Glew: Canadian baseball notes: Ash, Bautista, Hicks, Oliver
Toronto Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista hit his famous “bat flip” home run 11 years ago today.
October 14, 2026
By Kevin Glew
Canadian Baseball Network
Some Canadian baseball news and notes:
Hicks comes through for Rays
Batting eighth and starting his first American League Championship Series game for the Tampa Bay Rays last night, Liam Hicks (Toronto, Ont.) delivered a clutch, two-run single in the fourth inning off Cleveland Guardians’ left-hander Parker Messick.
Hicks’ single proved to be the difference in the Rays’ 3-1 victory, which evened the ALCS series 1-1.
The Toronto Mets alum also had a leadoff single in the third inning.
Hicks’ performance represented his first, two-hit postseason game.
The Canuck catcher was also effective calling pitches for Rays starter Freddy Peralta who struck out six in six scoreless innings before the bullpen took over.
11th anniversary of Bautista’s bat flip homer
To Toronto Blue Jays fans, it’s simply known as the “bat flip” and it happened 11 years ago today.
The seventh inning of Game 5 of the 2015 American League Division Series against the Texas Rangers was arguably the wildest and most exciting inning ever played at Rogers Centre.
After the Rangers took a 3-2 lead in the top of the inning when Montreal native Russell Martin’s throw back to the pitcher ricocheted off the bat of Rangers outfielder Shin-Soo Choo allowing Rougned Odor to score, the Blue Jays tied the game in the bottom of the inning and then Jose Bautista stepped to the plate with two outs and Josh Donaldson and Ryan Goins on base in front of him. On a 1-1 count, Bautista launched a three-run home run into the left field bleachers and celebrated with a bat flip for the ages.
The Blue Jays went on to win the game 6-3 and take the series.
Blue Jays clinched first AL pennant 34 years ago
And the “bat flip” isn’t the only great moment in Blue Jays’ history that occurred on this date.
Thirty-four years ago today, the Blue Jays defeated the Oakland A’s 9-2 in Game 6 of the 1992 ALCS at Rogers Centre to advance to their first World Series.
Joe Carter and Candy Maldonado belted home runs for the Blue Jays and Roberto Alomar had three hits.
Right-hander Juan Guzman allowed just one run in seven innings to pick up the win.
58th anniversary of Montreal Expos participating in expansion draft
Fifty-eight years ago today, the Montreal Expos began building their inaugural roster through the 1968 MLB Expansion draft.
The Expos’ first pick was outfielder Manny Mota from the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Among the other notable players the Expos selected were Mack Jones (fourth overall), Bill Stoneman (19th overall), Maury Wills (21st overall), Jimy Williams (32nd overall, yes, the later Blue Jays manager), Carl Morton (45th overall) and Coco Laboy (54th overall).
The expansion San Diego Padres also participated in the draft and with their last selection they opted for a 24-year-old outfielder named Cito Gaston.
Happy Birthday to Al Oliver!
Happy 80th Birthday to former Expos and Blue Jays first baseman Al Oliver!
Back on October 12, 2018, I posted on Facebook that it was the 33rd anniversary of the Oliver’s clutch two-run double in the top of the ninth for the Blue Jays in their 3-1 win over the Kansas City Royals in Game 4 of the 1985 American League Championship Series. Oliver responded to that post, adding that that was his last major league hit.
Prior to his stint with the Blue Jays, Oliver also won a National League batting title with the Expos in 1982 when he hit .331. He batted .300 again the following season with the Expos.
In all, in an 18-year major league career, that also included stops with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Texas Rangers, San Francisco Giants and Philadelphia Phillies, Oliver was selected to seven All-Star Games, recorded 2,743 hits and finished with a career batting average of .303.
Ash promoted to Blue Jays GM 32 years ago
It was 32 years ago today that Gord Ash (Toronto, Ont.) was promoted to the position of vice-president and general manager of the Blue Jays after Pat Gillick had announced his retirement.
With that, Ash became the first Canadian GM in Blue Jays' history.
During Ash’s seven-year reign as general manager, the Blue Jays drafted future stars Roy Halladay (1995), Vernon Wells (1997), Michael Young (1997), Orlando Hudson (1997) and Alex Rios (1999). His finest season as GM came in 1998 when the team finished 88-74 and if the current post-season format had been in place, the club would’ve claimed a wild-card spot in the American League.