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All-Time Best Toronto Blue Jays Starting Lineup

Bill Speros for Bookies.com

Bill Speros  | 8 mins

All-Time Best Toronto Blue Jays Starting Lineup

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The Toronto Blue Jays turn 45 in 2022. They open the season Friday night at Rogers Centre, just four days after legal Ontario sports betting went live and mobile. It's a good time to be an MLB betting fan in Toronto.

The Blue Jays have eight former players in Cooperstown. But not all had Hall of Fame careers while playing for Toronto.

Which players would make up the Toronto Blue Jays all-time starting lineup? Some positions are easy to fill, while others are sure to create debate given the number of strong candidates. Bookies.com chose our All-Time Blue Jays starting lineup by weighing each player’s statistics and success while with Toronto.


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Among the Blue Jays in Cooperstown is second baseman Roberto Alomar. Alomar spent five seasons with the Blue Jays, hitting .307 with 152 doubles and an .833 OPS in 703 games. Most importantly, he anchored a Blue Jays lineup that won back-to-back World Series titles in 1992-93.

Starting pitcher Roy Halladay went 148-76 while pitching for the Blue Jays from 1998-2009. He was a six-time All-Star in his 12 seasons with Toronto. He fanned 2,117 batters in 2749.1 IP. But the Blue Jays never made the postseason during Halladay’s tenure. The team was caught in the Cold War between the Red Sox and Yankees, and got eclipsed by the rise of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Other choices aren’t nearly as clear-cut.


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All-Time Blue Jays Starting Lineup

All-Time Best Toronto Blue Jays Starting Lineup 1

Here is our all-time Blue Jays starting lineup, listed with their projected batting order, position, and whether they bat/throw right-handed, left-handed or were switch hitters:

Blue Jays All-Time Batting Order

BA Player POS. BAT/THROW
1.Roberto Alomar2B (S)
2. John Olerud DH(L)
3. Josh Donaldson 3B(L)
4. Jose Bautista RF(R)
5. Carlos Delgado 1B(L)
6.George BellLF(R)
7. Tony Fernandez SS(S)
8. Devon White CF(R)
9. Ernie Whitt C(L)
- Vlad Guerrero Jr. UTL(R)
- Roy Halladay SP(R)
- Tom Henke RP(R)
- Cito Gaston Manager-

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Player-By-Player Breakdown

Catcher - Ernie Whitt

YEARS IN TORONTO: 1977-89

BY THE NUMBERS: 131 HR, 424 Runs, 518 RBI

BUZZ: Ernie Whitt is the best of the lot here. Whitt was an original Blue Jay and gets the edge here for his time in Toronto and his defensive strength. He was strong behind the plate and added pop when unexpected.


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All-Time Best Toronto Blue Jays Starting Lineup 9

1B – Carlos Delgado

YEARS IN TORONTO: 1993-04

BY THE NUMBERS: 336 HR, 1,058 RBI, 392 OBP, .556 SLG

BUZZ: One of the strongest positions in Blue Jays history and a close call. We give Delgado the edge over John Olerud and Edwin Encarnancion thanks to overall power and offensive clout. Delgado began his career slowly, but evolved into a potent bat in the middle of the lineup. A perfect fit here. He is the Blue Jays' all-time leader in doubles, runs and walks.


All-Time Best Toronto Blue Jays Starting Lineup 2

2B – Roberto Alomar

YEARS IN TORONTO: 1991-95

BY THE NUMBERS: .308 AVG, .382 OBP, .451 SLG

BUZZ: Alomar came to the Blue Jays in a trade with San Diego that included Tony Fernandez. Alomar evolved into an All-Star just when the Jays emerged as back-to-back World Champions. His presence was crucial for both title teams in Toronto in the leadoff spot. In just five seasons in Toronto, Alomar won five Gold Gloves, earned five All-Star Game nods and three Silver Sluggers.


SS – Tony Fernandez

YEARS IN TORONTO: 1983-90; 1993; 1998-99; 2001

BY THE NUMBERS: 172 SB, 613 RBI, .412 SLG

BUZZ: Fernandez got on base and kept opposing pitchers distracted with a constant threat to steal. Whatever offensive prowess Fernandez lacked, he offset it with range and a stellar arm at shortstop. His four Gold Gloves earned while playing with the Blue Jays is evidence of that.


All-Time Best Toronto Blue Jays Starting Lineup 3

3B – Josh Donaldson

YEARS IN TORONTO: 2015-18

BY THE NUMBERS: 316 RBI, .383 OPB, .931 OPS

BUZZ: Donaldson won AL MVP honors in 2015 after being shipped to Toronto from Oakland. He slashed .297/.371/.568 in his first year with the Blue Jays. Swatting from the center of the order, Donaldson helped power the Blue Jays to the playoffs in 2015 and ’16.


