Jays announce signing of slugger Morales MLB com Archived from the original on November 19 2016 Retrieved November 18 2016 Nicholson Smith Ben December 5 2016 Blue Jays sign Steve Pearce to two year 12 5M deal sportsnet ca Retrieved December 5 2016 Bastian Jordan January 5 2017 Indians sign free agent Edwin Encarnacion to a three year contract mlb com Archived from the original on January 5 2017 Retrieved January 5 2017 Chisholm Gregor Sanchez Jesse January 18 2017 Bautista returns to Blue Jays on 1 year deal MLB com Archived from the original on January 18 2017 Retrieved January 18 2017 Nicholson Smith Ben June 28 2017 Blue Jays sign Michael Saunders to minor league deal Sportsnet Retrieved June 29 2017 Blue Jays place Roberto Osuna on 10 day DL Upton Jr released Sportsnet April 2 2017 Retrieved June 29 2017 Buffery Steve April 20 2017 Blue Jays bats deathly silent in loss to Red Sox torontosun com Retrieved June 5 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Transactions in July MLB com Archived from the original on August 1 2017 Retrieved July 2 2017 Blue Jays unveil new Canadiana uniforms BlueJays com Press release MLB Advanced Media January 20 2017 Retrieved May 19 2020 Armstrong Laura September 26 2018 Blue Jays make it official John Gibbons won t be back as manager next year Toronto Star Retrieved September 27 2018 Chisholm Gregor October 25 2018 Blue Jays hire Rays coach Montoyo as skipper MLB com Major League Baseball Retrieved October 25 2018 Matheson Keegan Brudnicki Alexis December 18 2019 Roark Blue Jays finalize 2 year deal BlueJays com MLB Advanced Media Retrieved December 18 2019 Harrigan Thomas December 27 2019 Blue Jays sign left hander Ryu to 4 year deal BlueJays com MLB Advanced Media Retrieved January 2 2020 Matheson Keegan December 28 2019 Yamaguchi s deal with Blue Jays finalized BlueJays com MLB Advanced Media Retrieved May 5 2020 Blue Jays unveil NEWBLUE alternate uniform BlueJays com Press release MLB Advanced Media January 18 2020 Retrieved May 5 2020 Blue Jays will play majority of home games in Buffalo cbc ca Press release July 24 2020 Retrieved July 24 2020 Toronto adds high upside reliever Kirby Yates MLB com Blue Jays add depth with RHP Chatwood MLB com Springer Blue Jays finalize 6 year deal MLB com Blue Jays officially announce Marcus Semien signing Sportsnet ca Retrieved July 30 2021 Davidi Shi May 5 2021 Blue Jays announce move back to Buffalo s Sahlen Field for June 1 Sportsnet Retrieved July 7 2021 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Blue Jays Receive National Interest Exemption To Return To Canada On July 30 MLB Trade Rumors com Retrieved July 16 2021 Data from the following annual reports Baldo Anthony Biesada Alexandra Hackney Holt Ozanian Michael K Taub Stephen July 9 1991 Secrets of the front office What America s pro teams are worth Financial World 28 Ozanian Michael K Taub Stephen Morris Kathleen Fink Ronald July 7 1992 Big leagues bad business Financial World 34 Ozanian Michael K Taub Stephen Fink Ronald Kimelman John Reingold Jennifer Starr Jason May 25 1993 Foul ball Financial World 50 Ozanian Michael K Fink Ronald Kimelman John Reingold Jennifer Osterland Andrew Starr Jason Grabarek Brooke May 10 1994 The 11 billion pastime Why sports franchise values are soaring even as team profits fall Financial World 50 Ozanian Michael K Atre Tushar Fink Ronald Reingold Jennifer May 9 1995 Suite deals Why new stadiums are shaking up the pecking order of sports franchises Financial World 42 Atre Tushar Auns Kristine Badenhausen Kurt McAuliffe Kevin May 20 1996 The high stakes game of team ownership Financial World 49 Badenhausen Kurt Nikolov Christopher June 17 1997 More than a game An in depth look at the raging bull market in sports franchises Financial World 40 Toronto Blue Jays Forbes March 2014 Retrieved June 3 2014 20 Toronto Blue Jays Forbes April 19 2007 Retrieved June 3 2014 a b Major League Baseball Franchise Valuations Bloomberg L P October 23 2013 Retrieved June 3 2014 Timeline MLB com Yankees reach four million in tickets sales for second