José Bautista facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal family name is Bautista and the second or maternal family name is Santos.

Quick facts for kids

José Bautista

Bautista at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2024

Right fielder / Third baseman

Born: October 19, 1980 (age 44)
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Batted: Right

Threw: Right

debut

April 4, 2004, for the Baltimore Orioles

Last appearance

September 30, 2018, for the Philadelphia Phillies

MLB statistics

Batting average

.247

Home runs

344

Runs batted in

975

Teams

Career highlights and awards

6× All-Star (2010–2015)
3× Silver Slugger Award (2010, 2011, 2014)
2× Hank Aaron Award (2010, 2011)
2× MLB home run leader (2010, 2011)
Toronto Blue Jays Level of Excellence

Medals

Men's baseball

Representing Dominican Republic
Olympic Games
Bronze	2020 Tokyo	Team

José Antonio Bautista Santos (born October 19, 1980), also known as "Joey Bats", is a former professional baseball player from the Dominican Republic. He mostly played as a right fielder and third baseman. José played for 15 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He is best known for his time with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Bautista also played for several other teams. These included the Baltimore Orioles, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Kansas City Royals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Atlanta Braves, New York Mets, and Philadelphia Phillies. The Pittsburgh Pirates picked him in the 2000 MLB draft. He played for four different teams before joining the Blue Jays in 2008.

In 2010, José Bautista became part of the exclusive 50 home run club. He led MLB in home runs for two years in a row. From 2010 to 2015, he hit more home runs than any other player in the major leagues. He was chosen as an MLB All-Star six times in a row. He also won three Silver Slugger Awards and two Hank Aaron Awards.

Before joining the Blue Jays, Bautista mainly played third base. Scouts first noticed his strong batting skills, including his powerful hitting and throwing arm. He made his MLB debut with the Baltimore Orioles in 2004. That year, he became the first player to be on five different MLB teams in one season.

Bautista was traded to the Blue Jays in August 2008. After changing his batting swing, he hit ten home runs in September 2009. He is one of the top players in Blue Jays history for many offensive records. From 2010 to 2017, Bautista hit at least 20 home runs every year. In 2015, he played in the playoffs for the first time. His famous bat flip in the American League Division Series (ALDS) became a huge moment. It symbolized Toronto's first playoff appearance in 22 years.

In 2011, Bautista started a program to help athletes from the Dominican Republic. This program helps them attend universities in the United States.

Early Life and Baseball Dreams
Professional Baseball Career
International Baseball
Awards and Achievements
Personal Life
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Baseball Dreams

José Bautista grew up in a middle-class family in the Dominican Republic. His family believed education was very important. He started learning English when he was eight years old. His mother was an accountant, and his father managed poultry farms.

Bautista went to a private high school in Santo Domingo. He got help from the Latin Athletes Education Fund. This fund helps players from Spanish-speaking countries play college baseball in the United States. Even though he spent a lot of time on baseball, Bautista also studied business. He wanted to have a backup plan if baseball didn't work out.

He turned down offers from MLB teams like the New York Yankees and Arizona Diamondbacks. The Cincinnati Reds offered him $300,000, which he accepted. But the team's ownership changed, and they took back the offer. So, Bautista made a video of himself playing baseball. He sent it to many colleges in the U.S.

He finally got a call from Oscar Pérez, who he knew from a league in the Dominican Republic. Pérez told him about the Latin Athletes Education Fund. This led Bautista to Chipola College, a junior college in Florida. He played baseball there for two years before being drafted.

Professional Baseball Career

Starting Out in the MLB

The Pittsburgh Pirates drafted José Bautista in 2000. He signed with them for a $500,000 bonus. He played for several minor league teams from 2001 to 2003.

In 2004, the Baltimore Orioles picked Bautista. He made his MLB debut with them on April 4, 2004. That year, he became the first player to be on five different MLB teams in one season. He played for the Orioles, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Kansas City Royals, and Pirates. He was also briefly with the New York Mets but did not play for them.

In 2006, Bautista played his first full season in the major leagues. He hit .235 with 16 home runs and 51 runs batted in (RBI). In 2007, he became the starting third baseman for the Pirates.

