Kuzul

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista needs just one home run to take sole possession of fifth place on the all-time franchise homers list. With 179 dingers in a Jays uniform, Joey Bats is presently tied with Jesse Barfield in the No. 5 spot.

As a franchise that was founded in 1977, the Blue Jays unsurprisingly have modest totals atop the career leaderboards in many categories, including home runs. Carlos Delgado tops the homers list with 336, while Vernon Wells comes in second with just 223. Third-place Joe Carter (203) and fourth-place George Bell (202) may both be surpassed by Bautista before the end of the season.

More impressive than the raw number of home runs he’s hit is the fact that Bautista needed just 698 games in a Jays uniform to match Barfield in fifth place. Barfield, a respected slugger in his own right, played 1,031 games for Toronto. He hit one dinger for every 5.77 games spent in a Blue Jays uniform, while Bautista has thus far gone yard once every 3.91 games.

Barring a trade or catastrophic injury, Bautista should eventually climb to at least No. 2 on the franchise dingers list. Currently trailing second-place Wells by just 44 home runs, Bautista would need 172 more games to match the former Jays outfielder, if he maintains his pace of one every 3.91 contests.

Maintaining such an impressive pace is a lot to ask from any player, but with 11 homers and a .294 batting average through 45 games, Joey Bats looks as dangerous as ever.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Jose Bautista may well have played his final games with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Howard Eskin of Fox 29 TV in Philadelphia is reporting that the Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies are in “deep” talks that would send Bautista to the City of Brotherly love in exchange for outfielder Domonic Brown and other pieces:

#phillies GM Ruben Amaro deep in serious talks w #bluejays to acquire OF Jose Batista. Can also play 3rd. Phils would deal OF Dom Brown plus

— Howard Eskin (@howardeskin) November 13, 2013

General managers across Major League Baseball are in Orlando this week for their annual summit, which often coincides with the hot stove heating up. Should the Philadelphia deal be consummated, Bautista would represent the first major chess piece headed elsewhere in what should be an active trade season.

Bautista, 33, is coming off his second straight injury-plagued season. The two-time major league home run champion appeared in only 118 games in 2013, hitting 28 home runs and 73 RBI as the high-priced Blue Jays fell out of the race early and finished in last place in the AL East.

Bautista has now missed 114 games since his 43 home run campaign in 2011. He has at least two years remaining on the five-year, $64 million deal, as the Blue Jays currently have a club option for $14 million for 2016. While that number is pittance for a healthy Bautista—he had a combined wins above replacement of 14.2 in 2010 and 2011—Toronto might value the younger, cheaper Brown.

One of the few recent success stories for the Phillies farm system, Brown, 26, has a ton of raw power but hasn’t been able to put it all together. In his first full season in the bigs, Brown batted .272 with 27 home runs and 83 RBI, leading the team in both power categories.

However, Brown is considered a major minus on the defensive side and was worth more than two fewer wins than Bautista in 21 more games. The Phillies have explored trading Brown numerous times in previous deals, most notably last offseason when they nearly sent him to the Cubs for Alfonso Soriano. 

With the team coming to terms with Marlon Byrd earlier this week, perhaps it views Brown as expendable. Bautista has played third base in the past, and the Phillies have had a longstanding hole on their hot corner. Having fallen all the way to 73-89 this past season despite a roster of high-paid veterans, Amaro likely views Bautista as a linchpin that could help reinvigorate the club’s struggling offense. 

It’s unclear what Philadelphia would surrender in the deal, though a mid-level prospect or two seems reasonable. Either way, it looks increasingly like Bautista‘s days in the Great White North are numbered. 

Follow Tyler Conway on Twitter:

Follow @tylerconway22

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

A year after being major players on the trade market, the Toronto Blue Jays are at it again, except from the other side of the aisle.

According to the Boston Globe‘s Nick Cafardo, the Blue Jays are getting inquiries about star outfielder Jose Bautista:

While general manager Alex Anthopoulos has balked at trading his star slugger in the past, there have been no guarantees of that this offseason.