consecutive season MLB July 2 2006 Retrieved December 13 2011 permanent dead link Grand slam Jose Bautista nabs a record number of All Star votes Toronto Star July 3 2011 Archived from the original on August 26 2011 Retrieved December 7 2011 Donaldson receives most ASG votes in history MLB July 8 2015 Archived from the original on March 4 2016 Retrieved February 28 2016 Beyond the Ballpark PDF Archived from the original PDF on August 12 2014 Retrieved May 6 2018 Kiya Bruno sings O Canada in Cree amp English at Blue Jays game sportsnet ca June 29 2019 Retrieved June 30 2019 a b c Thread on Threads Part I Blue Jays Logos and Uniforms 1977 1996 SB Nation November 17 2011 Retrieved September 12 2020 a b c Thread on Threads Part II Blue Jays Logos and Uniforms 1997 2003 SB Nation November 18 2011 Retrieved September 12 2020 Know your postseason graphics Toronto Blue Jays edition SportingNews com October 7 2015 Retrieved September 12 2020 David Singh October 7 2015 Dark Days Sportsnet Retrieved September 12 2020 Zwolinski Mark August 9 2011 Jays making a uniform change The Toronto Star Chisholm Gregor November 18 2011 Blue Jays unveil new logo for 2012 season BlueJays MLB com Archived from the original on November 21 2011 Retrieved November 19 2011 Blue Jays will be wearing new white panel caps on Sunday SB Nation August 11 2015 Retrieved September 12 2020 Brudnicki Alexis January 18 2020 Blue Jays unveil New Blue jerseys for 2020 mlb com Retrieved September 12 2020 Toronto Blue Jays Ranking the top 5 jerseys of all time FanSided Retrieved July 2 2022 Buffery Steve June 3 2014 Jays Tigers rivalry isn t what it used to be torontosun com Retrieved June 25 2015 Niyo Picture still cloudy for muddled Tigers Detroit News Retrieved July 18 2017 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 What Safeco Field Is Like When It Gets Invaded by Blue Jays Fans Sports Retrieved July 18 2017 Fordin Spencer Cheek s wife accepts Frick Award with moving speech MLB Retrieved August 22 2013 Sportsnet terminates Gregg Zaun after allegations of inappropriate behaviour Sportsnet November 30 2017 Retrieved November 30 2017 Sportsnet parts ways with veteran Blue Jays announcer Mike Wilner thestar com November 27 2020 Retrieved February 27 2021 Sportsnet cuts Blue Jays radio broadcast for 2021 will simulcast TV coverage over airwaves thestar com February 26 2021 Retrieved February 27 2021 Blue Jays become first MLB team without a dedicated radio feed Awful Announcing February 27 2021 Retrieved February 27 2021 Blue Jays Radio Network Toronto Blue Jays MLB April 1 2021 Jordan Bastian MLB com January 17 2006 Martinez joins Jays as play by play man bluejays com News Toronto Blue Jays MLB Archived from the original on March 30 2012 Retrieved February 19 2011 Gregor Chisholm MLB com November 19 2015 Shulman joining Blue Jays TV broadcast crew Major League Baseball MLB Archived from the original on June 2 2016 Retrieved May 2 2016 Blue Jays Now Exclusively on Sportsnet Blue Jays press release May 13 2010 Dowbiggun Bruce Pelley will need all his smarts to fix Sportsnet One fiasco Globe and Mail Canada Archived from the original on August 23 2010 Retrieved August 23 2010 Great Canadian Ratings Report Blue Jays continue to set records for Sportsnet Yahoo Sports Canada Retrieved October 16 2015 Three Blue Jays games to feature described video BlueJays com MLB Advanced Media Archived from the original on October 22 2013 Retrieved June 8 2013 OMNI to air Blue Jays vs Red Sox in Mandarin Thursday Citynews ca Rogers Media Retrieved June 28 2013 OMNI TV To Air First Mandarin Broadcast of MLB Game in Canada Broadcaster Magazine Archived from the original on December 3 2013 Retrieved June 28 2013 OMNI to field Blue Jays games in Tagalog this summer Cartt ca June 1 2018 Retrieved May 12 2019 permanent dead link Blue Jays baseball games in Tagalog language coming to OMNI Television The Columbia Valley Pioneer June 1 2018 Archived from the original on May 12 2019 Retrieved May 12 2019 Sportsnet to field all Toronto Blue Jays games Cartt ca March 26 2019 