Toronto Blue Jays Roster

Toronto Blue Jays Roster

The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball (MLB)'s American League (AL).

The "Blue Jays" name originates from the bird of the same name, and the fact that blue is the traditional colour of Toronto's other professional sports teams, the Maple Leafs and the Argonauts. Nicknamed "the Jays", the team's official colours are royal blue, navy blue, white, and red. An expansion franchise, the club was founded in Toronto in 1977, initially owned by the Labatt Brewing Company. Originally based at Exhibition Stadium, the team began playing its home games at the SkyDome, upon completion of its construction in 1989. Since 2000, the Blue Jays have been owned by Rogers Communications, and in 2004, the SkyDome was purchased by that company, which renamed the venue to Rogers Centre. They are the second MLB team to be based outside the United States, and currently the only team outside the U.S. after fellow Canadian franchise, the Montreal Expos, relocated to Washington, D.C. after the 2004 season (becoming the Washington Nationals).

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Blue Jays went through struggles typical of an expansion team, frequently finishing in last place in their division. In 1983, the team had its first winning season, and two years later, they became division champions. From 1985–1993, the Blue Jays were an AL East powerhouse, winning five division championships in nine seasons, including three consecutive from 1991–93. During their run of three straight division championships, the team also became back-to-back World Series champions from 1992–93, led by a core group of award-winning All-Star players, including Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar, Joe Carter, John Olerud, and Devon White. They became the first (and to date, only) team outside the U.S. to appear in and win a World Series, and the fastest AL expansion team to do so, winning in their 16th year. Since 1993, the Blue Jays have not made the playoffs, though they have remained competitive in their division.

The Blue Jays are one of three MLB teams under corporate ownership, with the other two being the Seattle Mariners (Nintendo of America) and the Atlanta Braves (Liberty Media).