Best Blue Jays Designated Hitters of All Time

Toronto Blue Jays' Edwin Encarnacion celebrates his solo home run off a pitch from Texas Rangers' Yu Darvish in the fifth inning.
(AP Photo/LM Otero)
  • Edwin Encarnación posted 23.2 fWAR as a Blue Jay.
  • Dave Winfield’s 140 wRC+ is the highest of any Blue Jay, with over 500 plate appearances at DH.
  • Paul Molitor has a .387 on-base percentage as a Jay.

Compared to other positions, there weren’t many strong candidates when identifying the best designated hitters in Toronto Blue Jays history.

The Jays haven’t always had a permanent DH, often opting to rotate hitters in that spot. If players have taken the role on every day, it has usually been later in their careers, meaning they don’t have enough seasons left to put up gaudy counting stats. 

Five Best Toronto Blue Jays Designated Hitters

RankPlayer NameBlue Jays Years
1Edwin Encarnacion2009-16
2Paul Molitor1993-95
3Cliff Johnson1983-86
4Dave Winfield1992
5Frank Thomas2007-08

1. Edwin Encarnación

Acquired when the Jays traded Scott Rolen to the Cincinnati Reds in July 2009, Edwin Encarnación set about becoming one of the best hitters in franchise history.

Only four hitters have amassed more bWAR. His OPS+ is tied for the fourth-best as a Blue Jay. 

After starting out as a third baseman, Encarnación spent most of his time as a DH, earning three All-Star nods as a Jay. He received MVP votes in five seasons. 

Encarnación arrived when the Blue Jays were amidst their 21-season postseason drought. He was a consistent performer for seven seasons and played a big role in the Jays becoming one of the AL favourites in baseball playoff odds, resulting in ALCS appearances in 2015 and 2016. 

2. Paul Molitor

Paul Molitor signed with the Blue Jays as a free agent before the 1993 season. Deep into his 30s, but producing at an elite level at the plate, Molitor immediately impacted the Blue Jays odds and became one of the sportsbook favourites for AL MVP.

Despite playing most of his games at DH, Molitor posted 5.6 bWAR in his first year as a Jay. He also won World Series MVP after registering a 1.571 OPS in the Fall Classic. 

Only two DHs in franchise history have a better wRC+ than Molitor. His numbers would have been even better if it wasn’t for a 102 wRC+ in his third and final season in Toronto.

3. Cliff Johnson

Cliff Johnson spent under 100 innings on the field during his time as a Jay, and he was almost exclusively a DH. Johnson posted a 127 wRC+ overall and had a 137 wRC+ with 38 home runs across the 1983 and 1984 seasons.

Reacquired by the Jays after signing with the Texas Rangers as a free agent, Johnson was a part of the team which lost the ALCS to the Kansas City Royals in 1985. 

4. Dave Winfield

Dave Winfield only spent one season as a Blue Jay. It might have been Winfield’s age-40 season, but he was still an incredibly productive hitter with a 140 wRC+. 

Finishing fifth in MVP voting, Winfield hit 26 homers and 33 doubles in 1992. A pair of home runs in the ALCS helped the Jays get past the Oakland Athletics, but Winfield was held to a .564 OPS by the Atlanta Braves in the 1992 World Series.  

5. Frank Thomas

Frank Thomas only posted 1.7 fWAR during his time as a Blue Jay. Thomas had a 125 OPS+ in 2007, though, with 56 extra-base hits.

A poor start to the 2008 season led to his release in April. His 122 wRC+ is good enough for fifth among all Jays DHs with over 500 plate appearances, so the Big Hurt deserves to round out this top five.

About the Author

Sam Cox

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Sam Cox is a freelance content writer for BetMGM. He can regularly be found on 888Sport and Betting Expert and has previously written for Sports Betting Dime, OddsChecker, and numerous others. Sam also runs Franchise Sports and has over a decade of experience in the gambling industry.

Sam Cox is a freelance content writer for BetMGM. He can regularly be found on 888Sport and Betting Expert and has previously written for Sports Betting Dime, OddsChecker, and numerous others. Sam also runs Franchise Sports and has over a decade of experience in the gambling industry.