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.
So he doesn’t want to play or retire I’m kinda confused on what he wants
So is he.
… He just wants to bang on a trash can all day
“Feet don’t fail me now…”
Feets^
He wants options but he got nothing last year
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”.
Odor didn’t hit him hard enough.
Odor put him in a five year concussion
Or maybe he did. Look at his #s after the punch.
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?
Odor. That was way more memorable.
Correct answer.
Bautista had a higher bWAR than Odor in 2019.
So did everybody else!
Odor doesn’t hit anyone hard enough.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
That’s brilliant!!
He’d be nice in Japan or Korea, bet
He’d be nice in Canada, bet.
He’d be nice in Canada, bet, eh?
Everyone is nice in Canada.
Lies
He’s be nice in Canada, bet, eh, yah?
Ferda
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.
Hahaha…that was great!
Become a manager, Jose!
Loser
Who? JDGoat or Bautista?
Should have signed with the astros would have known which pitch was coming but probably would have not been able to hit it
Not very far, anyway. I don’t think he’d play for the Astros. He’d see Roughned far too often.
Bautista was washed up 4 years ago. Flip off, Jose.
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.
When you lose your bat speed it’s over…..
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…
its ok, we’re all in a bad mood some times
LOL!
But is he willing to sit here and bargain for a couple of dollars?!
The rest of the world IS prepared for his retirement.
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!
As a reminder, Nelson Cruz is also 39 years old. He must have better masking agents 😉
ah Joey Bats, all-time great Phillie. jokes aside, it was neat – albiet odd – to see him in a Phils uniform.
One day deal with Jays and retire.
Amen, the bat flip alone gets him first ballot HoF!
League average ????
not nessicarily the average, but the SLG and OBS were probably close to it.
The OPS was .726. League average 2018. In 2019 it would be way underwater…..
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
Amen to that. Slow day in snooze all.
It’s articles like these that are a constant reminder of how much our society just has nothing else to with their time
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?
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.
… accurate.
Got play in the DR league. Your time in the MLB is up bro.
Maybe he will become a punching bag for Odor? Oh that’s right he already has been retired from that job.
He could be a PED spokesman.
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…
$150mm lol
Toronto should bring him back for the heck of it.