LF – George Bell

YEARS IN TORONTO: 1981, 1983-90

BY THE NUMBERS: 240 HR, 740 RBI, .486 SLG

BUZZ: Bell added clout to the Blue Jays lineup in the 1980s, as the team emerged from expansion patsy to playoff threat. The Jays won the AL East twice during Bell’s time with the team but never got past the ALCS. There were only two rounds back then. Bell won 1987 AL MVP honors, the first Blue Jays player to do so. He picked up three consecutive Silver Slugger Awards starting in 1985 (going up against the likes of Jim Rice), and made two All-Star Games with the Blue Jays.


CF – Devon White

YEARS IN TORONTO: 1991-95

BY THE NUMBERS: 240 HR, 740 RBI, .486 SLG

BUZZ: White anchored the Blue Jays outfield when the team won its two World Series titles. White played for the Blue Jays for five seasons and won a Gold Glove in each of them. Where we might favor offense when making some of these choices, White gets the call here over the likes of Vernon Wells and Kevin Pillar. His strength and skill in the field was demonstrated in how he made so many difficult plays appear effortless.


All-Time Best Toronto Blue Jays Starting Lineup 6

RF – Jose Bautisa

YEARS IN TORONTO: 2008-17

BY THE NUMBERS: 288 HR, 766 RBI, .506 SLG

BUZZ: Joey Bats was much more than one iconic postseason bat flip. Bautisa’s career enjoyed a resurgence after he arrived in Toronto from Pittsburgh. His bat was the power core at the center of a Blue Jays lineup that wrecked opposing pitching. The Blue Jays were able to break through in the AL East late in Bautisa’s tenure, but he put up stellar numbers throughout his time in the 416.


DH – John Olerud

YEARS IN TORONTO: 1989-96

BY THE NUMBERS: 471 RBI, .395 OBP

BUZZ: Olerud got on base. A lot. More than anyone else in Blue Jays history – at least in terms of on-base percentage. Olerud was a consistent force in the Jays lineup, wherever his bat found itself. Given the power in this lineup, these Jays don’t need a home-run hitter at DH. Their DH will simply hit the ball, move runners along and get on base. Olerud is the perfect pick for that.


All-Time Best Toronto Blue Jays Starting Lineup 5

Utility – Vlad Guerrero Jr.

YEARS IN TORONTO: 2019-22

BY THE NUMBERS: 72 HR, 213 RBI, .884 OPS

BUZZ: Guerrero combines versatility in the field and immense power at the plate. Multiple players could have slid into this final spot. Guerrero’s presence at the plate and his potential earn him the final spot in our lineup. One full season does not a career make, but Guerrero is worth consideration here and soon will find a spot in this starting lineup.


All-Time Best Toronto Blue Jays Starting Lineup 8

SP – Roy Halladay

YEARS IN TORONTO: 1998-09

BY THE NUMBERS: 148-76, 3.47 ERA, 1,495 Ks

BUZZ: Roy Halladay pitched a dozen seasons in Toronto and was a six-time All-Star, before eventually winning a World Series with the Phillies in 2008. Halladay won the 2003 AL Cy Young Award. He went 22-7, threw a mind-bending 266 innings and amassed 9 complete games. Halladay was an OG work horse in the 21st Century.


RP – Tom Henke

YEARS IN TORONTO: 1985-92

BY THE NUMBERS: 271 SV, 644 Ks, 563 IP

BUZZ: In much the same way Halladay is a clear and decisive choice among the Blue Jays' all-time starters, Henke earns the same consideration out of the bullpen. He is the team’s all-time saves leader with 217. In his eight years with the Blue Jays, Henke fanned 644 batters in 563 innings coming out of the bullpen against a litany of big-hitters. He made more than 50 appearances in five of his final six seasons with the club.


All-Time Best Toronto Blue Jays Starting Lineup 10

Manager – Cito Gaston

YEARS IN TORONTO: 1989-97; 2008-10

BY THE NUMBERS: 894-837, 2 AL Pennants, 2 WS Titles

BUZZ: Gaston guided the Blue Jays to World Series wins in 1992-93. He was 16-8 in the postseason. The team rode several ups and downs during his tenure. The Blue Jays never recovered from the 1994 players’ strike before Gaston was shown the door in 1997.

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About the Author

Bill Speros for Bookies.com
Bill Speros
Bill Speros is an award-winning journalist and editor whose career includes stops at USA Today Sports Network / Golfweek, Cox Media, ESPN, Orlando Sentinel and Denver Post.