At first, it looked like it would never happen. And then, a lot of things happened. And finally, it did happen.
Jose Bautista is once again a member of the Toronto Blue Jays, signing a one-year $18 million deal with options for 2018 and 2019.
The importance of this move cannot be overstated. Joey Bats embodies the identity of this iteration of the team, and it could be argued that his collection of memorable moments makes him the greatest Blue Jays position player of all time (with all due respect to the eternally underrated Carlos Delgado).
It seemed a foregone conclusion that both Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion would be playing in different uniforms this offseason. While fans openly pined for Encarnacion’s return, there seemed to be less enthusiasm overall for Bautista.
However, once Edwin left for Cleveland, Bautista ended up moving to the top of Toronto’s priority list. A lot of people who had talked themselves out of Bautista were now buying back in.
There’s been a lot of discussion around the part of the contract that comes after 2017, and all of it is overblown. If Bautista has a bounceback year, he hits the market again looking for that elusive big payday. If he struggles or suffers another nagging injury, he probably re-ups with the Jays or is sent packing.
So for all intents and purposes, treat this as a one-year deal with a “see what happens” clause.
All things considered, it’s the best possible situation for both Bautista and the Jays. Joey Bats gets another year to prove he’s still an elite player, and the offence gets one of its most vital pieces back. If new signings Kendrys Morales and Steve Pearce can adequately compensate for the loss of Encarnacion, Toronto may not take much of a step back in 2017, if at all.
After an offseason full of uncertainty for the Blue Jays, one signing seems to have flipped the whole thing around.
Chris Suppa is a freelance writer and photographer based in Toronto. Follow him at @Suppa55 for somewhat-coherent ramblings about the Blue Jays and on Instagram at @chrissuppaphotography.
