On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
The Toronto Blue Jays appear to be on the verge of reestablishing themselves as one of the top teams in the majors. Aside from their two championship seasons in 1992 and 1993, the franchise hasn’t experienced a ton of success. Despite that, they have had some of the best players in the league play for them during their time in the majors.
So who are the greatest players in Blue Jays history? That’s the question we have set out to answer today, so let’s take a look at the Top 10 Blue Jays players of all time and see why they have found their way on to this list.
10. Vladimir Guerrero, Jr.
Position: First Base
Years with Blue Jays: 2019-2025
Notable Accolades: Four-time All-Star, Two-time Silver Slugger, 2021 HR Champ, 2022 Gold Glove
As the son of a Hall of Famer, expectations have always been sky high for Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. However, he’s lived up to much of them as a four-time All-Star in six seasons and the runner-up in voting for the 2021 AL MVP after leading the league in home runs and OPS.
Now the pressure is on even more after Guerrero signed a 14-year, $500 million contract extension in April 2025 that included a massive $325 million signing bonus. The Jays clearly believe that Guerrero will be climbing up this list as one of the franchise’s all-time best players. He’s already eighth all time in home runs for the Jays.
9. Jesse Barfield
Position: Right Field
Years with Blue Jays: 1981-1989
Notable Accolades: 1986 AL All-Star, 1986 Silver Slugger, Two-time Gold Glove winner
Jesse Barfield followed the path that several other players have taken who have made this list. He didn’t have a super long peak, but when he was at the top of his game, he was dominant. Barfield managed to win a starting role in 1982 but really broke out in 1985, when he finished seventh in the AL MVP race.
Barfield one-up that by putting together easily the best season of his career in 1986 (.289 BA, 40 HR, 108 RBI, .927 OPS), and he seemed set for superstardom afterwards.
That was the top of the mountain for Barfield, though, as he struggled to hit for a high average afterwards, and he ended up getting traded to the New York Yankees early in the 1989 season. But Barfield had already made a name for himself in Toronto, and remains one of their greatest Blue Jays of all time.
8. Jimmy Key
Position: Starting Pitcher
Years with Blue Jays: 1984-1992
Notable Accolades: Two-time AL All-Star, 1992 World Series champion
Jimmy Key spent his entire career in the American League East with three different teams, but he spent most of his time with the Blue Jays. Key actually broke in as a reliever in 1984 and picked up 10 saves as a rookie. But Key found his way into the rotation the next season and quickly earned his first All-Star selection.
Key would quickly top that in 1987, which was his best season with Toronto (17-8, 2.76 ERA, 161 K, 1.06 WHIP) and saw him finish second in the AL Cy Young race. He would make it to the All-Star Game in 1991 before winning a title in 1992 and departing in free agency, but by then, his legacy was set in stone.
Key was extremely consistent during his time with Toronto, and while he was never the greatest pitcher ever, it will be a long time before Blue Jays fans forget about him.
7. Joe Carter
Position: Right Field
Years with Blue Jays: 1991-1997
Notable Accolades: Five-time All-Star, Two-time Silver Slugger, Two-time World Series Champion
Joe Carter was a key contributor for the Jays during their glory days of the 1990s. Carter was the epitome of a run producer, driving in more than 100 runs in six of his seven seasons in Toronto. Carter is still fifth all time in Jays history in RBIs and home runs, eighth in doubles and hits and ninth in runs scored.
However, what he’ll forever be known for in Canada is one of the most famous home runs in baseball history in Game 6 of the 1993 World Series. With the Jays trailing by a run in the ninth inning, Carter hit a three-run walk-off homer off Philadelphia Phillies closer Mitch Williams to win the World Series.
6. Carlos Delgado
Position: First Base
Years with Blue Jays: 1993-2004
Notable Accolades: Two-time AL All-Star, Three-time Silver Slugger
Carlos Delgado broke in with the Blue Jays right after they won their second championship, but it wouldn’t be until 1996 that he consistently found his way into the lineup. Once he did, though, Delgado quickly became one of the best sluggers in the MLB. He hit at least 24 home runs in every full season of his career but somehow only was an All-Star twice.
Delgado had some truly dominant seasons, with his two best coming in 2000 (.344 BA, 41 RBI, 137 RBI, 1.134 OPS) and 2003 (.302 BA, 42 HR, 145 RBI, 1.019 OPS), the second of which nearly saw him win the AL MVP award, as he finished in second place.
Delgado was a pillar of consistency during his time with the Blue Jays, and his accomplishments at the plate helped him earn a spot in the top five on this greatest Blue Jays of all time list.
