The Toronto Blue Jays have had many great players throughout their history, making it difficult to definitively name just one as the best ever. However, by looking at stats, awards, achievements, and impact on the franchise, we can narrow down a list of the top Blue Jay players of all time.
What makes a great baseball player?
When judging the best baseball players, there are a few key factors to consider:
- Stats – This includes traditional stats like batting average, home runs, RBIs, wins, ERA, and advanced analytical stats like WAR, wRC+, FIP, etc.
- Awards and Accolades – MVP awards, All-Star appearances, Gold Gloves, and other end-of-season awards help quantify greatness.
- Team Impact – Helping the team reach the playoffs and win championships is an important consideration.
- Longevity – Sustained excellence over many years with the same team.
- Peak Performance – Having a few standout, elite seasons at one’s absolute best.
Keeping these factors in mind, we can look at which players had the biggest impact during their Blue Jays tenure.
The Best Blue Jays Hitters
For position players, the top 5 greatest Blue Jays hitters of all time are:
- Carlos Delgado – Delgado leads nearly every offensive category in Blue Jays history, including HRs (336), RBIs (1058), runs (889), and walks (827). He was a 2-time All-Star, won 3 Silver Sluggers, and was the 2000 AL Hank Aaron award winner during his 12 seasons with Toronto.
- Jose Bautista – Bautista hit 288 of his 344 career home runs with Toronto, leading the AL in long balls twice (2010 and 2011). He was a 6-time All-Star, 3-time Silver Slugger winner, and finished top-10 in MVP voting 3 times while with the Blue Jays.
- Josh Donaldson – In his 2 seasons with the Blue Jays, Donaldson won 2015 AL MVP after hitting .297 with 41 HRs and 123 RBIs while playing stellar defense at 3B. He led Toronto to back-to-back playoff appearances.
- Vernon Wells – Wells ranks top 5 in nearly every offensive category for the Blue Jays, making 3 All-Star teams and winning 3 Gold Gloves in his 12 seasons. He twice received MVP votes with a peak 7.5 WAR season in 2003.
- Joe Carter – Though Carter only played 6 seasons in Toronto, they were impactful. He averaged 31 HRs and 105 RBIs during that span, won 2 Silver Sluggers, and hit one of the biggest home runs in franchise history to win the 1993 World Series.
The Best Blue Jays Pitchers
For pitchers, the 5 best starters and relievers to play for Toronto are:
Starting Pitchers:
- Roy Halladay – Halladay is the Blue Jays all-time leader in wins (148), innings (2,046), complete games (49), WAR (48.5), and numerous other stats. He won the 2003 AL Cy Young award and made 6 All-Star teams during his 12 seasons in Toronto before being traded to Philadelphia.
- Dave Stieb – Stieb’s 175 wins are the second most in franchise history. He made 7 All-Star teams, received Cy Young votes in 6 seasons, and had the best single season WAR (9.6) of any Blue Jays pitcher in his 16 years with the team.
- Jimmy Key – Key ranks third among Toronto pitchers in wins (116), ERA (3.42), WAR (28.4), and strikeouts (973). He was a 2-time All-Star and played a key role on the 1992-93 World Series teams before signing with the Yankees.
- J.A. Happ – Happ leads all Blue Jays lefties in wins (48), starts (101), and WAR (10.2) during his two stints with the team from 2012-2014 and 2016-2018. He was an All-Star in 2018 and consistently one of their better starters.
- Roger Clemens – Though controversially linked to PEDs later in his career, Clemens dominated during his two seasons in Toronto at age 36 and 37, winning back-to-back Cy Young awards while going 41-13 with a 2.33 ERA.
Relief Pitchers:
- Tom Henke – Henke saved 217 games for Toronto, ranking first all-time, while posting a 2.48 ERA. He made 2 All-Star teams and was one of the most dominant relievers of the 1980s and 90s.
- Duane Ward – Ward ranks second with 121 saves for the Blue Jays while pitching to an excellent 2.74 ERA. He made the All-Star team in 1993 and was part of the World Series championship team.
- Mark Eichhorn – Though he only pitched 4 seasons in Toronto, Eichhorn was lights out, with a 1.85 ERA and 166 ERA+ over 297 innings, mostly in relief. He was an All-Star and received Cy Young votes in 1986.
- Casey Janssen – Janssen ranks fourth with 52 saves during his 8 seasons as both a setup man and closer. He had a consistent 2.94 ERA and 1.168 WHIP throughout his Blue Jays tenure.
- B.J. Ryan – Ryan recorded 109 saves in his 3 seasons as the Blue Jays closer from 2006-2008, including 38 saves in his All-Star 2006 campaign.
Putting it All Together
Based on the stats and accomplishments above, the 5 best Blue Jays of all time are:
- Roy Halladay – His dominance, longevity, awards, and franchise records make Halladay the clear #1.
- Carlos Delgado – Delgado’s offensive numbers and durability cements his status as the best Blue Jay hitter.
- Jose Bautista – At his peak, Joey Bats was one of the most feared hitters in baseball with Toronto.
- Josh Donaldson – Despite only playing 2 seasons in Toronto, Donaldson’s MVP performance led the team back to the playoffs.
- Dave Stieb – Stieb was the ace of the pitching staff during the formative years of the Blue Jays franchise.
Honorable Mentions
While they didn’t quite crack the top 5, the following players deserve recognition for their tremendous contributions as Blue Jays:
- Roberto Alomar
- Joe Carter
- George Bell
- Tony Fernandez
- Jimmy Key
- Tom Henke
- Jesse Barfield
Conclusion
The great players mentioned above helped make the Toronto Blue Jays one of the most successful MLB franchises over the past 40+ years. With exciting young stars like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. now leading the team into the future, the best may still be yet to come. But Halladay, Delgado, Bautista, and others created many memorable moments and established the winning tradition fans continue to enjoy today.