Bautista's top moments with Blue Jays

Iconic bat flip just one of slugger's monumental plays

September 28th, 2017

BOSTON -- will always be remembered for his epic bat flip, but you don't become one of the best players in Blue Jays history with just one play.
Bautista has been the undisputed face of Toronto's franchise for the better part of a decade. His name is found near the top of almost every major offensive category, and for a period of time, he was the undisputed sports king of the Great White North.
The six-time All-Star also was one of the most polarizing sports figures this city has ever seen. Bautista was the type of player that opposing fans loved to hate and Canadian fans loved to defend. Beyond his obvious signature play, here's a look back at nine of his top moments in a Blue Jays uniform:
1. The arrival
The moment that Bautista became the Bautista who everybody knows might have occurred on Aug. 23, 2010, in a game against the Yankees. threw a fastball around Bautista's head, which earned Bautista's trademark stare back at the mound. Later in the game, Bautista homered off . Upon contact, Bautista once again directed a death stare at the mound before taking his sweet time rounding the bases. This was the start of the attitude era in Toronto and a sign of things to come.

2. No. 50
Bautista became the first -- and only -- Blue Jays player to reach 50 homers when he hit a solo shot off Mariners ace on Sept. 23, 2010. He was treated to a curtain call from the hometown crowd and helped Toronto come away with a 1-0 victory. Bautista added four more home runs before the end of the season to finish with a frachise-record 54.

3. Mashing in Minnesota
One of the best offensive series by a Toronto player took place in May 2011. Bautista went deep during each of the first two games against the Twins and then capped the series with a three-homer performance. Target Field became a home away from home for Bautista, who belted 14 home runs in just 25 games at the ballpark.

4. Passing of the torch
Roy Halladay was an icon in Toronto for close to 12 seasons and one of the most popular players ever to wear a Blue Jays uniform. It took the city a long time to get over his departure, but upon Halladay's return on July 2, 2011, Bautista made a statement of his own. He went deep off the former Blue Jays ace, and along the way, he seemed to say, "This is my team now."

5. Out at first
When Bautista was in his prime, he possessed one of the most feared arms in the game. The best example might have come on May 29, 2014, when he threw out at first base following what appeared to be a single to right field. The next day, he did it all over again by throwing out at first after the Royals infielder thought his flare to right was going foul.

6. The heated rivalry
There have been enough incidents between Bautista and Orioles righty to fill a book. It all started on June 22, 2013, when O'Day celebrated a strikeout with a few choice words on his way off the field. The following day, Bautista broke a 2-2 tie with a homer to left off O'Day. As Bautista rounded the bases, he had some words of his own and made a gesture with his hand. The rivalry continued for years, with O'Day throwing at Bautista multiple times, but the last laugh has almost always belonged to Toronto's right fielder -- as evidenced by his four home runs and nine RBIs.

7. The clinch
The Blue Jays' 22-year postseason drought came to an end during a soggy afternoon at Camden Yards on Sept. 30, 2015. The game was a lopsided blowout, but Bautista celebrated by reaching 40 homers for the third time in his career. After the game, he got to celebrate alongside his good friend and teammate , as the pair's hard work finally resulted in October baseball north of the border.

8. The elimination game
The most underrated performance of Bautista's career might have come in Game 6 of the 2015 American League Championship Series. With Toronto facing elimination, Bautista hit a solo homer in the fourth inning off Yordano Ventura. In the top of the eighth, Bautista tied the game with a two-run shot off . Despite his best efforts, the Blue Jays fell behind and Bautista had to watch his team be eliminated while standing in the on-deck circle with the tying run on third base.

9. Fond farewell
Blue Jays fans never got a chance to say a proper goodbye to Encarnacion, but there was a fond farewell for Bautista. On Sunday afternoon, two-time Hank Aaron Award winner took the field by himself in the top of the first and the crowded responded with a thunderous standing ovation. The cheers continued throughout the night and reached a crescendo when Bautista was removed from right field with one out in the top of the ninth inning. If this really was the end of Bautista's tenure in Toronto, it was a fitting way for him to go out.