It’s been nearly half a century since the Toronto Blue Jays played their first game on a snowy “spring” afternoon at Exhibition Stadium in 1977.
Fifty seasons later, the club gets set to embark on one of its most anticipated campaigns ever following the team’s first World Series appearance in 32 years last fall.
The thrill of the postseason run culminating in a cruel-as-can-be Game 7 defeat has brought renewed focus to baseball north of the border. But before we look ahead to the new season, let’s look back at those who have shaped the Jays’ history by asking one simple question: Who is the face of the Blue Jays’ franchise?
The criteria is similar to TSN’s NHL Face of the Franchise series released earlier this year – Who first comes to mind when you think of the history of the Blue Jays, and not necessarily their best, most decorated, or longest-tenured player.
TSN put together a panel of voters to rank the Jays’ most deserving franchise face for accomplishments on the field or in the dugout from one to 10. The final order was determined based on an aggregation of all ballots.
Six different players received first-place votes, and the eventual winner was voted No. 1 on half the ballots. Only one of Toronto’s two MVP winners made the top 10, and star players such as Fred McGriff, Dave Winfield, and Roger Clemens did not receive one top-10 vote.
Also not on this list is Roberto Alomar, who was placed on the ineligible list by Major League Baseball in 2021 following an investigation into sexual misconduct. The Blue Jays also severed ties with the hall-of-fame second baseman.
Below is TSN’s Blue Jays face of the franchise list in reverse order.
10. Vernon Wells
Vernon Wells Toronto Blue Jays NEW YORK – AUGUST 03: Vernon Wells #10 of the Toronto Blue Jays is congratulated by teammates on his eighth inning home run against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on August 3, 2010 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images) (Nick Laham/Getty Images)
Wells was never a superstar by the true definition of the word, and his time with Toronto was among their least successful periods in team history – the 2000s Jays finished higher than third in the division only once.
Drafted fifth overall in 1997 out of high school in Texas, the centre fielder was as good an all-around player as the Jays had once he came into his own in 2003, finishing eighth in MVP voting and winning the Silver Slugger that year. From 2003 to 2006, Wells hit .292 and averaged 29 home runs and nearly 97 RBI with multiple All-Star nods and Gold Glove awards.
In December of 2006, Wells signed a seven-year, $126 million contract extension that made him the richest player in team history at the time. But Wells’ performance ebbed and flowed in the years after, and following a bounce-back 2010 season that saw him return to All-Star form, Wells was traded to the Los Angeles Angels, ending his 12-year Jays tenure.
Wells ranks third in team history in games played (1,393), second in hits (1,529), fourth in home runs (223) and second in RBI (813).
9. Cito Gaston
Cito Gaston Cito Gaston, manager of the 1992 and 1993 World Series-winning Toronto Blue Jays teams acknowledges the crowd on the 25th anniversary of their back-to-back championships before the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Rogers Centre Saturday August 11, 2018 in Toronto. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jon Blacker
Gaston is among the most impactful figures in Blue Jays history despite never suiting up for the team as a player.
Gaston had a solid 11-year MLB playing career, but his greatest success came in the dugout. He was Toronto’s hitting coach from 1982 until replacing Jimy Williams as manager in 1989. And his impact was immediate, leading the Jays to division titles in four of his first five seasons at the helm, highlighted by back-to-back World Series titles in 1992 and 1993. Gaston departed after the 1997 season but returned for a second act in 2008, managing three more seasons.
Gaston is the franchise leader in just about every managerial category – wins (894), years at the helm (12), total games (1,731) and playoff appearances (four).
His contributions left a mark on not only the Jays, but baseball in its entirety. Gaston was the first Black manager to appear in and win a World Series when the Jays beat the Atlanta Braves in 1992.
8. George Bell
George Bell Toronto Blue Jays OAKLAND, CA – 1990: George Bell #11 of the Toronto Blue Jays swings at a pitch during a 1990 game against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum in Oakland, California. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images) (Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
As is the case for most expansion teams, the Blue Jays didn’t have many All-Star-calibre players when they first debuted. By the time he arrived in the mid-1980s, there’s a strong case to be made Bell was the first star position player the Jays ever had.
Bell was a Silver Slugger during the team’s initial playoff appearance in 1985 and his 1987 output remains one of the best individual seasons in team history. Bell became the first Blue Jay to win the MVP award when he hit .308 with 47 homers and drove in a league-best 134 runs. He was an All-Star that year as well, becoming the first Blue Jay to ever be voted into the starting lineup.
The left fielder played nine seasons with the Jays and is sixth in team history in home runs (202), fourth in total bases (2,201) and fourth in RBI (740). The Dominican Republic native was Toronto’s only MVP winner for nearly two decades until Josh Donaldson joined him in 2015.
