Blue Jays: Top-five first basemen in franchise history

Since the inaugural 1977 season, the Toronto Blue Jays have been treated to a number of quality first basemen. A number of All-Star appearances, Silver Sluggers, Gold Gloves, and memorable performances have been had from the storied first basemen in team history. Going through the team history of players at this position, I was pleasantly surprised at how difficult something like this was to arrange. Coming to an organized top five players through the team’s history was not easy.

I didn’t set any specific ground rules for myself while assembling this list, such as a minimum number of plate appearances or years played with the Blue Jays. Instead I’ll be paying close attention to counting stats, memorable moments, and overall talent.

With that being said, there’s some players that didn’t make the cut. Whether it’s a result of not enough years played, good vibes but not enough accomplishments, or their career not being over, here are the honorable mentions.

Willie Upshaw

The second mainstay first baseman in team history, Upshaw was a stud with the Jays from 1978-1987. Upshaw produced an OPS+ of 102 during his nine year Blue Jays tenure, averaging 124 games played a year. His average offensive numbers would come to .265/.336/.762, with 12 home runs per year. "Solid" would be the word I use to describe Upshaw, and having been a 2000 baby I was never privileged enough to watch him live, but he deserves a mention in this piece.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Guerrero deserves a mention here, but I can’t reasonably rank him among the top five yet. Since 2019, even with the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Vladdy’s already hit 104 home runs and has a career 135 OPS+. The former top prospect even has a Gold Glove now. The kid's a stud, and more years with the club will put him at the top of this list, but for now we must live in the moment.

Lyle Overbay

A model of consistency, Overbay was outshined by the other sluggers of his time, but he still brought value. He averaged 145 games a year, while producing an OPS+ of 110 during his five seasons as a Blue Jay.

Justin Smoak

An afterthought during the competitive seasons of 2015 and 2016, Smoak stuck around and shined when given consistent playing time. An All-Star in 2017, Smoak averaged an OPS+ of 113 from 2015-2019, while providing great defense at first. Smoak would depart in free agency before finding himself in Japan to finish his professional career in 2021.

#4 Fred McGriff

Blue Jays career: .278/.389/.530, 578 games, 125 homeruns, 305 RBI, 19.4 bWAR

Blue Jays resume: Silver Slugger (1989), three top-20 finishes in MVP voting

Had his tenure lasted longer than four years, Crime Dog could very well be at the top of this list. Fred McGriff, up until recently, was one of the most underappreciated sluggers of the 80s/90s. A career that included six teams, 493 home runs, and a World Series ring with the 1995 Atlanta Braves, McGriff was recently enshrined in Cooperstown, very deservedly so.

After being acquired by the Jays in 1982, McGriff would make his MLB debut in 1986. He proved to be quite a durable run producer, averaging 156 since he became a full time starter in 1988 with an average of 87 RBI during that 1988-1991 timeframe. Combine this production with his charisma, sweet swing, and knack for coming through in the big moments, and you have an all-time Blue Jay.

McGriff’s Jays career would be cut short however, as he was a big part of a necessary trade to the San Diego Padres in exchange for a package of Joe Carter and Roberto Alomar. The Jays would go on to win back-to-back World Series, and McGriff would enjoy more individual success while making his first All-Star team and eventually being traded to the Braves, where he’d soon win a World Series of his own.

Had McGriff stayed on the Jays for longer, he could very well be higher on this list. However, Crime Dog’s success in this limited time still warrants a spot on this ranking, and his induction into the Hall of Fame was long overdue.

#3 Edwin Encarnación

Blue Jays career: .268/.355/.522, 999 games, 239 homeruns, 679 RBI, 25.2 bWAR

Blue Jays resume: 3x All-Star, four top-15 finishes in MVP voting

When you’re talking about out of nowhere success stories, Encarnación should be on your list. Acquired from the Reds in the Scott Rolen trade, he wasn't anything special in 2009 and 2010. He was even lost on waivers at one point, but eventually ended up back on the Blue Jays.

A move from third to first base in the second half of 2011 resulted in him starting to find a groove, finishing 2011 with an 111 OPS+ over 134 games. The following year in 2012, Encarnación took the league by storm. An offseason change to his swing and the starting spot at first base laid the groundwork for what would be one of the best breakout seasons in franchise history.

A slash line of .272/.368/.544 from 2012 to 2016 while splitting time between first and DH, Encarnación was one of the most dangerous sluggers of the 2010s. Despite these stats, he still found himself underappreciated. This was in large part due to his quiet nature, as you never saw many interviews or stories surrounding the Dominican-born slugger. It doesn't help his case that he also found himself in the middle of a lineup surrounded by a variety of other dangerous hitters.

Encarnación hit behind José Bautista throughout the majority of his Blue Jays tenure, typically paired next to the aforementioned Adam Lind. Later on Josh Donaldson would arrive and receive the lions share of media attention. All of these players would have impressive seasons, while Edwin would casually guarantee an .850 OPS and at least 30 home runs while looking solid at first base.

