OverDrive - Bautista on the Blue Jays in the World Series, Springer's electric home run and the team's season

Episode Date: October 23, 2025

Former Blue Jays Outfielder Jose Bautista joined OverDrive to discuss the Blue Jays in the World Series, the team's journey for a win., reminsicing on his bat flip and the comparison to George Springer's Game 7 moment, the formation of the team, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s incredible playoffs and more.

Pizza lovers know, sometimes you need more than a medium. So 2 for 1 pizza offers their large two-topping pizza special. Two delicious toppings, one large pizza for just 1299. Classic pepperoni and mushrooms, ham and pineapple, bacon and green pepper. It's up to you. Order 2-4-1's large pizza two toppings for 1299 deal today. Call 241-0-2-4-1 or online at 2-4-1 pizza.com. Here's Jose Batista.

How you doing, Jose? Nothing much. Just getting ready to watch a great series of baseball. I'm down here in Florida at home, but I'll be watching and tuning in for all the games, of course. Maybe I can get out to L.A. for some of the games there, and definitely going to hit up Toronto for games six and seven. If needed, hopefully we beat them before that.

But if not, I'll be in Toronto or rooting the boys on. I love it. Well, you've been up here, you know, for the previous round. We saw you there for game six, throwing out that first pitch, game seven you were there. How much nostalgia do you get, you know, being in Toronto during the playoffs? A ton. I mean, it brings all the memories back, right, and all the runs we made into the playoffs in 15 and 16, all those games and those summers that maybe weren't as exciting, right?

But seeing them in this position brings me nothing but joy, not only for the guys on the team, but the fans and the organization. and everybody in Canada involved. As you guys well know, we're Canada's team and we're followed from coast to coast to coast. And just to think about the joy, the moments that I'm plugging and the memories that we're going to be, these guys are going to be created for the fans in these next few days as exciting. Your bat flip Homer is so famous in the city of Toronto, just Toronto sports in general. What's it like seeing Springer and Vladie do their thing and have those kind of historical

moments in the city, just doing such great things for their team at big moments in time. It's amazing. Hopefully we see more of that in this next series. So, you know, Springer's Homer was unbelievable. I was there to witnesses. Full circle, actually, obviously. I was, my experience was from being on the field and doing it. And this one was just like another fan in the stand.

So it was a great moment. now I get, I have both, both end of the spectrum on the experience. So it was awesome. Well, all four of us were there in 2015. You played a more prominent role than the three of us. Yeah, we were ducking beers. We were drinking beers and hanging out and hoping you were going to hit that home run. You were at the plate, obviously doing it. But you and I were in a building, you know, for game seven the other night. And I, you know, 10 years is a long time. And you get caught up in the moment. And a lot of people have asked me, was it louder for spring. Springer's home run than it was for Bautistas. And I have gone back and forth on this because that home run you hit, because of the buildup of the seventh inning,

that's the loudest I've ever experienced anything in my life. I don't ever recall any experience like it. Yeah, when Springer hit that home run the other night, man, that roof almost popped off. How do you, how would you judge that at the plate, in the stands, the reaction from the fans, Springer's home run, your home run. I think for me it's a little harder to measure because I was running the basis. I wasn't really paying attention. I know how it felt for me and how loud it was from that point of view.

And I think from different places than the building, it may sound differently, right? So I would love to see, you know, the decibel reading on both. But, yeah, it's probably hard for me to know. Hopefully it was the same or even better for our light care. All I want is these guys to win. And that's what it took at that moment for us to get a step closer with Springer's home run. so very happy that he was able to get it done well and george it wasn't for sure it was getting out like everyone was kind on their feet and it looked like it was going out when you hit that ball

that thing almost landed in mississauga like you knew it was gone when it hit your bat um how much might that change the experience like you could sit watch it bat flip george was kind of cruising up the first baseline hoping it got out and it looked like he blocked out and just started sprinting because he couldn't believe it happened. Do you, is there a, in a way, do you appreciate the fact that you knew yours was out back in 15? Yeah, I think they're both special in their own way, right? And they all have their bits of drama and excitement, doing it immediately when you know

that it's gone, has a certain type of excitement. His, I thought, had a chance right off the bat, but like himself, is it going to hit off the wall is going to get caught and what's going to happen. So the drama, I think, adds to the excitement when you finally see it over the fence. So I think they're both special in the wrong way. With Jose Batista, we were talking to Sean Green the other day, and Sean was part of that 93 team. He came up late and didn't play during the playoffs, but has a connection for life.

