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Jose Bautista Not Prepared To Officially Retire

By Jeff Todd | November 22, 2019 at 5:04pm CDT

Veteran slugger Jose Bautista isn’t announcing a comeback bid after taking off the 2019 season, but neither is he prepared to declare his career over. The 39-year-old discussed his status with MLB.com’s Nathalie Alonso (Spanish language link).

Bautista says he really isn’t sure yet what will happen with his career. For the time being, the 15-season MLB veteran is enjoying time with his family while continuing his long-lauded workout regimen — something that he says will occur regardless whether he ever again pursues professional sports as a profession.

The former Blue Jays star says he never received an offer last winter despite expressing an interest in playing. Whether or not he was interested in considering minor-league pacts isn’t clear. It’s not terribly surprising that there wasn’t interest in a guaranteed deal; after all, Bautista managed only a .203/.348/.378 slash in 399 plate appearances during his 2018 tour de NL East. That was approximately league-average production — not quite what teams are hoping for from defensively limited roster pieces.

It certainly does not sound as if Bautista has a plan in mind to re-launch his playing career. And it doesn’t seem likely that he’ll be lured back by teams. Still, Bautista says he doesn’t feel it’s necessary to announce a formal retirement at the moment. Indeed, he says he still has yet even to consider that step.

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MLBTR Chat Transcript: 11/22/19
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60 Comments

  1. matt41265

    6 years ago

    So he doesn’t want to play or retire I’m kinda confused on what he wants

    Reply
    • Johhos

      6 years ago

      So is he.

      Reply
    • canocorn

      6 years ago

      … He just wants to bang on a trash can all day

      3
      Reply
      • agentx

        6 years ago

        “Feet don’t fail me now…”

        Reply
        • InPolesWeTrust

          6 years ago

          Feets^

          Reply
    • lowtalker1

      6 years ago

      He wants options but he got nothing last year

      Reply
    • Domingo111

      6 years ago

      It likely means if he gets an attractive offer he would do it but not for a minor league deal. Kinda like “I’m retired but there are circumstances in which I couldn’t say no”.

      Reply
  2. ForestCobraAL

    6 years ago

    Odor didn’t hit him hard enough.

    4
    Reply
    • Oxford Karma

      6 years ago

      Odor put him in a five year concussion

      1
      Reply
    • coldbeer

      6 years ago

      Or maybe he did. Look at his #s after the punch.

      1
      Reply
      • bluemonday

        6 years ago

        Odor landed a good punch in 2016, Bautista and his team knocked out Rough Ned’s team in the ALDS in 2015 and 2016. Hmmm, who got the last laugh?

        1
        Reply
        • dugdog83

          6 years ago

          Odor. That was way more memorable.

          Reply
        • dynamite drop in monty

          6 years ago

          Correct answer.

          Reply
    • terrymesmer

      6 years ago

      Bautista had a higher bWAR than Odor in 2019.

      1
      Reply
      • jorge78

        6 years ago

        So did everybody else!

        Reply
    • its_happening

      6 years ago

      Odor doesn’t hit anyone hard enough.

      Reply
      • jays_fan_mike

        6 years ago

        ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

        Reply
        • jays_fan_mike

          6 years ago

          That’s brilliant!!

          Reply
  3. Strike Four

    6 years ago

    He’d be nice in Japan or Korea, bet

    2
    Reply
    • RunDMC

      6 years ago

      He’d be nice in Canada, bet.

      Reply
      • nymetsking

        6 years ago

        He’d be nice in Canada, bet, eh?

        1
        Reply
        • mrperkins

          6 years ago

          Everyone is nice in Canada.

          1
          Reply
        • firegibby

          6 years ago

          Lies

          1
          Reply
        • richdanna

          6 years ago

          He’s be nice in Canada, bet, eh, yah?

          Reply
      • binarydaddy

        6 years ago

        Ferda

        Reply
  4. Frisco500

    6 years ago

    Texas announces cheating sceme of their own. But instead of a garbage can, Odor will be punching Bautista in the tunnel to signal breaking pitches.

    9
    Reply
    • bleacherguy714

      6 years ago

      Hahaha…that was great!

      2
      Reply
  5. jdgoat

    6 years ago

    Become a manager, Jose!

    Reply
    • goalieguy41

      6 years ago

      Loser

      Reply
      • jorge78

        6 years ago

        Who? JDGoat or Bautista?