In addition to his quiet nature, Edwin had two other calling cards, hot streaks and big postseason moments. The former were often times almost too intense to believe. My personal favorite would have to be in May of 2014. Edwin’s batting average of .281 and OBP of .369 were on par for his talents, but the power numbers were god-like. Sixteen (!) homeruns in the month of May, after hitting only two the month prior, would put him in the franchise record books for most homers in a single month.

The postseason homers were also something to reminisce about. Bautista gets the credit for the biggest hit in game 5 of the 2015 ALDS, but many forget Edwin had just tied the game with a mammoth shot the inning prior off of Cole Hamels. And of course, we’ll never forget his walk-off tank off of Ubaldo Jiménez in the 2016 AL Wild Card game.

Encarnación would leave in free agency after that postseason, to the dismay of many, and sign with the Cleveland Indians. Edwin would play through the 2020 season, after stops in Seattle, New York, and Chicago. Now that all is said and done, Encarnación will go down as one of the best first basemen in franchise history, and possibly the most underrated player of the 2010s.

#2 John Olerud

Blue Jays career: .293/.395/.471, 920 games, 109 homeruns, 471 RBI, 19.7 bWAR

Blue Jays resume: All-Star and 3rd in MVP voting (1993), 4th in Rookie of the Year voting (1990)

Olerud is one of the coolest stories of a homegrown player in franchise history, because there wasn’t a whole lot of actual growing going on. Olerud was taken in the third round of the 1989 MLB Draft, then went on to make his MLB debut in September of that same year, and never played a minor league game until 2005 while rehabbing from surgery on his foot.

"Johnny O" had many memorable things tied to his name, from his profound 1993 season, his historic college career, or his signature batting helmet he’d wear onto the field.

The year Olerud was drafted, he suffered a brain aneurysm while running indoors. After a series of stays in the hospital and surgeries, of course lucky to be alive, he would wear a helmet while playing first base from there on out as a precaution.

The Jays were lucky to actually sign Olerud after drafting him. The third-rounder enjoyed riches of success in college baseball while playing at Washington State, and was intent on playing his senior year in his home state. He signed with the Blue Jays under the condition that he would report directly to the major league team, a concept that is unheard of in today’s game.

Olerud was clearly up to the challenge, getting into six games in 1989 before playing in 111 the following year. He would be a solid first baseman from 1990-1992, showing strong defensive skills at first base while consistently making contact to all fields at the plate. His true breakout came in 1993.

Olerud’s 1993 season was one for the ages, and for a good portion of it, he had a shot at a .400 batting average. Olerud began to fall off in the second half, but settled with a gaudy slash line of .363/.473/.599 with 24 home runs and a major league leading 54 doubles. These results equated to an OPS of 1.072 and an OPS+ of 186, both leading the American League.

Johnny O would have three more productive seasons in Toronto, though none of them would approach his numbers from 93. Olerud would be traded to the New York Mets after the 1993 season in favor of the next player on this list. Olerud would continue to be a remarkably consistent player through the rest of his career, but the trade would prove to be the right move.

#1 Carlos Delgado

Blue Jays career: .282/.392/.556, 1423 games, 336 homeruns, 1058 RBI, 36.8 bWAR

Blue Jays resume: 2x All-Star, 3x Silver Slugger, Hank Aaron Award, three top-20 finishes in MVP voting

The trade of John Olderud was a necessary transaction, as it made way for the best first baseman in franchise history, Carlos Delgado. Signed as a 16 year old out of Puerto Rico in 1988, Delgado quickly ran through the ranks of the minor leagues and made his debut in October of 1993. 

Originally a catcher, Delgado was forced to play left field due to the presence of Olerud at first. Once Olerud was moved, Delgado became the mainstay at first. From the time he became a full-time player in 1996, Delgado would average a slash line of .286/.397/.565 through 2004. This consistent offensive production would result in numerous All-Star appearances and Silver Sluggers, and put Delgado on the map as one of the best first basemen in baseball.

Deglado’s best ever performance came in September of 2003, when he blasted four homeruns in a single game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Delgado would average 38 home runs and 121 RBI per 162 games as a Blue Jay, and carried a 142 OPS+ over his Jays career. Delgado was also durable, only playing less than 140 games twice over those nine years as a full time player, two of those seasons he played in all 162.

Delgado’s averages with the Blue Jays are nothing short of unprecedented. He’s one of the greatest hitters to ever grace the roster, and is one of the biggest Hall of Fame snubs of the last twenty years. However, Delgado's exploits have earned him well deserved spot on the Level of Excellence. He is the franchise leader in homeruns, RBI, walks, slugging, OPS, doubles, and extra base hits, and is easily the best first baseman to wear a Blue Jays uniform. 

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