5. Tony Fernandez
Position: Shortstop, Third Base, and Second Base
Years with Blue Jays: 1983-1990, 1993, 1998-1999, 2001
Notable Accolades: Four-time AL All-Star, Four-time Gold Glove winner, 1993 World Series champion
Tony Fernandez might have one of the weirdest careers in MLB history, as he had four separate stints with Toronto. He came up with the team in 1983 and earned his first All-Star appearance in 1986. At his peak, Fernandez was one of the best contact hitters in the game who played phenomenal defense, primarily at shortstop.
Fernandez was his best in 1987 (.322 BA, 5 HR, 67 RBI, 32 SB, .805 OPS), which earned him an eighth place finish in the AL MVP race. Fernandez left after the 1990 season, but was traded back to Toronto midway through the 1993 season to help the Blue Jays win their second straight World Series.
He returned again in 1998 and was even an All-Star in 1999 when he was 37 before finishing his career with Toronto in 2001. But by then, Fernandez’s legacy with the Blue Jays was already secured.
4. Jose Bautista
Position: Right Field and Third Base
Years with Blue Jays: 2008-2017
Notable Accolades: Six-time AL All-Star, Three-time Silver Slugger
Jose Bautista wasn’t able to find his way in the MLB until he landed with the Blue Jays in 2008. Bautista was a starter in 2009, but he posted relatively unspectacular numbers during the season. No one could have expected what was about to come in 2010 (.260 BA, 54 HR, 124 RBI, .995 OPS) when Bautista emerged from out of nowhere to lead the majors in home runs.
He was arguably even better in 2011 (.302 BA, 43 HR, 103 RBI, 1.056 OPS) when he led the majors in homers again, but he never managed to win an MVP award. Bautista was an All-Star for six straight seasons from 2010-2015, and he became one of the best sluggers in the game from practically out of nowhere.
Bautista regressed significantly in 2016, but that six-season stretch has cemented Bautista’s place as one of the greatest Blue Jays of all time.
3. Roberto Alomar
Position Second Base
Years with Blue Jays: 1991-1995
Notable Accolades: Five-time All-Star, Five-time Gold Glove, Two-time World Series Champion, Hall of Famer
Roberto Alomar was one of the greatest all-around second baseman, and the Jays had him at his peak with him winning five Gold Gloves, stealing more than 200 bases in his five seasons and hitting an OPS of better than .800 each season. No wonder he was an All-Star every season with Toronto.
He was even better in the postseason as the Jays won the AL East three straight years. In 29 postseason games with the Jays, Alomar had a .918 OPS.
He had a 1.157 OPS, including two home runs, to win MVP for the 1992 ALCS in the Jays’ victory over the Oakland Athletics. His biggest hit was a game-tying two-run home run in the ninth inning of Game 4 off Hall of Fame closer Dennis Eckersley. The Jays went on to win the game in the 11th inning.
2. Dave Stieb
Position: Starting Pitcher
Years with Blue Jays: 1979-1992, 1998
Notable Accolades: Seven-time AL All-Star
The Blue Jays were founded in 1977, and you can make a case that Dave Stieb was their first superstar. Stieb was quickly an All-Star in his second season with Toronto in 1980, and never looked back. He was as consistent as they come, as he won at least 11 games in each year of the 80s except for 1986, and he almost never had an ERA come in above four runs.
Stieb had several great seasons, but his two best were in 1982 (17-14, 3.25 ERA, 141 K, 1.20 WHIP) and 1985 (14-13, 2.48 ERA, 167 K, 1.14 WHIP), the latter of which saw him lead the league in ERA. He found himself on the Chicago White Sox in 1993 and took a five-year hiatus before returning in 1998 to Toronto. Stieb wasn’t great at 40 years old, but his legacy was already intact.
1. Roy Halladay
Position: Starting Pitcher
Years with Blue Jays: 1998-2009
Notable Accolades: 2003 AL Cy Young, Six-time AL All-Star, Hall of Famer
Roy Halladay is an absolute legend in Toronto, and for good reason, but it’s easy to forget his MLB career nearly fell apart in 2000, when he posted a hideous 10.64 ERA over 67.2 innings of work. Halladay eventually worked his way back to the majors in 2001, and from there on out, he was a star.
Halladay was an All-Star in 2002 and won his first Cy Young award in 2003 (22-7, 3.25 ERA, 204 K, 1.07 WHIP). He struggled to stay on the mound in 2004, but from 2005 to 2009, he was arguably the most consistent pitcher in the game.