        Reply
  6. Matthew dunne

    6 years ago

    Should have signed with the astros would have known which pitch was coming but probably would have not been able to hit it

    3
    Reply
    • bhambrave

      6 years ago

      Not very far, anyway. I don’t think he’d play for the Astros. He’d see Roughned far too often.

      1
      Reply
  7. southpaw2153

    6 years ago

    Bautista was washed up 4 years ago. Flip off, Jose.

    1
    Reply
  8. Jeff Zanghi

    6 years ago

    I’d like to see him give it another go… but at this stage it’s highly unlikely he’d get anything more than a minors pact with invite to spring training — and even at that I’m not sure there would be much interest. But he did show he still had some pop back in 2018 and would be interesting to see if he could offer anything in a bench/pinch-hitter role somewhere next season. I also agree that if he wanted to — he could completely tear it up in Japan/Korea if he actually wanted to pursue that. But I’m guessing at this stage/age and how much $ he’s already made that that’s really not likely to happen.

    Reply
    • jorge78

      6 years ago

      When you lose your bat speed it’s over…..

      1
      Reply
  9. titanic struggle

    6 years ago

    Love the compassion from the same guys that were likely soaking him up 6-8 years ago. These guys were washed up in their mid to late 30’s with millions in the bank, and most of you were washed up at 19-20…pathetic…

    Reply
    • Begamin

      6 years ago

      its ok, we’re all in a bad mood some times

      Reply
      • jorge78

        6 years ago

        LOL!

        Reply
  10. coldbeer

    6 years ago

    But is he willing to sit here and bargain for a couple of dollars?!

    Reply
  11. Rallyshirt

    6 years ago

    The rest of the world IS prepared for his retirement.

    Reply
  12. PapiElf

    6 years ago

    What a wholesome picture. The Phillies Phanatic, lovable, kind, and happy. And Jose Bautista, powerful, angry, and Rougned Odor’s punching bag. Together, they bond as one. They run off on each other and a friendship is born!

    Reply
  13. Dorothy_Mantooth

    6 years ago

    As a reminder, Nelson Cruz is also 39 years old. He must have better masking agents 😉

    2
    Reply
  14. DarkSide830

    6 years ago

    ah Joey Bats, all-time great Phillie. jokes aside, it was neat – albiet odd – to see him in a Phils uniform.

    Reply
  15. goalieguy41

    6 years ago

    One day deal with Jays and retire.

    2
    Reply
    • binarydaddy

      6 years ago

      Amen, the bat flip alone gets him first ballot HoF!

      Reply
  16. Daver520

    6 years ago

    League average ????

    Reply
    • DarkSide830

      6 years ago

      not nessicarily the average, but the SLG and OBS were probably close to it.

      Reply
    • jorge78

      6 years ago

      The OPS was .726. League average 2018. In 2019 it would be way underwater…..

      Reply
  17. Erik

    6 years ago

    I’m not sure if I’ll come to work or not again next year. I’m not retiring but nobody is wanting to hire me either. I’ll just be in kind of a limbo so someone can cook up a story about it

    Reply
    • crazylarry

      6 years ago

      Amen to that. Slow day in snooze all.

      Reply
  18. Erik

    6 years ago

    It’s articles like these that are a constant reminder of how much our society just has nothing else to with their time

    Reply
    • NorahW

      6 years ago

      Which must be why you had time to comment.

      I can never understand why you “concern trolls” feel the need to make comments like this. Are you saying we shouldn’t have free time, or that we should never have entertainment? Is your entire life taken up thinking of things that you consider serious? If so, why have you taken the time to register for this forum?

      Reply
  19. dalrob

    6 years ago

    Hard for someone with a massive ego like his to become a “regular person” again. Even if it is one with millions and millions of dollars.

    2
    Reply
    • 30 Parks

      6 years ago

      … accurate.

      Reply
  20. bravesfan

    6 years ago

    Got play in the DR league. Your time in the MLB is up bro.

    Reply
  21. crazylarry

    6 years ago

    Maybe he will become a punching bag for Odor? Oh that’s right he already has been retired from that job.

    Reply
  22. joeflaccosunibrow

    6 years ago

    He could be a PED spokesman.

    Reply
  23. johnnywalker

    6 years ago

    I think he noticed his name not mentioned on TradeRumors for over a year so he texted a crony at the Score to report this none-news so his relevance clock could be reset…

    Reply
  24. cgallant

    6 years ago

    $150mm lol

    Reply
  25. Rich Hill’s Elbow

    6 years ago

    Toronto should bring him back for the heck of it.

    Reply

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