Blue Jays: Top-five first basemen in franchise history

#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.