Top 5 Short-Term Stints in Blue Jays History

After seeing the departure of Marcus Semien and Robbie Ray, here’s an examination of the five best short stints by players in a Blue Jays uniform.

This past week we saw Marcus Semien sign a 7-year deal with the Texas Rangers. Semien was a class act, and I would say almost every Blue Jay fan would have welcomed him back with open arms. His 2021 season saw him produce one of the best stat lines ever from a second basemen. Clubbing 45 homers and winning a Gold Glove award at second base payed off big time. Semien was a quietly impressive player and provided a good influence for the younger Blue Jays on how to carry themselves in a professional sports setting. His impact was felt significantly this season and will continue to be felt as the Jays’ younger players continue to mature.

Robbie Ray also left Toronto, in the form of a five-year contract with the Seattle Mariners. Ray’s relationship with the Blue Jays first began after he was traded there in 2020 from the Diamondbacks. It was such a great fit that he was the first free agent to sign in the following offseason. We all know what followed, a historic season capped off with a Cy Young award.

All this being said, Semien and Ray truly used their short time in Toronto to their advantage. They were able to have a large amount of success in a short period. Over the years the Blue Jays have had their fair share of talented, nationally recognized players. More-often than not these players were retained for an extended period of time. Guys like Jose Bautista, Roy Halladay, Joe Carter, Dave Stieb, and Tom Henke all played five or more seasons with the Jays.

Unfortunately for us fans, other generational talents didn’t stick around for so long. Some came in and led the Blue Jays to championships, while other arrived during rather dull years of fandom but still managed to offer some excitement. Seeing as Marcus Semien and Robbie Ray just cashed in on their fruitful, short journeys with Toronto, this is a list of the five best cameo showings from star Major Leaguers with the Blue Jays. These guys had to have had made an impact with the organization in three seasons or less.