7. Tony Fernandez
Tony Fernandez 23 Aug 1999: Tony Fernandez #1 of the Toronto Blue Jays runs to a base during a game against the Oakland Athletics at the Network Coliseum in Oakland, California. The Blue Jays defeated the A’s 9-4. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Daniel /Allsport
The legendary Buck Martinez remembered Fernandez as “the gadget man” when the two played together for the Jays in the 1980s and when Martinez later managed him more than a decade later. That description perfectly encapsulates Fernandez’s talent.
Fernandez did it all during his 12 years and four separate stints with the Blue Jays, equipped with flash that wasn’t as common then as it is today. He hit for average, a little power, stole bases and played a Gold Glove shortstop.
Originally traded to the San Diego Padres after the 1990 season, Fernandez returned for the stretch run of 1993 and was instrumental in helping the Jays repeat as champs, going 7-for-21 with nine RBI during Toronto’s six-game triumph over the Philadelphia Phillies.
He is the Jays’ all-time leader in several important categories, including games played (1,450), hits (1,583) and defensive WAR (12.4), according to Baseball Reference.
Kidney problems caused Fernandez’s tragic passing in 2020. “His impact on the baseball community in Toronto and across Canada is immeasurable,” said the Jays in a statement.
6. Carlos Delgado
Toronto Blue Jays’ Carlos Delgado hits a three-run homer in UNITED STATES – APRIL 16: Toronto Blue Jays’ Carlos Delgado hits a three-run homer in the fifth inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. The Blue Jays squandered a five run lead but still went on to win, 7-6. (Photo by Keith Torrie/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images) (New York Daily News Archive/NY Daily News via Getty Images)
Nobody has better offensive numbers as a Blue Jay than Carlos Delgado.
It may not have been obvious when he came up as a catcher in the final series of the 1993 season, but Delgado would blossom into one of baseball’s most feared power hitters in the offence-heavy late 1990s.
He won back-to-back Silver Sluggers in 1999 and 2000, providing Blue Jay fans with a bright spot in an era largely devoid of team success. He also has the only four-homer game in team history when he left the yard four times in a game against the Tampa Bay Rays in September of 2003.
Delgado is Toronto’s home-run king at 336 and also owns the high watermark in RBI (1,058), walks (827), extra-base hits (690), slugging percentage (.556), on-base plus slugging percentage (.949) and total bases (2,786).
5. Dave Stieb
Dave Stieb Toronto Blue Jays TORONTO, ON – CIRCA 1989: Dave Stieb #37 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches during an Major League Baseball game circa 1989 at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto, Ontario. Stieb played for the Blue Jays from 1979-92 and in 1998. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) (Focus On Sport/Getty Images)
Stieb hit .394 as a junior at Southern Illinois University Carbondale when the Jays drafted him in the fifth round in 1978. What he didn’t do much of was pitch, but the Jays had taken note of his exceptional arm and convinced him to change positions by telling him a move to the mound was the quickest way to the big leagues.
They were right. Not only did Stieb find himself in the majors a year later, he’s in the record books as one of the best – if not the best – pitchers the Jays have ever had.
Stieb made seven All-Star teams, won the ERA title in 1985 and is Toronto’s all-time leader in wins (175), innings pitched (2,873), games started (408), strikeouts (1,658), complete games (103) and shutouts (30). Plus, many north of the border have Sept. 2, 1990 fondly bookmarked in their minds as the only no-hitter ever thrown by a Blue Jay, when Stieb finally accomplished the feat that had cruelly eluded him in seasons prior.
Injuries held Stieb back in the seasons after and brought about an accelerated end to his career. And even though he wasn’t on the postseason roster when the Jays won it all for the first time in 1992, Stieb’s place in helping Toronto build from an expansion team to a World Series contender is undeniable.
4. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Toronto Blue Jays Toronto Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr. points to his dugout after hitting a two run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the third inning in Game 4 of baseball’s World Series, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Born in Canada while his father was playing for the Montreal Expos, Guerrero was signed by the Blue Jays as a teenager and has drawn the spotlight every second of his professional career.
After some inconsistency early on, Guerrero has blossomed into the superstar and leader the Jays had been hoping for since the beginning while emanating a genuine appreciation for the city and country he plays in.
An All-Star five years in a row, Guerrero had among the best postseasons in club history last fall when he brought them to the cusp of their third World Series by hitting eight home runs and driving in 15 over 18 playoff contests.
Around this time last year, it looked like Vladdy and the Jays could be headed for divorce. But the two sides eventually came together on a historic 14-year, $500 million deal that made him the third highest-paid player in history and bought the Jays certainty of their direction for the next decade-plus.
When it’s all said and done, Guerrero could easily be No. 1 on lists like this. A few more seasons like last year over the course of his contract will almost guarantee it.