Joining the Toronto Blue Jays

2008-2009: Finding His Swing

On August 21, 2008, the Pirates traded Bautista to the Toronto Blue Jays. The Blue Jays needed a third baseman because of an injury. Bautista played 21 games for Toronto that year.

In 2009, Bautista started the season on the bench. He showed good plate discipline, walking many times. As the season ended, the Blue Jays changed their coaching staff. Dwayne Murphy, a hitting coach, helped Bautista change his swing. He taught him to use a high leg kick to hit with more power. In September and October, Bautista hit 10 home runs. He re-signed with the Blue Jays for the 2010 season.

2010: A Breakout Season

Bautista started the 2010 season as the starting right fielder. He quickly became a star. On May 17, he was named the American League (AL) Player of the Week. By June 22, he had already hit 20 home runs, a new career high.

He was chosen as a reserve for the 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. In July, he hit 11 home runs and had 29 RBI. He shared the AL Player of the Month award. He won the AL Player of the Week award again in August. On August 26, he hit his 100th career home run. He won AL Player of the Month for August too.

On September 17, Bautista set a new Blue Jays record with his 48th home run. On September 23, he became the 26th player in MLB history to reach 50 home runs in one season. He finished 2010 with an MLB-leading 54 home runs. This was the most since Alex Rodriguez hit 54 in 2007. Bautista won the AL Hank Aaron Award and a Silver Slugger Award. He finished fourth in the AL MVP voting.

2011: Leading the League

Before the 2011 season, Bautista signed a five-year contract worth $64 million. He continued to be a top player. He broke a club record by walking 28 times in April. He won AL Player of the Month for April, his third award in four months.

On May 15, Bautista hit three home runs in one game for the first time. By May 28, he was the first player to reach 20 home runs in 2011. He won AL Player of the Month for May, his fourth award in five months. He was chosen for the 2011 Major League Baseball All-Star Game with a record 7,454,753 votes. He led MLB in home runs, walks, and on-base percentage.

On August 5, Bautista moved back to right field. On August 20, he reached 100 walks for the season, the fastest since Barry Bonds in 2007. On September 5, he hit his 40th home run of the season. He became the second Blue Jays player to have back-to-back 40 home run seasons.

Bautista led the major leagues in home runs for the second year in a row with 43. He was the first player to do this since Mark McGwire in 1998 and 1999. He also led the majors in slugging percentage and walks. He set new Blue Jays records for walks in a season (132) and offensive Wins Above Replacement (WAR). He won the Hank Aaron Award and Silver Slugger Award again.

2012-2014: Injuries and Continued Success

In 2012, Bautista was on the cover of the Canadian edition of MLB 12: The Show. He continued to hit many home runs. He was voted an AL starter in the 2012 Major League Baseball All-Star Game for the second year in a row. He led all major league players with 26 home runs at the time. He also competed in the 2012 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby.

However, Bautista was placed on the disabled list in July due to a wrist injury. He returned briefly but re-injured his wrist and needed season-ending surgery. He finished 2012 with 27 home runs in 92 games.

In 2013, Bautista was again on the cover of MLB 13: The Show. On June 29, he hit his 200th career home run. He was elected to his fourth straight All-Star Game. His season ended early again in September due to a hip injury. He finished 2013 with 28 home runs.

In 2014, Bautista started the season with a 37-game streak of reaching base safely. This was the longest to start a season in Blue Jays history. On June 18, he got his 1,000th career hit. He was named the AL Captain for the 2014 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby. He was elected to his fifth straight All-Star Game, receiving the most votes in the Majors.

On August 10, Bautista ended the longest game in Blue Jays history with a game-winning hit in the 19th inning. He hit his 25th home run of the season, joining other Blue Jays legends. He also hit his 200th home run as a Blue Jay. Bautista finished 2014 with a .286 batting average, 35 home runs, and 103 RBI. He won his third Silver Slugger Award.