According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the Blue Jays are focusing on improving their rotation this offseason:

The Blue Jays traditionally are willing to listen on anyone, so there’s been speculation they could even move Jose Bautista or Edwin Encarnacion.

The big focus, though, is on starters. It’ll help that Brandon Morrow appears to be back to full health. But they know they still need help. Toronto’s 4.81 rotation ERA was second worst to Minnesota‘s 5.26.

Heyman also mentioned that Toronto would look at getting better at second base and catcher as well.

Bautista has had his share of injuries over the last two seasons, playing in only 210 games. Still, even with the injuries, the power has been there with 55 home runs and 138 RBI. He also has a club-friendly contract that will pay him $28 million over the next two seasons, and a $14 million team option in 2016.

While it would take a lot for the Blue Jays to give up Bautista, especially considering their lack of outfield depth, the team will pull the trigger on the right deal.

So, which MLB teams have the right pieces and are best positioned for a blockbuster deal with the Blue Jays?

Texas Rangers

The Rangers inquired about Bautista prior to the trade deadline this year, according to CBS Sports’ Danny Knobler:

The Rangers are looking for outfield help after Nelson Cruz declined their qualifying offer, according to Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. And the Rangers just so happen to have help at second base and pitcher.

With former top MLB prospect Jurickson Profar waiting for his starting spot at second base, Ian Kinsler would be a perfect target for the Blue Jays. Over the last three years, he’s batted .262/.341/.438 with 64 home runs and 221 RBI. Add in the fact that he’s owed $57 million over the next four years and you have a club-friendly contract.

Then there’s all the pitching the Rangers have. Out of all of their pitchers, Yu Darvish is the only real untouchable. But that leaves players like Matt Harrison, Derek Holland, Martin Perez and Neftali Feliz available for the taking.

If I were the Blue Jays, I’d go after Holland or Harrison, considering how well they’ve performed over the last three years:

The Rangers could also throw in a mid-level prospect as well in the deal to help entice the Blue Jays. Maybe someone like outfield prospect Lewis Brinson or second base prospect Rougned Odor would do the trick. Both players would help add depth in the minor leagues and be ready to contribute in a few years.

A few players could easily be switched out in the deal, but Kinsler and either Holland or Harrison would have to be a part of any deal.

St. Louis Cardinals

With how good their farm system is, the Cardinals are always in position to make a blockbuster deal. They have the pitching and the hitting that could satisfy the Blue Jays’ needs.

With Carlos Beltran being a free agent, the chances of the Cardinals re-signing him don’t look good, especially if big-market teams enter the mix.

That leaves Matt Holliday and Jon Jay as starters in the outfield. Another power bat is exactly what the Cardinals would need to replace Beltran. In fact, here’s how the two players compare over the last two seasons:

In 86 more games played, Beltran only has a big advantage in average. One would think Bautista could get the 43 RBI in that amount of time to equal Beltran’s total in that category.

The point is, the Cardinals have to replace Beltran’s numbers and Bautista can be that guy. And they play the same position, which is even better.

So, who would the Blue Jays be interested in?

For starters, Shelby Miller has to be in the mix. Adam Wainwright, Lance Lynn, Michael Wacha and Joe Kelly will take up four spots in the rotation. Then there’s also Carlos Martinez and Jaime Garcia, who will compete for the fifth spot.

The Cardinals have depth in the rotation and Miller would definitely pique the Blue Jays’ interest.

Kolten Wong is another player who could be a part of the deal. The Cardinals already have Matt Carpenter in place at second, making Wong expendable. 

If you pair up Wong and Miller, along with a few low-level prospects on each side, this deal would get done. Both teams would fill needs on the roster and get better immediately.