And being at the park, you know, throughout the Yankee series and the Mariners series, I saw you out there, and Edwin was out there, Donaldson came up, Kevin Pilar, Marco was out there for game seven. Like, does something like this, when you see the Jays going on a run like this, how much connection do you have with your, you know, teammates, your coaching staff, management, you know, clubhouse staff, whoever it was back in 15, 16, how different is the group chat during a J's run compared to maybe other years? There's a few group chats going on with former players in different eras,

and I overlap the few, so I'm in a couple of them. the one thing that everybody has in common is the love for the Jays and it really has that family feel as an organization right whether it's because it's in Canada or the way they run things I can't explain it it's unlike any other team I was ever a part of everybody feels like their family and they have this deep connection that stands at the test of time so I know that everybody cares even if you play for one month one year or 10 sometimes it doesn't really matter because I've seen firsthand the love that guys have for this organization. And I think that's special and different, like I said, than any other team I'll play for.

So it's exciting to see, and we all rally around the organization when times like this come around. So we're going to still be there pushing, praying, laying up our candles, and, you know, saying our prayers. So it's exciting times. How tough is it going to be for Bo to jump right back in? if he's healthy I don't know about production wise but with his presence

and what he can bring to the table he's going to have impact one way or another it's interesting to see though how the dynamic of him and spring are having issues with their knees if they can either of them can play defense

because I'd love to see how that affects the DH role within the club because you definitely don't want to miss out on defense, right? Bo's a great defender, but when you are dealing with something and the guy that's been playing for you is a little glove caliber of short stuff, you'd hate to make a sub knowing that you're not at 100% for such an important defensive position. So I'm sure they'll figure it out,

but I'm hoping that either his knee feels perfect or that Springer is back online for defense because that will help having both of them in the lineup, but one is at the age. With Jose Batista, I think you bring up a point that is not being mentioned enough. A lot of people looking at Bow and said, well, you need his bat in the lineup. But if he's going to play, sure, to your point, Jimenez has been playing it and it's been flawless. You know, they've been turning double plays in their sleep, man. They've looked really, really quality defensively.

That was a big part of why the Dodgers got after the Yankees last year. Their fundamentals weren't very strong. and L.A. made them pay, and the L.A. Dodgers will make anyone pay if they're sloppy. What do you think the rest of the team is thinking, I guess, from that standpoint? They know Bo can hit. If Bo's in the cage and he's hit and he looks good, he's a veteran, but, you know, would there be any unease among his teammates if he's playing short

and you're not sure exactly what kind of, you know, caliber defense you're going to get from him? I don't think on-ease would be the right word. I think these guys are smart major league baseball players. would probably look at it just like I kind of broke it down. But ultimately, they trust whatever lineup, you know, the manager chooses and the players he picks, and they go out there and battle together regardless of whose name is out there, especially at this time of the year. There's not a lot of ego or, you know, jealousy or anybody trying to be selfish at this

time of the year. Everybody's trying to put a ring on their finger and they'll roll out there with whatever selection that the manager and the coaches make, and they're going to be fully trusting what happens with that. That being said, I think everybody wants to contribute. Everyone wants to feel a part of it. They know their role at this point of the year, right? Everybody wants to play, but if you don't get the nod on any given day, I'm sure you're

going to be staying ready and rooting on your teammates as best as you can and looking to make an impact if your name gets called at any point in the game. Jose, the Dodgers have a stack lineup. You got me a little concerned when you talked about candles and prayers. How many candles and prayers are we talking about here? Like, well, what are some of the biggest keys going up against this Stack Dodgers team? The candles of prayers, all the, as many as it takes, right? It depends on your faith.