2015: The Bat Flip and Playoffs

In 2015, Bautista gained "10-and-5 rights." This means he had played for 10 years in MLB, with the last 5 on the same team. These rights allowed him to say no to any trade. On April 21, he hit his 250th career home run. He injured his shoulder in that game but returned as a designated hitter. He was named to his sixth straight All-Star team but sat out due to his shoulder injury.

On September 30, Bautista hit his 40th home run of the season. This helped the Blue Jays win their division. On October 8, Bautista made his playoff debut. In Game 5 of the ALDS, he hit a three-run home run. After the home run, he famously flipped his bat high into the air. This "bat flip" became a huge moment for Blue Jays fans. It was voted the MLB Award for Best Play on Offense for 2015.

In the ALCS, Bautista hit two home runs in Game 6. The Blue Jays lost that game, and the series. Toronto kept Bautista for the 2016 season.

2016-2017: Final Years with Toronto

In 2016, Bautista was hit by a pitch from a Texas Rangers player. This led to a bench-clearing brawl where he was punched by Rougned Odor. Bautista was suspended for one game. On June 17, he was placed on the disabled list with a toe injury. On August 2, he hit his 300th career home run. He finished the season with 22 home runs.

In 2017, Bautista signed a new contract with the Blue Jays. On August 11, he reached 20 home runs for the eighth year in a row. He finished the year with 23 home runs. The Blue Jays decided not to keep Bautista for 2018, ending his time with the team.

2018: Playing for Other Teams

In 2018, Bautista signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves. He played 12 games with them, hitting two home runs. The Braves released him in May.

Bautista in the 2018 season: with the New York Mets (left) and with the Philadelphia Phillies (right)

On May 22, 2018, Bautista signed with the New York Mets. He hit a double in his first at-bat with them. On July 6, he hit a walk-off grand slam against the Rays, his first ever. He played 83 games with the Mets, hitting nine home runs.

The Mets traded Bautista to the Philadelphia Phillies on August 28, 2018. He played 27 games with the Phillies, hitting two home runs. He became a free agent in October.

Retirement and Legacy

After 2018, Bautista took a year off. In 2020, there were rumors he might return as a pitcher, but he said that wasn't his main plan.

In March 2023, the Blue Jays announced that Bautista would be added to their Level of Excellence. This is a special honor for great players. On August 12, 2023, Bautista signed a one-day contract with the Blue Jays. He officially retired as a Toronto Blue Jay, which means he will always be remembered as a Blue Jay.

International Baseball

José Bautista has proudly represented the Dominican Republic national baseball team. He played in the 2009 World Baseball Classic and 2017 World Baseball Classic.

In 2020, he was chosen to play for the Dominican Republic in the Olympic qualifying event. The team won the Final Qualifying Tournament, earning a spot in the 2020 Summer Olympics. At the Olympics, Bautista and his team won a bronze medal.

Awards and Achievements

José Bautista earned many awards and achieved great things in his career:

5-time American League Player of the Month
4-time American League Player of the Week
Won the MLB Award for Best Play, Offense in 2015 for his famous bat flip
2-time Hank Aaron Award winner
6-time Major League Baseball All-Star
3-time Silver Slugger Award winner (for being a top offensive player)
Olympic Bronze medalist in baseball (2020 Summer Olympics)
Added to the Blue Jays Level of Excellence in 2023

He also holds several records:

MLB record for the biggest single-season home run increase (39 more in 2010 than 2009)
Toronto Blue Jays single-season record for most walks (132 in 2011)
Toronto Blue Jays single-season record for most home runs (54 in 2010)

Personal Life

José Bautista's father is of Spanish descent. He has two daughters with his wife, Neisha Croyle.

In 2011, Bautista started a program to help young athletes. It helps them get the chance to attend American universities, just like he did. This program started in the Dominican Republic and has grown to include Canada.

His younger brother, Luis, also played college baseball. He was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2007.

In 2018, a type of weevil (a small beetle) was named after him: Sicoderus bautistai.

Bautista is a fan of the English soccer club Manchester City FC. In 2024, he became the main owner of a soccer club called Las Vegas Lights FC in the USL Championship league.