Halladay finished in the top five of the Cy Young vote in each season during the stretch and pitched at least four complete games in each season as well. He tragically passed away in 2017, but Halladay’s impact with the Blue Jays will never be forgotten as the greatest Blue Jays player of all time.
More must-reads:
- New Angels pitcher Grayson Rodriguez reveals interesting health update after Orioles trade
- Raisel Iglesias spurned Dodgers to remain with Braves
- The 'NFL single-game completions leaders' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
TODAY'S BEST
Yoshinobu Yamamoto grabs dinner with top Dodgers free agent target
With MLB free agency slowly but surely coming into shape, Los Angeles Dodgers fans have been scouring the rumor mill for the latest intel on who the next great superstar Andrew Frieman will land. Will it be Kyle Tucker, the current bell of the MLB ball? Or maybe Cody Bellinger, who might just be tired of watching his former teammates win World Series games without him? Well, if Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s recent social media activities are of any indication, it would appear Dodgers fans should keep a close eye on “Murakami-sama,” himself, Munetaka Murakami, as he looks to take his game from the NPB to MLB. Posing for a picture with the 25-year-old slugger while dining with Kenshiro Saito, Yamamoto had to know the interaction should make the rounds on social media and smiled for the camera all the same, setting off a firestorm among baseball fans that makes posting season all the more interesting. Standing 6-foot-2, 213 pounds, Murakami is a certified slugger the likes of which the NPB has seldom seen, leaving the league with 265 home runs on his resume. His 56 homers in 2022 broke a near-60-year record held by Sadaharu Oh, and even in 2025, a down year by his usual standards, he still hit 24 in just 69 total games. Though some question what position Murakami will play in MLB, be that his native third base, at first, or as a power-hitting DH, the Dodgers could easily platoon the 25-year-old with Max Muncy in 2026 and take over the spot in 2027, holding it down until Freddie Freeman rides off into the sunset a little further down the line. Now granted, just because Murakami and Yamamoto had dinner together doesn’t mean the former is a guaranteed lock to join the latter in Dodgers blue next spring. Another team could make a better offer, or Murakami could simply decide he wants to be a big fish in a small pond, instead of just another Japanese player on the Dodgers. And yet, for a player who came up watching Shohei Ohtani dominate in Japan and then America, why wouldn’t Murakami strongly consider teaming up with the “Unicorn,” Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki to really make a proper go of things at a three-peat?
Texas HC Steve Sarkisian gives bold claim on job rumors
Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian has been a popular name in both the NFL and college football coaching cycles. It makes sense, too. He's brought Texas back to being competitive and in the championship hunt, but he also has a wealth of great experience as an assistant in both college and the NFL. He's about as well-rounded a candidate as you'll find, so of course, programs like the Florida Gators, LSU Tigers or even the New York Giants may be interested to see if he's interested. The thing is, though, he's not. Or, at the very least, that's what he's telling the media. He's all-in with the Longhorns, according to comments he made on a recent SEC teleconference call. “I’d like to comment something before I get into our team that has been bothering me now over the past few weeks. That is people reporting that are insinuating that there’s a possibility I could leave the University of Texas, and that is absolutely false and untrue," Sarkisian said (h/t On3). "I’m not going anywhere. Never do I do this because I never want to be a distraction, so I never address these things. At this point, I feel like this is important that I do this because it’s important for our team. It’s important for our university." Steve Sarkisian has deep roots in Austin and is all-in with Texas As if that weren't clear enough, Sarkisian said that he has not had any discussions with anybody about coaching elsewhere. He even went as far as to say that even his agent hasn't spoken to anyone. Sometimes coaches can say publicly that they aren't talking about any opportunities while, in the meantime, their agents are working backchannels and putting something together. He could be lying, of course, because college football history is full of head coaches saying one thing and doing another. A full-throated statement like this seems to be a pretty clear indication that Sarkisian is serious about what he's saying, though. Heck, he went as far as calling Austin home, which is a pretty big deal for a coach to say. Those guys aren't used to staying in one place for too long. With that said, Sarkisian does have two kids actually enrolled at Texas, one on the football team. He has a third kid he wants to go to Texas in the near future. He also just had a baby. Sarkisian has roots in Austin. He also has high aspirations for the Longhorns. “We came here to win championships," he said. "We’ve built a damn good football program over the five years that we’ve been here. We’ve been to two College Football Playoffs. We won a Big 12 Championship. We went to the SEC Championship game in Year 1. We’ve had 23 players drafted the last two years, which is more than any other school in the country and our team GPA is at an all-time high. “Can we please stop putting things out there that you have absolutely zero evidence on? Can we please stop retweeting and putting it back out there as if it’s true? As if it’s the gospel? It is not true."
