10 greatest Blue Jays players of all time, ranked

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.