Today marks Jose Bautista's46th birthday.
From 2008 to 2017, the Blue Jays' seasons would have looked very different without Jose. He delivered countless unforgettable moments, none more iconic than his legendary home run and bat flip in Game 5.
When Jose was acquired in August 2008, the trade barely registered enough attention for a post on our site. In hindsight, it became the best trade of JP Ricciardi's tenure as manager. Bautista went six games before recording his first hit as a Blue Jay and didn't make an immediate splash. His first home run came on September 2nd.
Bautista hit 288 home runs as a Blue Jay, second only to Carlos Delgado's 336. He also ranks second in franchise bWAR among batters (37.3), just behind Tony Fernandez (37.5). Additionally, he sits seventh in OBP (.372), fifth in slugging percentage (.506), second in runs scored (790, again trailing Delgado by 99), third in RBI (766, behind Vernon Wells and Delgado), second in walks (803, 24 behind Delgado), and fifth in games played (1,235).
Beyond the numbers, Bautista was the face of the Blue Jays for several years, giving the team a distinct personality. The Jays developed an edge and swagger that made them polarizing—other teams' fans loved to hate them. As Reggie Jackson once said, 'They don't boo nobodies.'
Jose's intensity was unmatched—he desperately wanted to win. Sometimes, his drive rubbed people the wrong way. I never expected to see another player match that intensity until Josh Donaldson joined the team. I recall Jose quietly stepping in between Josh and the umpires when it looked like Donaldson might get ejected, and I thought Jose could have used someone to do the same for him in the past.
I appreciate players who want to win, and I especially enjoyed the moments when Jose revealed his sense of humor.
Some critics claimed Jose wasn't a leader or a good teammate—a common accusation leveled at star players on teams that fall short. These complaints usually came from outsiders. Jose's actions spoke louder than words, like when he quietly stood up for Devon Travis after Sportsnet had him pay for a suit during a feature with Hazel Mae. Without fanfare, Jose refused to speak to Sportsnet until they corrected the situation.
Videos of Jose working with Chris Colabello in the outfield, or helping teammates with their swings, show he was indeed a supportive teammate.
It's hard to imagine those years without Jose—they simply wouldn't have been as enjoyable. The team honoured him by putting his name on the Level of Excellence in 2023.
Watching him play in the Olympics was a treat—it was great to see that familiar batting stance once more.
Happy Birthday, Jose. Hope it's a great one.
Today, J.A. Happcelebrates his 44th birthday.
Happ had two separate stints with the Blue Jays. The first was less than stellar. In July 2012, the Jays traded Francisco Cordero, Ben Francisco, Joe Musgrove, Carlos Perez, David Rollins, Asher Wojciechowski, and Devin Comer to Houston in exchange for Happ, David Carpenter, and Brandon Lyon.
During his initial run in Toronto, Happ went 19-20 with a 4.48 ERA over 58 games (44 starts) across two and a half seasons. His time was interrupted by injuries, including a frightening line drive to the head that also caused a knee injury and sidelined him for an extended period.
Before the 2015 season, the Jays traded Happ to the Mariners for Michael Saunders. His stint in Seattle was disappointing (4-6, 4.64 ERA), leading to a deadline trade to Pittsburgh. With the Pirates and pitching coach Ray Searage, Happ found his form, going 7-2 with a 1.85 ERA over 11 starts.
Following that season, Happ returned to Toronto and in 2016 enjoyed his only 20-win season (20-4, 3.18 ERA), finishing sixth in Cy Youngvoting.
He made two playoff starts that year: earning a win against the Rangers in the ALDS (5 innings, 1 earned run) and taking a loss against Cleveland in the ALCS (5 innings, 2 earned runs).
2017 proved more challenging, as he went 10- 6 with a 3.53 ERA in 25 starts, hindered by injuries.
In 2018, Happ went 10-6 with a 4.18 ERA in 20 starts before being traded to the Yankees at the deadline. He excelled in New York, posting a 7-0 record with a 2.69 ERA and helping them reach the playoffs. In 2019, he was 12-8 with a 4.91 ERA in 31 games (30 starts).
In 2021, Happ signed with the Twins and struggled through 19 starts before being traded to the Cardinals, where he performed significantly better over 11 starts.
Overall, as a Blue Jay, Happ recorded a 59-41 record with a 3.88 ERA in 135 games (127 starts). He ranks ninth all-time in franchise wins and is one of only six Jays pitchers to achieve a 20-win season.
Happy Birthday ,J.A.!
Rajai Davisis celebrating his 46th birthday today. He spent three of his 14 major league seasons with th eBlue Jays.
With Toronto, Davis batted .252/.299/.369 and stole 125 bases (seventh all-time in franchise history) over 345 games. According to Baseball Reference, he contributed 1.6 WAR as a Blue Jay.
Personally, I wasn't a big fan—he struggled with plate discipline and often chased pitches outside the zone.
Over his career, Davis played 1,448 games with eight teams, posting a .262/.311/.379 line and stealing 415 bases.
Happy Birthday, Rajai!
Randy Ruizturns 49 today.
Ruiz was a career minor leaguer but had a standout season for Triple-A Las Vegas in 2009 at age 31, hitting .320/.392/.584—especially notable given the Jays were relying on Kevin Millar that year.
He was called up in mid-August, hitting .313/.385/.635 in 33 games, while Millar managed just .223/.311/.363 in 78 games.
Unfortunately, that was the peak of his MLB career. He played 13 games for the Jays in 2010, hitting .150/.150/.275 before being released.
Ruiz continued playing after his MLB stint, including a season in Japan and time in Mexico and the Puerto Rican Winter Leagues.
Happy Birthday, Randy!
Anthony Santanderturns 32 today.
Injuries have limited Santander to just 54 games in his first two years with the Jays. Here's hoping next year goes better.
Happy Birthday, Anthony!