New York Mets

The Mets would be an odd team to get into the mix, but as Mark Simon of ESPN New York opines, it’s a move GM Sandy Alderson should seriously consider:

Bautista is exactly the type of hitter that manager Terry Collins was describing when he made an end-of-season wish for someone who could hit behind David Wright. 

Bautista has the best home run rate in the majors over the past four seasons, averaging one every dozen at-bats, and he’s equally adept at hitting them on the road as he was in hitter-friendly Rogers Centre. Bautista doesn’t hit many cheap home runs.

Simon added that he asked ESPN insider Jim Bowden what it would cost the Mets, and he said a potential trade would have to start with Jonathon Niese:

He came up with the idea of a package that included Jonathon Niese and two prospects, one being Cesar Puello (the idea being to return a power-hitting prospect to the Blue Jays). We imagine the other prospect would have to be one of the Mets’ higher-end youngsters, though that’s just a guess.

While Niese is a good pitcher, he’s not the piece of the puzzle the Blue Jays need to make it to the top of the AL East. He has a combined 3.9 WAR over the last three seasons, according to ESPN, and has given up 46 home runs in that same timeframe. 

While Puello would be a nice addition for 2015 or 2016, the fact remains the Blue Jays are trying to compete now. R.A. Dickey will be 39 next year and doesn‘t have too many years left in the gas tank—even if he does throw a knuckleball.

Now, if the Mets threw Travis d’Arnaud into the mix, then it’s a different story. The Blue Jays could build around the young catcher and have a centerpiece to the franchise for many years to come.

Then again, the Blue Jays already got rid of d’Arnaud once and it’s unlikely the Mets will part with him.

Who’s Best Suited?

In the end, if any team makes a deal for Bautista, it’s going to be the Cardinals. Like all of the other big names that teams are listening to offers for, the Cardinals have enough depth to soften any type of blow a trade would have.

St. Louis could give up Miller, Wong and another prospect and still be set for the future.

But stranger things have happened during the offseason and this one should be no different.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Toronto Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista was forced to leave the first game of Tuesday’s double-header against the New York Yankees and was placed on the disabled list shortly after the teams’ nightcap. 

Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi has the news:

#BlueJays place Jose Bautista on DL with hip bone bruise. Move to come later

— Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) August 21, 2013

Although Bautista has seen his slugging percentage drop for the third season in a row, the four-time All-Star is still in the midst of a very productive year at the plate, hitting .259/.357/.499 with an OPS of .856, 28 home runs, 82 runs and 73 RBI through 117 games. 

He’s ranked 10th in the American League in OPS, fifth in runs scored, fifth in HRs and third in walks. In the last four seasons, the former 20th-round pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates finished fourth in MVP voting in 2010 and third in 2011.

So, yeah, removing his bat from the Jays lineup is quite the blow for John Gibbons’ squad. 

Nevertheless, Toronto is 16.5 games out in the AL East and 15 out in the wild-card race. The postseason is virtually out of the question at this point, so this gives the squad a good chance to evaluate some younger guys on a daily basis.

Former top prospect Anthony Gose, 22, and 24-year-old Kevin Pillar figure to get the biggest increases in playing time. But with Colby Rasmus and Melky Cabrera both already on the DL, Toronto may also turn to someone like Moises Sierra in Triple-A. 

Jose Bautista’s injury doesn’t sound too severe, but for now, the Blue Jays are going to get a good look at their future in the outfield. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Last Sunday, nine-year-old Derek Lendosky was killed in a tragic accident. On Friday, Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista dedicated a game in his honor.

Lendosky was just three days short of his 10th birthday when he was killed after falling off a UTV being towed by a tractor in Fennimore, Wis. Bautista learned of what happened and communicated with the young boy’s father via Twitter that he would dedicate Friday’s game to his son.

With an entire town watching, things looked bleak for Bautista and the Blue Jays as the Oakland Athletics stormed out to a 14-3 lead with Josh Reddick leading the way with three home runs.

But in the bottom of the eighth inning, Bautista, who was 1-for-3 on the night, belted an offering deep to left field for his 26th home run of the season.

