Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Toronto signed Jose Bautista, 43, to a one-day contract before the team’s home opener against the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday. It was a special event that allowed Batista to officially retire as a member of the Toronto club.
“Everyone knows I’ve been retired for a while, but this is to make it official,” Batista said. There’s no better way to officially retire than to come back to Toronto and sign a one-day contract and then announce my real retirement,” said Batista, explaining his decision to sign a one-day contract.
Batista, who played for Toronto from 2008 to 2017, did not play in the big leagues again until 2018, when he played for three teams – Atlanta, the New York Mets and Philadelphia. He later competed for Team Dominica at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, where he won a bronze medal.
Toronto president Mark Shapiro, 56, said in a press conference,온라인바카라 “There are not many names that can replace Batista in the Toronto organisation. “We are honoured to have him officially retire in a Blue Jays uniform. On behalf of the fans who grew up watching his punch and work ethic on the field, I want to thank him for his 10 years in Toronto.”
Highlights of Batista’s career, as presented by the Jays with his signature “bat flip. His 54 home runs in 2010 are still a franchise record for a single season. Toronto Blue Jays Official Twitter
Batista spent 15 years in the big leagues, debuting with Baltimore in 2004 and retiring after the 2018 season with Philadelphia, with the longest 10 seasons (2008-2017) in Toronto, where he led the league in home runs in 2010 (54) and 2011 (43). His 54 home runs are still the most by a Toronto player in franchise history. Batista’s golden years in Toronto included six consecutive All-Star selections (2010-2015).
For Toronto fans, he is best remembered for his spectacular “bat flip” after hitting a three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning to break a 3-3 tie in Game 5 of the American League Division Series (ALDS) in the 2015 playoffs.
Batista was the centrepiece of Toronto’s back-to-back American League Championship Series (ALCS) appearances in 2015 and 2016. Since then, Toronto’s postseason success has been limited to wild-card berths (2020 and 2022).
Batista stands in front of the Toronto team locker room in his new uniform after signing a one-day contract before Game 13. Toronto=AP News
A 40-minute ceremony commemorating Batista’s retirement was held before the game on the 13th. Batista told the 42,585 fans who packed the Rogers Centre in Anbang, “You have embraced me and my family like family. You treated me like an All-Star long before I was an All-Star. I will never forget that I was a Toronto player, and I will always be proud to have played for Toronto.”
On the same day, Batista was inducted into the Hall of Excellence, the club’s own version of the Hall of Fame. Batista will have his name engraved alongside franchise legends on the exterior wall in the centre of the stadium’s grandstand.
Toronto celebrated Batista’s induction into the franchise’s Hall of Fame by unveiling his name in the centre field bleachers at his retirement ceremony before a home game against the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday. Toronto=AP News
Batista then threw out the pregame ceremonial first pitch, and his catcher was fellow Dominican Vladimir Guerrero Jr, 24, who plays in Toronto. After catching Batista’s ball, Guerrero Jr. pulled a pen out of his pocket so Batista could sign the memorabilia.
“Today is a tribute to all the hard work and sacrifice he put in every day on the field,” said Guerrero Jr. “When he retires and sees the club giving back to him like this, it will make him really appreciate his time on the field.
Jose Bautista (left) and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. pose for a photo after the ceremonial first pitch. Toronto Blue Jays Official Twitter