1997 Toronto Blue Jays season


The 1997 Toronto Blue Jays season was the franchise's 21st season of Major League Baseball. It resulted in the Blue Jays finishing fifth in the American League East with a record of 76 wins and 86 losses. With a massive redesign of their logos and uniforms, the Blue Jays attempted to re-establish themselves in the American League East by signing Roger Clemens via free agency and bringing All-Stars Carlos García and Orlando Merced through trade. Although Clemens rejuvenated himself with the Blue Jays, both Garcia and Merced ended up being flops as dismal overall hitting and an inconsistent bullpen doomed the Blue Jays once again to a last-place finish. 1997 also marked the end of the road for manager Cito Gaston, being fired near the end of the season. Longtime fan-favourite Joe Carter also played in his final season for the Blue Jays, as he was released at the end of the season.

Transactions

Transactions by the Toronto Blue Jays during the off-season before the 1997 season.

Regular season

Opening-day starters

Interleague play

Expos vs. Jays

'''June 30, SkyDome, Toronto, Ontario'''

Pitching

Toronto Blue JaysIPHRERBBSO
Hentgen L 9.062213
Totals9.062213

Canada Day game

The Blue Jays and Expos played to a sold-out Skydome crowd on Canada Day. Legendary Roger Clemens would get the start as the Blue Jays donned red uniforms for the second time. Montreal pitcher Jeff Juden would have a no-hitter through the first six innings until Shawn Green would hit a dramatic home run to break Juden's bid for a no-hitter.

Transactions

Transactions for the Toronto Blue Jays during the 1997 regular season.

Player stats

Batting

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; Avg. = Batting average
PosPlayerGABHHRRBIAvg.
CBenito Santiago97341831342.243
1BCarlos Delgado1535191363091.262
2BCarlos García10335077323.220
3BEd Sprague Jr.1385041151448.228
SS1264261021235.239
LFJosé Cruz Jr.55212491434.231
CFOtis Nixon103401105126.262
RFOrlando Merced9836898940.266
DHJoe Carter15761214321102.234

Other batters

Note: G = Games; AB = At bats; H = Hits; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; Avg. = Batting average
PlayerGABHHRRBIAvg.
Shawn Green1354291231653.287
Charlie O'Brien6922549427.218
Jacob Brumfield5817436220.207
Shannon Stewart4416848022.286
Mariano Duncan3916738012.228
Tilson Brito491262808.222
Tomás Pérez401232409.195
Juan Samuel459527315.284
Robert Pérez37781526.192
Rubén Sierra14481015.208
Tom Evans12381112.289
Felipe Crespo1228815.286
Rich Butler714402.286
Julio Mosquera38200.250
Sandy Martínez32000.000

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGIPWLERASO
Pat Hentgen35264.015103.68160
Roger Clemens34264.02172.05292
Woody Williams31194.29144.35124
Robert Person23128.15105.6199
Chris Carpenter1481.1375.0955
Juan Guzmán1360.0364.9552

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGIPWLERASO
Luis Andújar1750.0066.4828
Omar Daal927.0114.0028
Huck Flener817.1019.879
Erik Hanson315.0007.8018
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGWLSVERASO
Kelvim Escobar2732142.9036
Paul Quantrill776751.9456
Dan Plesac732413.5861
Mike Timlin383292.8736
Paul Spoljaric370333.1943
Tim Crabtree373327.0826
Marty Janzen122103.6017
Carlos Almanzar40102.704
Bill Risley30108.312
Kenny Robinson30002.704

Award winners

All-Star Game