Scout shares take on why Vikings' J.J. McCarthy has struggled with accuracy this season
Second-year Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy has mostly played like a work in progress when healthy and on the field this fall. For a piece published on Wednesday, ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano pointed out that McCarthy is "obviously missing too many throws" at this stage of his development. Graziano spoke with an unnamed "scout with another team" to learn more about McCarthy's struggles. Are Vikings panicking about J.J. McCarthy? "McCarthy's throwing at only one speed -- all fastballs -- and attributed that to trying to be the hero in a situation where he knows his team is counting on him to help it win," Graziano said about his chat with the scout. "The general sense I get from inside the Vikings' building and out is that he just needs time and reps." The Vikings made McCarthy a first-round draft pick in the spring of 2024, but he then spent his entire rookie season recovering from a full meniscus repair. More recently, what became a lingering ankle injury limited McCarthy to just five starts over Minnesota's first 10 games of the ongoing campaign. According to Pro Football Reference, McCarthy began Wednesday ranked last in the league among qualified players with a 52.9 percent completion percentage, a 26.6 adjusted QBR and a 61.7 passer rating for the season. Nevertheless, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said in Wednesday's article that the Vikings really have "no choice" but to stick with McCarthy over undrafted free agent Max Brosmer. Veteran Carson Wentz previously started when McCarthy was sidelined with the ankle issue, but Wentz has since had season-ending shoulder surgery. What Vikings like about J.J. McCarthy amid struggles "The accuracy is a concern," Fowler added about McCarthy. "There's no hiding from that. Balls are sailing, and that affects the entire offense. McCarthy needs to hit the layups. The Vikings will be working to help him find more consistency as a thrower. From a developmental standpoint, the team still believes in his work ethic and skill set." For what it's worth, McCarthy tossed a go-ahead touchdown pass versus the Chicago Bears with under a minute to play in this past Sunday's matchup between the clubs. He then could only watch as Chicago's Cairo Santos kicked a walk-off game-winning field goal. 4-6 Minnesota next plays at the rival Green Bay Packers (6-3-1) this coming Sunday. As of Wednesday morning, ESPN BET had the Vikings as 6.5-point underdogs for that game.
No. 4 Arizona accomplishes rare feat in thrilling road win over No. 3 UConn
The fourth-ranked Arizona Wildcats are putting a strong resume together and it is just the third week of the college basketball season. After riding freshman Koa Peat's sensational debut to an opening-night win over then-No. 3 Florida, the Wildcats added another impressive win on Wednesday night with a 71-67 victory at No. 3 UConn. Although Arizona led by as many as 13 in the second half, a 17-5 run from the Huskies made it a one-point game with 4:41 to play. UConn even held a 64-63 lead with just over a minute to play before Arizona took charge and accomplished something rarely seen in the sport. Arizona joins exclusive list after latest win over top-three opponent According to ESPN's Jeff Borzello, Arizona (5-0) is just the third team in AP poll history to have multiple wins over top-three opponents in its first five games of the season and the first since Kansas in the 1989-90 season (h/t ESPN Research). As Borzello noted, UConn was without leading scorer Tarris Reed Jr., who was sidelined with an ankle injury. While that certainly was a tough break for UConn in a top-five matchup, Arizona still had to take advantage and it did just that. Although the Wildcats were terrible from long-range (2-of-10), they outrebounded the Huskies, 43-23, and outscored them, 42-24, in the paint. Senior guard Jaden Bradley led the way with 21 points (6-of-13 FG), including this clutch layup to extend Arizona's lead to three with 16.3 seconds left. The freshman Peat was not far behind with 16 points (7-of-14 FG) and 12 rebounds as Arizona appeared to be the aggressor for much of the game. Arizona continues to ace tough nonconference schedule Wednesday night marked the third of five scheduled ranked matchups prior to the start of Big 12 play. Along with wins over Florida and UConn, the Wildcats also took down then-No. 15 UCLA, 69-65, on Friday. The schedule lets up through the end of November, but back-to-back games against No. 22 Auburn (Dec. 6) and No. 11 Alabama (Dec. 13) will provide two more tests for Arizona before a grueling Big 12 slate takes shape in January. Arizona may not be the top team in the country at the moment, but if it continues to pile up signature wins and handle tough road environments like it did on Wednesday night, it will only strengthen its case.
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
