No one in Toronto knows home runs quite like Jose Bautista.
If there was any doubt that ‘Joey Bats’ has still got it, the 43-year-old laid those questions to rest, launching a pair of moonshots while taking batting practice with the Toronto Blue Jays before their game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday.
In town for the release of the Blue Jays’ new City Connect uniforms, Bautista took to the field rocking the new pre-game gear to take some ground balls and show off the swing that hit 288 homers while playing in Toronto from 2008-2017.
Once he was finished getting his work in on the field, Bautista joined Blair & Barker to discuss the 2024 edition of the Blue Jays and what he sees in Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s slow build-up to begin the season.
“It’s all about execution with a guy like Vladdy. He’s proven everything that he needed to prove. He’s capable of doing it, his talent is there,” Bautista said when asked if Guerrero’s recent stretch could lead to a power breakout.
“It’s a matter of setting the stage right, having runners on base, kinda forcing the pitchers to come to him, being patient, grinding at-bats day after day… until he gets enough pitches over the fat of the plate where he won’t miss them.”
Even with Toronto’s slow start, which has put them in last place in the AL East and 4.5 games back of the final wild-card spot, Bautista is confident that the best is yet to come for Guerrero and the Blue Jays.
“It’ll come for this club, too. With consistency, hard work and dedication, these guys will find their stride, and they’ll rise back to the top of the division, as usual,” the six-time All-Star said. “They’ll be in the playoffs again, god willing, and we’re all going to have fun in September and October.”
Bautista, of course, went onto the Blue Jays Level of Excellence last August for helping guide Toronto to back-to-back ALCS appearances in one of the most successful careers in franchise history.
The Dominican native ranks second all-time in Blue Jays history in home runs, fifth in slugging percentage, fourth in OPS, third in RBI, sixth in hits and third in WAR, per Baseball Reference.
Two of Bautista’s best seasons as a Blue Jay came in 2010 and ’11 when the team still wore black as its primary colour before rebranding to its current look in 2012.
So, with ‘Night Mode’ coming to Toronto, Bautista was asked if the new uniform set could unite the clubhouse.
‘I think so… I think Rickey Henderson used to say, ‘if you look good, you play good,’ and there’s definitely something to that and I think it’s rooted in confidence,” Bautista said.
“I know the guys are going to look good tonight. I’m digging these new jerseys, so I’m gonna be walking around with mine later today… and hopefully, the guys feel the same as they step onto the field.”