WATCH: Blue Jays legend Jose Bautista takes batting practice before Toronto's game against Pittsburgh

Blue Jays legend Jose Bautista participated in batting practice prior to Friday
Blue Jays legend Jose Bautista participated in batting practice prior to Friday's game

The Toronto Blue Jays had a familiar face joining the team on Friday as slugger Jose Bautista made his return to the Rogers Centre. A Blue Jays legend, Bautista was not only seen donning the team's new City Connect jerseys but also took part in batting practice.

"José Bautista taking BP with the #BlueJays. He hits one to Jupiter near the end here." - @KeeganMatheson

The 43-year-old was seen crushing balls prior to the Toronto Blue Jays home matchup against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Although Jose Bautista fouled off a few of the early pitches in the video, the six-time All-Star launched of a few long drives as he warmed up.

Given the struggles of the Toronto Blue Jays so far this season, fans may push for the organization to re-sign the club icon on a minimum contract. Bautista was a beast for the Blue Jays during his tenure with the team, crushing a total of 288 home runs and 766 RBIs while also posting a .253 batting average.

"José Bautista's officially on the level of excellence." - @Ryley_L_D

Although Jose Bautista fell off the Hall of Fame ballot by not receiving the minimum amount of votes, he was honored by the Toronto Bue Jays last season.

During the 2023 campaign, the Blue Jays honored their former slugger by adding him to the club's Level of Excellence. Bautista joined the likes of George Bell, Joe Carter, and Carlos Delgado as former players earning this honor.


Jose Bautista was traded to the Blue Jays by the Pittsburgh Pirates

Bautista's pre-game batting practice coincidentally came prior to the Toronto Blue Jays matchup against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The All-Star slugger was traded to Toronto for a "player to be named later." Essentially, the Blue Jays acquired Bautista for next to nothing following an unspectacular stint with the Pirates.

"TDIT, August 21, 2008: The Toronto Blue Jays trade a player to be named later, later revealed as catcher Robinson Diaz, to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for triple-A third baseman Jose Bautista." - @matttomic

Following the move to the Toronto Blue Jays, Bautista developed into the All-Star slugger, which made him a legend for the club. The slugging outfielder became a prominent star for the Blue Jays, leading to one of the most iconic moments in club history.

During the 2015 ALDS against the Texas Rangers, Jose Bautista clobbered a towering home run over the left field fence, launching his bat into the air for one of the most iconic bat flips in MLB history. The home run helped the Jays advance to the ALCS against the Kansas City Royals.

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Edited by Lyndon Suvanto
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