Blue Jays History: Future Hall of Famer signs with Toronto for one power-filled season

Exactly 33 years ago today, the Toronto Blue Jays made an offseason addition that would lead the team to their first World Series title in franchise history. On December 19, 1991, the Blue Jays signed designated hitter Dave Winfield to a one-year, $2.3 million deal out of free agency, quickly adding a fan-favorite to their roster for what would be a historic season.

Winfield led the Blue Jays to their first World Series title

Having celebrated his 40th birthday just two months before signing with Toronto, Winfield was already an established star in MLB by the 1992 season. With 12 consecutive All-Star selections, seven Gold Glove Awards, and five Silver Slugger Awards earned between the San Diego Padres and New York Yankees, the Blue Jays knew he was going to be a game-changer on their roster when they signed him coming off a two-season stint with the California Angels.

During the regular season, Winfield slashed .290/.377/.491 with 26 home runs and 108 RBI in 670 plate appearances — but it wasn't just his incredible performance at the plate that made him a fan-favorite in Toronto. A leader in the clubhouse, Winfield became known for encouraging fan participation, and "Winfield Wants Noise" became a popular slogan for the season after he requested in an interview that Blue Jays fans start making more noise during games.

Once Toronto made it to the playoffs, Winfield cemented his legacy even further. Having struggled during the only other playoff campaign of his career — he slashed just .182/.286/.273 in 63 plate appearances during the New York Yankees' 1981 postseason berth — the Blue Jays' advancement to the playoffs was a chance for Winfield to redeem himself.

In the AL Championship Series against the Oakland Athletics, Winfield hit 2 home runs and 3 RBI, helping the Blue Jays win the matchup in six games and advance to the World Series against the Atlanta Braves. It would only take Toronto another six games to win their first World Series title in franchise history, and Winfield would play a crucial role.

In Game 6 of the World Series, Winfield drove in the game-winning — and Series-winning — runs, hitting a two-run double off the Braves' Charlie Leibrandt to secure the title for the Blue Jays. At 41 years old, he was the third-oldest player in MLB history to record an extra base hit in the World Series, and fans quickly coined him "Mr. Jay" for his stunning performance. Along with his first World Series ring, Winfield won the sixth Silver Slugger Award of his career in 1992, and finished in fifth-place in AL Most Valuable Player voting.

At the end of 1992, Winfield became a free agent, ending his time in Toronto after just one season. He went on to sign with his hometown Minnesota Twins for two years, then retired from baseball at the end of 1995 after one season with the Cleveland Indians. In 2001, Winfield was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, and while he wears a San Diego Padres hat on the plaque that hangs in Cooperstown, his brief one-season stint with the Blue Jays earned him a legacy in Toronto that won't soon be forgotten.