No question that Derek’s father and the entire township of Fennimore were smiling despite the overwhelming grief they’ve been feeling.

Bautista‘s act of kindness and his selfless act of reaching out to a community in grief was another example of an athlete understanding the kind of impact he can have on the lives of his fans.

On Tuesday, Joshua Jones, the young man afflicted by brain cancer who was befriended by Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp, sadly passed away. 

Kemp went above and beyond in giving Joshua some precious memories before his passing. 

For Bautista, he never had the pleasure of meeting Derek Lendosky. But it didn’t stop him from reaching out and doing what he could to ease his family’s pain and that of an entire community.

Doug Mead is a featured columnist with Bleacher Report. His work has been featured in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, SF Gate, CBS Sports, the Los Angeles Times and the Houston Chronicle.

Feel free to talk baseball with Doug anytime on Twitter.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

If you are wondering how Jose Bautista and David Ortiz are getting to the All-Star Game, they will be traveling by prancercise. 

MLB Fan Cave (h/t Barstool Sports) caught up with the Red Sox slugger as he was getting in some “MLB The Show” time before the big game. 

While hitting home runs with your virtual self is undoubtedly a ton of fun, Ortiz has to get to Citi Field before the Midsummer Classic begins. 

Wanting to get loose before taking some hacks on Tuesday night, Ortiz decided to travel by prancercise, which is really the only way to travel in 2013. 

Thankfully, he was joined by Blue Jays outfielder, Jose Bautista, who is dropping some serious prancing game on the streets of New York. 

For the few of you who have no clue why two MLB stars would be skipping and flailing about, CNN’s Jeanne Moos has an in-depth report on the dancing sensation.  

Joanna Rohrback has gone from anonymous fitness aficionado to the star of a John Mayer music video, all the while causing Internet denizens to get out and capture their own rendition of fancy frolicking. 

Hopefully, this will be the end of the craze that swept the nation out of their seats, skipping and dancing into the streets. 

You can try but will ultimately fail to beat this dynamic duo at the fine art of prancercising. Our only hope is that one of these sluggers decides to walk up to the plate in the same way on Tuesday night. 

Now that might finally solve the game’s slumping ratings. 

Hit me up on Twitter: Follow @gabezal

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

With fan voting for the 2013 MLB All-Star Game coming down to its final stretch, players ranging from sure things to long shots are using Twitter as their prime method of self-marketing.

All-Star weekend runs from July 12th-July 16th. The most recent vote tallies were released on June 22 for the American League, and June 23 for the National League.

It doesn’t come as a shock that each team is pushing for its players to make the trip to Citi Field. Here’s a recent tweet from the Pittsburgh Pirates‘ official Twitter account regarding Pedro Alvarez, who hasn’t cracked the top five in fan voting for third basemen:

Then there are players who have taken it upon themselves to toot their own horns. The outfield races in both leagues are especially tight, so it’s unsurprising that vocal offenders hail from these positions.

Jose Bautista is a prime example. According to the updated polls, he’s recently closed the gap between his fourth-place standing and the third outfield spot, which is currently in Nick Markakis‘ hands (the two are separated by just under 50,000 votes). Bautista currently has a .250/.345/.481 line—not that impressive—but has been integral to Toronto‘s recent run. 

Not only is Bautista tweeting up a storm to help his cause, but just on Monday, the Twitter account @TeamBautista was created. The account is serving as a tool to help Bautista edge out fellow outfield candidates Markakis and Torii Hunter. He tweeted this on Sunday:

And then followed with this on Monday:

Here’s an example of a @TeamBautista tweet:

Dexter Fowler, who hasn’t even broken the top 15 outfielders in fan voting but who’s statistically having a better season than Bautista, retweeted this from the Colorado Rockies’ Twitter account on Monday:

Although Fowler’s performance this season does warrant more recognition from fans, this quest is likely pretty futile for the center fielder this late in the game. He’s the third-best hitter on the Rockies, and both Troy Tulowitzki (even injured) and Carlos Gonzalez have better chances of making the team from Colorado—in their respective positions. They are first and fourth, respectively, in fan voting.

