Donaldson's 5 greatest Blue Jays moments
TORONTO -- Josh Donaldson was everything the Blue Jays could have hoped for when they acquired him from the Oakland Athletics on Nov. 28, 2014.
In just under four seasons with Toronto, Donaldson racked up 116 home runs, with a .281 batting average and a .931 on-base plus slugging percentage. He led the Blue Jays to a pair of playoff appearances, the franchise's first in over two decades, and won the 2015 American League MVP Award. His 8.5 WAR in 2015 stands as the most valuable single season for a Blue Jays position player.
Though his tenure with the Blue Jays came to an end Friday, his time in Toronto was filled with incredible moments. Here are the five best plays of Donaldson's Blue Jays career.
The Donaldson Dash (10/9/16)
Tied 6-6 in the bottom of the 10th of Game 3 of the 2016 ALDS, Russell Martin hit into what looked like an inning-ending double play, but Rougned Odor threw wide of first base, allowing Donaldson to come charging around second for home. Mitch Moreland threw to the plate, but it was too late. Donaldson dove into the air and slid just barely around the tag from Jonathan Lucroy to clinch the Blue Jays' second consecutive ALCS appearance. More >>
Perfect-game saving catch (6/24/15)
Marco Estrada was perfect for seven innings when he got some help from his third baseman in the eighth. David DeJesus hit a popup into foul territory, and as the ball drifted away from the field, Donaldson ran after it and leapt two rows deep into the Tampa Bay stands to make the catch. He held the ball up and cracked a smile while Estrada showed his appreciation. More >>
Walking off the home regular season (9/27/15)
Donaldson had three walk-off homers in 2015, the last coming during the final home game of the season when he launched a two-out solo blast over the left-field wall to give the Blue Jays a 5-4 win over the Rays. It was his 41st home run of the year and a defining moment of his 2015 AL MVP campaign.
Sac fly score (9/2/15)
With the bases loaded against Cleveland, Troy Tulowitzki hit a lazy fly ball into shallow right-center field that looked like it would be an uneventful out, but Donaldson had other ideas. Once Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis made the catch, Donaldson took off for home plate. The throw pulled catcher Yan Gomes up the line, but it still beat Donaldson, who dove around the tag and was safe at the plate.
Three-homer game (8/28/16)
Donaldson had a field day against Twins pitching on Aug. 28, 2016. He jumped on Kyle Gibson in the third inning for a solo shot, then got Pat Light in the seventh for a two-run homer, before clobbering a 417-foot home run in the eighth inning off Alex Wimmers to finish the afternoon with a hat trick of homers. In total, his three home runs travelled over 1,200 feet that day. More >>
Honorable mentions
ALDS barehander (10/14/15)
At his defensive peak, few players made barehanded plays look as easy as Donaldson did. His highlight reel is rife with barehanded catches and laser throws to first base. One of his best such plays has been lost in dramatics of the seventh inning of Game 5 of the 2015 ALDS. The speedy Delino DeShields hit a chopper just left of Aaron Sanchez that a charging Donaldson was able to corral barehanded before firing to first base for the out. Odor advanced to third on the play, and the rest is history.
Barehander beats Betts (7/20/17)
Mookie Betts looked like he'd hit an infield single by placing the ball perfectly between the pitcher and third baseman, but Donaldson came charging in to barehand the ball before firing a throw to first to get the speedy Betts.