After more than three decades, the World Series has returned to Canada. The Toronto Blue Jays have the hopes of an entire nation as they square off against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2025 Fall Classic.
This is as good a time as any to revisit the history of the Blue Jays. The team entered Major League Baseball in 1977, as part of an American League expansion that lifted that league’s total to 14 teams. At the time it created two teams in Canada, along with the Montreal Expos of the National League.
The Blue Jays didn’t waste much time becoming competitive. By the early 1980s the team was adding talented players to the roster thanks to excellent scouting and player development. In 1984 the Jays became a contender, and the following season the franchise made its first postseason appearance.
From 1985 to 1993, the halcyon days of the franchise, Toronto won five division titles and two pennants in eight years. In 1992-93, the team won back-to-back world titles.
Many of the players we have chosen for the Toronto Blue Jays All-Time Team were in uniform during the 1980s and 1990s when the franchise was forging history and making frequent appearances in the playoffs.
Here is my 24-man roster:
| C | Russell Martin / Ernie Whitt | SP | Roy Halladay |
| 1B | Carlos Delgado | SP | Dave Stieb |
| 2B | Roberto Alomar | SP | Jimmy Key |
| SS | Tony Fernández | SP | Roger Clemens |
| 3B | Vladimir Guerrero Jr. | SP | Juan Guzmán |
| LF | George Bell / Shawn Green | CL | Tom Henke |
| CF | Vernon Wells / Lloyd Moseby | RP | Duane Ward |
| RF | José Bautista | RP | Roberto Osuna |
| DH | Paul Molitor / Fred McGriff | RP | B.J. Ryan |
| RP | Mark Eichhorn | ||
| MGR | Cito Gaston | RP | Scott Downs |
The Blue Jays can use a platoon in left and center and at designated hitter with great efficiency. We find three Hall of Famers on this All-Time Team: Molitor, Alomar, and McGriff in the lineup, and Roy Halladay as the ace.
Current slugging superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has earned a spot on this team. We’ll plug him in at third base, seeing as how that frees up first base for Carlos Delgado.
How about this lineup against right-handed pitchers:
- Alomar, 2B
- Moseby, CF
- Guerrero Jr., 3B
- McGriff, DH
- Delgado, 1B
- Green, LF
- Bautista, RF
- Whitt, C
- Fernandez, SS
What do you think of the Jays All-Time Team? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.