3. Jose Bautista
Toronto Blue Jays Jose Bautista Toronto Blue Jays Jose Bautista flips his bat after hitting a three-run homer during seventh inning game 5 American League Division Series baseball action in Toronto on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2015. Jose Bautista’s infamous bat flip is being commemorated on a baseball card. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
This is where things start to get tricky. To fans of a certain age, Bautista might have a case for No. 1. After all, everyone loves a good story, and Bautista is among the best stories the Blue Jays have ever produced.
Acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates for a player to be named later in August of 2008, Bautista went from part-time duty in his first two seasons in Toronto to one of the best hitters in baseball. He set the Jays’ single-season record with 54 home runs and followed that up with 43 the year after, leading the American league in dingers each season.
He remained Toronto’s most feared hitter in the years after and led the Jays back to the postseason after a 22-year drought in 2015. When they needed him most in a chaotic seventh inning of AL Division Series Game 5, Bautista hit the biggest home run of his life, belting a towering three-run go-ahead homer accompanied by a bat flip that cemented it as a “where were you when” moment for every Jays fan.
Bautista’s Jays tenure lasted 10 seasons and included six All-Star nods and three Silver Sluggers. He’s the franchise’s all-time leader in bWAR (38.4) and is second only to Delgado in homers (288) and runs scored (790). Bautista was also inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame last summer.
2. Roy Halladay
Roy Halladay Toronto Blue Jays DETROIT – APRIL 02: Starting pitcher Roy Halladay #34 of the Toronto Blue Jays looks towards the catcher for a sign as he gets set to throw a pitch against the Detroit Tigers during the Home Opener for the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on April 2, 2007 in Detroit, Michigan (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
The first few seasons of Halladay’s career symbolized who he was. The natural greatness was obvious in his second ever start at the end of 1998 when he lost a no-hitter with two outs in the ninth inning.
And his resilience was on display after the 2000 season when Halladay had a 10.64 ERA – the highest ever for a pitcher with at least 50 innings – and rebuilt himself in the minor leagues with the help of pitching coach Mel Queen.
Halladay firmly established himself the year after in 2001 and became one of, if not the best, pitchers in baseball from then on. Between 2002 to 2009, Halladay averaged nearly 214 innings a season with a 3.13 ERA, made six All-Star teams and won the 2003 Cy Young, finishing top-five in voting four other times. He also won 20 games twice, an extremely rare feat since the turn of the century.
Halladay’s dominance continued in his second act with the Philadelphia Phillies when he won another Cy Young and threw a no-hitter in his first career playoff start.
Tragically, Halladay passed away in a flying accident in 2017. His loss was enormous, and the legacy he left was summed up eloquently by former teammate and friend Chris Carpenter.
“You will always be able to Google ‘Roy Halladay’ and see his stats, all of his accomplishments and all of his awards. But what you can’t Google is his heart, his grace, his kindness, his caring for others, his generosity or his love for his family. He wasn’t put on earth to be a good baseball player, that’s just what he did for a job. He was put here to love people, encourage people and lead people to be better, and that’s what he did,” he said at Halladay’s memorial.
1. Joe Carter
Joe Carter Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Joe Carter gets a victory ride on teammates’ shoulders after his game-winning homerun to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-4 and clinch the Jays second consecutive World Series championship Saturday, Oct. 24, 1993 in Toronto. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) (Elise Amendola/The Associated Press)
Carter hit quite a few home runs as a Blue Jay. Of course, he’s remembered primarily for one.
Toronto went into the ninth inning of World Series Game 6 against the Phillies in 1993 trailing 6-5 with left-hander Mitch ‘Wild Thing’ Williams on to close things out. Williams had a great season that year, finishing with a career-high 43 saves. But he’d blown Game 4 to the Jays and received death threats, necessitating a police presence at his house.
A one-run lead wasn’t much cushion against a Toronto team that scored the second most runs in the AL that season – especially considering the top of the order was due up, starting with Rickey Henderson, the greatest lead-off hitter of all time. Henderson walked and moved to second on a Paul Molitor single, giving the Jays first and second with one out. Up stepped Carter, who had killed left-handed pitching all year.
On a 2-2 count, Williams threw a fastball that caught too much of the plate and Carter made the biggest swing of his life, sending the ball over the left field wall and all of Canada into a frenzy.
Carter’s Blue Jays career is much more than his home run. He made five All-Star teams as a Jay and caught the final out of their first title a year earlier against the Braves. He’s fifth on the club’s all-time list in home runs (203) and RBI (736).
Carter has also stayed close with the Jays in the decades since his home run, doing countless hours of charity work and serving as one of the organization’s most dedicated ambassadors.
Every Jays fan has heard Tom Cheek’s “Touch ‘em all, Joe, you’ll never hit a bigger home run in your life!” call accompanied by the visual of his jubilant trot around the bases. It’s a moment that’s being celebrated by the Jays on July 18 as part of their 50th anniversary with the team’s first statue of a player – a statue of the most iconic moment in team history from the Blue Jays’ face of the franchise.