What people were saying about Jose Bautista’s (likely) final home game as a Jay
Sunday’s Jays matchup against the Yankees may have been Jose Bautista’s final home game as a Blue Jay. The legendary slugger’s contract comes up for renewal this year—and, after a mediocre season, it’s expected that the team’s management will opt to cut him loose. Rather than wait to see what happens in 2018, the Jays arranged a farewell for Bautista on Sunday, allowing fans at Rogers Centre to applaud the bat-flipping, Booster Juice–shilling, scooter-riding phenom who helped reinvigorate Toronto baseball. Here’s what some people were saying.
Marcus Stroman warmed up in a vintage Bautista jersey, setting the tone for the valedictory game:
Bautista took the field by himself to give fans a final wave:
Even grizzled sports reporters were getting a little worked up:
From the sound of it, Rogers Centre was soaked with fan tears by the end of the game:
Bautista would probably approve of his farewell helping people reach their fitness goals:
Some people are taking his impending departure pretty personally, though:
This is as good a reason as any to have children:
Toronto didn’t win the World Series during Bautista’s tenure, but he did deliver one of the most memorable postseason moments in the team’s history:
This could be his epitaph:
