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Jose Bautista, 3 Other ex-Blue Jays on D.R. Olympic Qualifying Team
There could potentially be some Blue Jays fan-favorites playing in the Olympics this summer.
Former Jays outfielder Jose Bautista will represent the Dominican Republic in the upcoming Olympic Qualifying Tournament on May 31.
One of the best hitters to ever don the blue and white, Bautista needs no introduction to Blue Jays fans. The right-handed slugger played 1,235 games with Toronto (fifth all-time), hit 288 home runs (second all-time) and drove in 766 runs (third all-time).
Bautista's most famous moment as a Blue Jay came during Game 5 of the 2015 ALDS against the Texas Rangers, when he connected on an epic home run -- and an equally awesome bat flip -- that catapulted Toronto to a series win.
The 40-year-old briefly tried his hand at pitching a few years back, but is listed as an outfielder on the Dominican Republic's roster.
Bautista highlights a 26-man roster that also includes Mariners top prospect Julio Rodriguez and former Blue Jays Juan Francisco, Emilio Bonifacio and Melky Cabrera. Cabrera signed with Toronto in 2012 and played 227 games for club.
The qualifying tournament takes place May 31 through June 5 in different locations in Florida. Group A includes the United States, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. Cuba, Venezuela, Canada and Colombia round out Group B.
The top team to finish automatically secures a trip to the Olympic tournament, while the No. 2 and No. 3 seed play a second qualifier later in June.
Further Reading
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