Retrieved May 12 2019 permanent dead link TVA Sports French language home of the Blue Jays for the next three seasons MLB com Retrieved March 3 2023 Gendron Martin Raphael Doucet et Brulotte de nouveau reunis Le Journal de Montreal Retrieved March 3 2023 Staff TSN ca October 5 2022 Ford C Frick Award finalists Jerry Howarth Jacques Doucet Toronto Blue Jays Montreal Expos TSN Retrieved March 3 2023 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 Mulliniks Barfield join CBC s Blue Jays booth Canada CBC June 7 2007 Retrieved June 18 2007 Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2008 171 PDF Canadian Radio television and Telecommunications Commission August 13 2008 Archived PDF from the original on July 7 2013 Retrieved July 2 2015 Houston William January 7 2009 Baseball TV may launch this year The Globe and Mail Retrieved July 2 2015 Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2012 637 Canadian Radio Television Commission November 21 2012 Retrieved July 2 2015 Rogers bids to bring MLB Network to Canada CBC News June 20 2012 Retrieved July 2 2015 Sportsnet touts four million viewers for Jays vs Orioles matchup Metro Archived from the original on October 10 2016 Retrieved October 11 2016 Laskaris Adam October 3 2022 Buck Martinez to lead Sportsnet s Blue Jays playoff broadcasts Daily Hive Retrieved October 4 2022 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Affiliates Baseball Reference Sports Reference Retrieved May 13 2020 Toronto Blue Jays Top 10 Batting Leaders Baseball Reference Retrieved December 15 2014 Toronto Blue Jays Top 10 Pitching Leaders Baseball Reference Sports Reference LLC Retrieved December 15 2014 Toronto Blue Jays Franchise History ESPN Retrieved November 22 2010 Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Almanac Retrieved November 22 2010 September 2 1990 Toronto Blue Jays at Cleveland Indians Play by Play and Box Score Baseball Reference com Sports Reference LLC Retrieved November 22 2010 Triple Crown Winners Baseball Reference Retrieved December 17 2014 Gillick Pat Baseball Hall of Fame Hall of Famers Retrieved January 31 2019 No hat logo for Halladay s Hall plaque Mussina uncertain The Philadelphia Inquirer January 23 2019 Retrieved January 31 2019 Halladay Roy Baseball Hall of Fame Hall of Famers Retrieved January 31 2019 Roberto Alomar s uniform number to be retired by Blue Jays MLB Retrieved November 19 2011 Blue Jays to retire number 32 in honour of Roy Halladay MLB Advanced Media February 12 2018 Retrieved April 22 2018 Level of Excellence Toronto Blue Jays Archived from the original on November 5 2011 Retrieved November 19 2011 McNeil Shane July 20 2011 YOUR CALL SHOULD THE BLUE JAYS RETIRE ANY MORE NUMBERS TSN Archived from the original on January 18 2012 Retrieved November 19 2011 Facebook www facebook com Archived from the original on February 26 2022 Davidi Shi MLB Blue Jays sever ties with Roberto Alomar after sexual misconduct investigation Sportsnet Blue Jays to honour Jose Bautista on Level of Excellence Sportsnet ca Retrieved March 5 2023 Kitchener resident wins 3 8 million in 50 50 draw to support Toronto Blue Jays charity Globalnews ca Global News Retrieved December 8 2022 Jays Care Foundation Flaghouse Physical Education Equipment Recreational Products Retrieved December 8 2022 How Jays Care Foundation builds up Unstoppable Kids www sportsnet ca Retrieved December 8 2022 JAYS CARE FOUNDATION CanadaHelps Donate to any charity in Canada Retrieved December 8 2022 Some text copied via the GFDL from BR Bullpen article on the 2009 Blue JaysExternal links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Toronto Blue Jays Toronto Blue Jays official websiteAwards and achievementsPreceded byMinnesota Twins1991 World Series champions1992 1993 Succeeded byAtlanta Braves1995Preceded byMinnesota Twins1991 American League champions1992 1993 Succeeded byCleveland Indians1995 Portals Baseball Canada Ontario Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Toronto Blue Jays amp oldid 1144316129, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.