Betts: 10 years with Canada’s team earns Bautista a call to country’s ball hall
Jose Bautista speaks to reporters at a press conference prior to his induction into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame on Saturday. Photo: Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
June 7, 2025
By Matt Betts
Canadian Baseball Network
When José Bautista hit his famous seventh inning, go-ahead home run off Texas Rangers reliever Sam Dyson in Game 5 of the 2015 American League Division Series, he may as well of hit it to St. Marys.
It’s the moment Bautista is synonymous with and one could argue sealed his spot in the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.
On Saturday, he officially took his place in the hall alongside fellow 2025 inductees Amanda Asay (Prince George, B.C.), Erik Bedard (Navan, Ont.), Greg Hamilton (Peterborough, Ont.), Arlene Noga (Ogema, Sask.) and Gerry Snyder (Montreal, Que.).
“It means a lot, it’s a great honour,” Bautista said.
“Not many people have the privilege to even be considered, let alone get inducted. It was a great moment when I received the call. I feel very proud.”
Bautista finished his career with a .247 average, 344 home runs and 975 RBIs over 6,051 at bats.
Of those home runs, 288 came wearing a Blue Jays uniform.
As impressive as the on-field stats are, Bautista meant so much more to the game in Canada than any one home run or spectacular defensive play could.
He helped reignite a passion and ushered in a new generation of baseball fans in the country.
“People have pointed it out,” Bautista said of his impact.
“There’s a wave of higher adoption to youth baseball when the Blue Jays are seeing success. We had great teams that had a lot of success.”
Not many people knew Bautista better during his playing days than his former manager John Gibbons.
Gibbons was there when the slugger was honoured on the Blue Jays Level of Excellence in 2023 and recalled his time with him on a Canadian Baseball Network podcast afterwards, shining a light on the person he was away from the game.
“He’s got a big heart, he’s a sensitive guy, you probably wouldn’t know that,” Gibbons said at the time.
“He’s a complicated dude. He’s very intelligent, he’s great in the community, he does a lot of charity. He’s the complete dude.”
In a day and age where narratives can swirl about the negatives of playing north of the border, Bautista not only embraced Canada, he was beloved for his style of play.
He’s repeatedly pointed out the Blue Jays influence in his home Dominican Republic and the honour it is to play for a country, something no other team can stake claim to.
“I think it’s a great country, a great city to play for,” he said.
“To have a country backing you up is not something people understand but they shouldn’t take it lightly. It makes a difference as a player.”
Induction day provides an opportunity to reflect. On the bat flip, his 10 seasons calling Rogers Centre home and everything in between.
As he thinks back on his career, it’s not the bright lights or big moments he remembers most. It’s the people that had an influence on him along the way.
“At the end of the day, there was a lot of days in the summer where you’re grinding, those are the ones that stick out the most,” Bautista said.
“The relationships, the people in the clubhouse, teammates, being there travelling day in and day out. Hopefully people notice that I was somebody that went out there and tried not to make excuses and was putting in a good effort.”