Blue Jays: A look back at the 5 best Opening Day performances in franchise history

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What are the top 5 best Opening Day performances in Toronto Blue Jays history?

Over the course of the Toronto Blue Jays' storied franchise history, the club has managed to go 24-22 in Opening Day games, not a bad mark.

This list is a tough one to assemble, as the Blue Jays have been lucky to have some exceptional season-opening performances from players over the years. From stars to nobodies, there have been quite a few players worthy of making a list like this one.

Honorable mention goes to Tony Batista and his outstanding game in the 2000 season opener against the Kansas City Royals. Batista and Shannon Stewart both hit two home runs in this game, helping the Jays top the Royals in 5-4 fashion.

Who could've possibly topped that? We found five season-opening performances that rank just above this in the Blue Jays' history books.

5. Marcus Stroman, 2019

While almost nothing went right for the 2019 Blue Jays, staff ace Marcus Stroman was on his A-game in the season opener against the Tigers.

Stroman's Opening Day start that year was the second he made in a six-year career in Toronto. By this time, he had already established himself as an All-Star-level starter (although he didn't actually make his first ASG until later that year), and was one of the more electric starters the Jays had had in recent memory when he was on.

On March 28th against the Tigers, he was on. Stroman dominated the opposition, going seven innings and striking out seven batters, walking four and allowing just two hits along the way. He looked nearly unhittable that day, but the club still found a way to lose the contest 2-0 thanks to an equally-impressive start by Detroit's Jordan Zimmermann.

4. Adam Lind, 2009

Easily the best season of Adam Lind's 12-year big league career came in 2009 as a member of the Blue Jays. He hit 35 home runs and drove in 114 with a whopping 46 doubles for good measure. He never quite replicated this offensive performance throughout the rest of his playing days, but he started off the '09 season on a great foot.

The eventual Silver Slugger Award winner was a key piece in the 12-5 shellacking the Jays gave the Detroit Tigers on April 6th, 2009. He came to the plate five times and had four hits, one of them being a massive home run in the fifth inning that put the Jays up 9-1, surprisingly putting on an offensive clinic against future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander.

3. Jack Morris, 1992

Jack Morris, an 18-year veteran who went on to be elected to the Hall of Fame, spent two years on the Blue Jays at the tail end of his career. He made his Jays debut in 1992, earning the nod as the club's Opening Day starter.

Morris' historic performance that day was just the start the Jays needed, as they went on to win the 1992 (and 1993!) World Series after going 96-66 in the regular season.

On April 6th, the then-37-year-old Morris dominated the Detroit Tigers, which has become a common theme in the first three entrants to our list here. He threw a complete game that day, striking out seven batters and holding the Tigers to just five hits on the day as the Jays won the game 4-2.

Morris' complete game gem that year holds more significance than Stroman's start did, simply because his great game started the eventual World Series champions' season on the right foot.

2. Doug Ault, 1977

At Exhibition Park in Toronto, it was a cold, snowy day with the Canadian weather on full display. 44,000 fans showed up to see the second Canadian team in Major League Baseball take the field against the Chicago White Sox.

The late Doug Ault was the Blue Jays' first baseman in 1977, the first season of the club's existence. He had just nine games under his belt prior to '77, going six-for-20 for the Rangers the year before, hitting no home runs and failing to drive in or score any runs.

Ault, who never again performed as well as he did on Opening Day 1977, went three-for-five with two home runs, two runs scored, four driven in, and a walk for good measure. His performance that day made him the very first hero in franchise history, but the Jays that year were (predictably) awful, going 54-106 after the season-opening victory.

1. George Bell, 1988

There could not possibly be a better fit for this spot, it has to be George Bell.

Bell, the first MVP winner in Blue Jays' history the year before, was coming off of a monstrous season where he hit 32 doubles and 47 home runs, scored 111 runs and drove in 134. Opening Day of 1988 was his first game as defending "best player in the American League", and he reminded everyone why he was the one to win the award.

In what went on to be a 5-3 victory for the Jays, Bell started off the season on the best possible foot, going three-for-four with a whopping three home runs. Four of the five runs for the Jays were thanks to him, so he singlehandedly put the club on his back and won the game.

The club finished third in the AL East that year on the backs of exceptional performances from Fred McGriff, Dave Stieb and Bell. Bell couldn't quite replicate his MVP-winning season from the year prior, but he once again was one of the most fearsome sluggers in an already deep lineup.

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