Carlos Gomez, who is currently injured but in 11th place in the NL outfield fan voting, is making good use of his retweet button as well:

Gomez is having a breakout season (.313/.355/.570), which is why people have been voting for him. Not only has he been Mr. Consistency at the plate, his clinics in the field are can’t-miss:

There’s no statistic for how much Twitter campaigning sways voters, but if I had to guess, I’d say the influence is negligible. While it’s true that some of these campaigners are deserving players on the bubble, they are baseball players, not politicians. Fans are voting for Miguel Cabrera not because he’s an elite spokesperson for himself, but because he’s one of the best hitters of our time.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Jose Bautista is now a card-carrying member of the cool club. 

As BuzzFeed reports, the Toronto Blue Jays outfielder posted the following image to his Instagram feed, showing off his brand-new “MLB Lifetime Pass”:

Feelings of intense jealousy are indeed normal and will surely overcome you when looking at what is essentially a free ticket to any ballpark for Bautista‘s entire life. 

As for the impetus behind Bautista garnering the best card one could possibly hold, I am at a loss. As noted on the card, it is awarded by the commissioner “in appreciation of long and meritorious service.”

So was Jamie Moyer not around the day they were handing these things out?

I will keep you updated if I get word on why Bautista was bestowed with baseball’s version of the “one ring to rule them all” from Lord of the Rings.

Many will point to Bryce Harper’s Chipotle card or the Subway version Jarvis Jones received around the NFL draft for similarity, but such comparisons would be foolish. 

BuzzFeed breaks down how rare this particular card is: “These cards have been presented to players, umpires, scouts and other friends of MLB as far back as the 1930s, and grants owners and a guest access to any Major League baseball game as long as they live.”

Their list of lucky recipients includes people like Joe DiMaggio and the people who suffered through the Iran Hostage Crisis. 

Rogers Hornsby and Thurman Munson both laid claim to the vaunted card, and Bob Gibson has one, too. 

You only need to take a look at some of the comments on his Instagram feed to get just a hint of how popular Joey Bats just became. Suddenly, the world wants to be that lucky “guest” who is squired into a random ballpark one day. 

Of course, Bautista hardly gets to use the card because he is in the middle of a successful career, one that has seen him play with the Baltimore Orioles, Tampa Bay Rays, Kansas City Royals, Pittsburgh Pirates and Blue Jays. 

In nine-plus seasons, Bautista has hit 192 home runs and driven in 525 runs. At some point, he will walk away and get to saunter into any stadium in the land and enjoy watching other people do the work. 

Hit me up on Twitter, especially if you have a spare MLB Lifetime Card: Follow @gabezal

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

It is impressive to me that Jose Bautista has the most home runs in the American League over the past three seasons all while missing nearly half of last season (70 games). Bautista is definitely the leader among the home run title hopefuls, especially in the American League—but there are some who could challenge Jose for this crown.

One of his biggest competitors over the past few seasons however has been injured all season and is still weeks away from playing for the New York Yankees. With Curtis Granderson out for the next while, Bautista should have a big enough lead in the home run category that Grandy won’t be able to catch up.

Here are the 10 biggest threats to Jose Bautista recapturing his AL Home Run Title.

Begin Slideshow

As many of us know, the Toronto Blue Jays have lofty expectations this season. Whether it be from the odds in Vegas to the chatter around the league to the success-starved fans, everyone agrees that the Blue Jays should make the playoffs this season.

With many fair-weather fans joining the fray in Toronto, it would help to give them a little more information about the team, especially regarding the new players on the squad.

This piece will look at all of the starting offensive players and discuss their main strengths and what they bring to the Blue Jays.

Begin Slideshow