The fiery rivalry between the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays have emerged in recent years mostly due to the many heated altercations with free-agent Jose Bautista.
It’s not a secret theBaltimore Oriolesand their fans have no love lost for free-agent and enemyJose Bautista.
Rumors emerged earlier this week during the MLB winter meetings that the Baltimore Orioles expressedinterested in signingBautista. Those rumors quickly ended when Orioles’ executive vice president Dan Duquette told Bautista’s agent; “We’re not interested, our fans don’t like your player.” Duquette confirmed the speculations in an interview with Sportsnet Radio 590 The Fan.
With that said, Orioles fans can collectively take a deep breath because Bautista won’t be in an Orioles uniform anytime soon, if not ever. However, the 36-year-old may stay put in the American League East as FanRag Sports’Jon Heyman reportedthe Blue Jays resumed talks with Bautista.
With all that being said, let’s take a look back at the intense rivalry between the Baltimore Orioles and Jose Bautista.
June 21, 2013: Baltimore Orioles @ Toronto Blue Jays
The bad blood between the Orioles and Bautista ignited back on June 21, 2013, whenDarren O’Daystruck out Bautista to complete the seventh inning. O’day began to utter some words towards Bautista after hopping off the mound as he headed towards the Orioles’ dugout. Bautista shouted back, questioning the words of the Orioles right-hander, generating the start of an intense rivalry.
June 22, 2013: Baltimore Orioles @ Toronto Blue Jays
The next day, O’Day and Bautista would meet again in the eighth inning of a 2-2 game. Unlike the night before, Bautista smashed O’Day’s 3-2 pitch for a two-run home run that merely wrapped around the left-field foul pole to put the Blue Jays on top 4-2.
After trotting his way around the bases, Bautista and O’Day swapped words and Bautista displayed a hand movement to O’day translating that O’Day runs his mouth too much. The Orioles went on to lose to the Blue Jays, 4-2.
In a post game interview with theCandian PressBautistarevealed his remarkstowards O’Day during his home run trot saying, “I told him just to keep talking like he was yesterday.”
April 12, 2015: Toronto Blue Jays @ Baltimore Orioles
Two years later, the two clashed again in Baltimore, reviving the fervent rivalry. With the Orioles down 8-7, in the top of the eighth inning, O’Day delivered a pitch up and behind Bautista.
Moments later, Bautista launched his first home run of the season to left center off O’Day, putting the Blue Jays on top 10-7. To no surprise, Bautista performed an elongated home run gallop and skipped around the bases.
April 21, 2015: Baltimore Orioles @ Toronto Blue Jays
Later in the month, tempers flared over in a Tuesday night game at the Rogers Centre. In the seventh inning with the Blue Jays in control, Orioles rookie pitcherJason Garciadelivered his second pitch of the at-bat behind Bautista, just missing him by inches.
After a distraught Bautista had glared at Garcia, home plate umpire Mark Carlson issued warnings to both teams as an irritated John Gibbons jogged out to plead his case to Carlson.
On the next pitch, Bautista ejected the ball 412 feet as it went sailing over the centerfield wall. Bautista took his sweet time to cherish his home run and flip his bat before making his way around the bases. As he rounded second base, Orioles’Ryan Flahertyhad some heated words to give Bautista.
Tempers grew larger the next inning asAdam Jonesand Bautista shouted at each other as the Blue Jays took the field.
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With Duquette confirming rumors that the Orioles don’t want to acquire Bautista because O’s fans don’t like him only adds fuel to the fire. It’s safe to say that the rivalry between the two that dates back to 2013 will continue in 2017.
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