You know, we are very superstitious in baseball. and, you know, being from a Dominican culture, we're very Catholic. So I don't want to get into that, but, you know, that's where those reference came from. And I don't mean it in a way that we're hoping or wishing that we can somehow pull it off. I think we have a very capable team. I think we are playing excellent defense. Our pitching is on a tremendous job, with the exception of some of the games we lost, where the middle of the bullpen kind of lost the handle on.

things in a couple of games. But if we contain him inside the ballpark and make him work for it, whether it's, you know, getting a few walks and stringing a few hits along consecutively, I think it's going to be hard for them to do that. They strike out way more than we do.

I will argue that we play just as good if not better defense. We got just as capable arms in our bullpen. It's just, can they execute on any given day? And I think they can. You know, our defense has been tremendous in base running has been tremendous. So we have a deep roster also that helps us off the bench

late in games or with any subs that you have to make for matchups from game to game. So as long as we don't give up the home run, I would say we have the upper hand. So I like the formation of our team and I like the energy and the camaraderie that they have and how they've been playing together. So we're also a little bit more right in the wave of momentum and excitement and energy and adrenaline. And we've been playing games more recently. So hopefully that gives us an edge. With Jose Batista, the Jays also have Vladi Guerrero Jr.,

who is as dialed in as anyone could possibly be. I mean, you mentioned being Dominican. There's a long lineage of great Dominican players in Blue J history, George Bell, Tony Fernandez, yourself, Vladia, go on and on and on. How much of, you know, at what point in his life, life or in his career, did you maybe think this was possible, that this was the Vladi Guerrero Jr. we were going to see at some point?

I can't say that I knew that, but, you know, when he signed his first pro contract out of the Dominican, to even go before his first season, he came up and took back in practice with us in Toronto at the Rogers Center, and you could tell that he was going to be special. And knowing his circle, his support around his family and all that because of obviously who they are, you knew that his chances were going to be great. And from there, you just follow the guy and you see the approach, you see the hard work, the dedication, and the quality of the swing and the skill and the ability.

Guys like that, if they have a good support team and they're dedicated to their craft, they can accomplish great things. And that's why I see what I see Vladi doing right now. It's been decades of hard work behind the scenes to lead to moments like this and feeling prepared. And then the moment not getting too big for you in your head where anxiety may take over or nervousness may take, like he's as calm as I've seen him play

when the stage has gotten the brightest and the biggest. So I think he's going to be, He's going to have the opportunity to come up even bigger. And I hope that moment comes along because I think he can do even more special things that he's already done. So, Jose, we'll get you out of here with a topic we love discussing, and that is the ceremony of first pitch. And we were playing a clip from Michael Jordan yesterday. And Jordan was talking about having to shoot a free throw for the first time in years

and how nervous he was because he's Michael Jordan. Exactly. You're Jose Batista. And there's, you know, 40,000 people at the dome for game six. And like, there's Jose's coming out to throw the first pitch. Were you nervous throwing out that first pitch? I wasn't nervous. I was excited.

Now, I didn't go for years without throwing a baseball. I coach a middle school team down here voluntarily in Tampa. So I've been throwing baseball. And I'm sure you guys can see that with the evidence of how I ended up throwing the So I wasn't nervous at all. I was excited. And I was just trying to pump everybody up. So I let it rip.

And I hope that that got everybody excited. It did. Are you teaching kids how to bat flip properly? No. I think they've kind of picked that up on their own. So I'm more about, I mean, they're middle school boys. So I'm trying to keep their focus on the game half of the time. That's half of the battle.

But it's exciting being able to get back and help out, you know, at the school. and it's really fun. Awesome. Well, it's game one tomorrow night, game one and two in Toronto, then three out in L.A. And if it gets back for six and seven, we look forward to seeing in Toronto,

and I know you'll be tracking every game as closely as everyone else up here. We can't wait for it. And I can't thank you. I know. Thank you so much, Jose. Enjoy the World Series. Indeed, gentlemen.

Thank you very much. Let's go, Jays. The biggest songs in the world. You've heard them count. times now learn the details of how they came to be join ruby car for encore the stories behind the songs you love new interviews and newly unearthed archive footage make for a fascinating weekly deep dive stream encore the stories behind the songs you love on iHeart radio or wherever you get your podcasts