The many links between the Blue Jays and Giants

Sam Dyson – A Distant Enemy

The original owner of the 1-1 pitch that Jose Bautista crushed over the left-field wall in Game 5 of the infamously memorable 2015 ALDS, Sam Dyson is perhaps primarily known for his three-year stint with the Texas Rangers.

As unbelievable as it may seem, Dyson was actually a Blue Jay in 2012. In fact, he was originally drafted by the Jays in 2010 and worked his way up through the Blue Jays farm system, logging innings with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats and Dunedin Blue Jays before making his major league debut. Interestingly enough, Dyson, a native of Tampa, Florida, was actually drafted twice (first by the Washington Nationals and then by the Oakland Athletics) before eventually signing on with the Blue Jays.

After his short, troubled stint north of the border, Dyson, who most recently served as a member of the 2018 San Francisco Giants, spent time with the Miami Marlins, spending parts of three seasons in their organization. He is under contract in San Francisco until the end of the 2020 season and will earn $5 million in 2019.

The owner of a 3.41 career ERA in 324.1 major league innings, Dyson will likely always be remembered as the pitcher who was taken deep by Bautista in one of the most epic innings in the history of baseball.