Bisons welcome Jose Bautista to Buffalo

Fans coming to Coca-Cola Field for Friday's fridaynightbash!, Saturday's Star Wars Night and Sunday's Team Photo and Autograph Day will get a little extra surprise, Jose Bautista.

Bautista, the owner of 239 big league home runs since 2010, and the author of the "bat flip heard 'round the world" during the 2015 ALDS, joins the Herd for a minor league rehab assignment.

"I'm very excited, this is what I love doing, this is what I've always done my whole life," Bautista said.

In a June 16 game against the Phillies in Philadelphia, Bautista hyperextended the big toe on his left foot, leaping and running into the right field scoreboard on a ball hit by Darin Ruf.

"It's always tough to deal with any injury. But I'm in better shape to help the team win now, and I'm taking full advantage of it." The All-Star slugger played with Single-A Dunedin on June 20, mashing a solo-home run in the contest.

"I feel pretty good. I went down to Florida and got my rehab done, and got a couple of at bats in simulated games in Dunedin. I'm not a young buck anymore, I've been there, done that, and I've recovered from many different injuries. I don't expect this to be something that lingers, and I know I'm good to go."

Bautista joins the likes of Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez, CC Sabathia, Jose Reyes, and Edwin Encarnacion as MLB stars to make rehab assignments in Buffalo over the last 20 years.

After spending parts of five seasons with Baltimore, Tampa Bay, Kansas City and Pittsburgh, Bautista has found a home in Toronto, becoming one of the sports premier sluggers. The six-time American League All-Star has won two home run crowns, three Silver Sluggers, and has finished in the top-eight in MVP voting four times since joining Toronto in 2008.

He further endeared himself to Jays' fans last season during the club's first playoff run in over 20 years. Facing the Texas Rangers in the ALDS, Bautista's go-ahead three run home run, and accompanying bat-flip, sealed Toronto's first ALCS birth since 1993.

The slugger hopes to return to a Jays club that once again finds itself in contention, as they currently claim one of the two Wild Card spots in the AL. All-Star seasons by Josh Donaldson, Edwin Encarnacion, Marco Estrada and Aaron Sanchez have been keys for the Jays, despite the losses of several key players. Current Blue Jays Devon Travis and Franklin Morales played with the Herd earlier in the year on rehab, with Chris Colabello and Ryan Goins currently suiting up for the Herd.

As the trade deadline nears, Bautista is confident in Toronto's ability to perform, even without the possibility of adding some players.

"I've been focused completely on my rehab. I've been watching our games, but I haven't tried to pay attention too much to trades. With us three [Bautista, Colabello and Goins] going back up there at some point I expect, I don't know what other projection of talent any other major league team could get of this caliber. So it looks like we're in pretty good shape."

This years' Bisons feature a mixture of veterans and up-and-coming prospects. Of the 46 players to appear in a game for Buffalo, all but eight have major league experience. Now Bautista, and his over 10 years of MLB service time, adds another veteran presence to the clubhouse, at least for a few days.

"These guys are all veteran players for the most part. Most of these faces I've seen at some point and somewhere, and they're all professional baseball players, they know what they're doing, they don't need any pep talks," Bautista said of what advice he could give to any of the current Bisons.

Bautista will play in the final three games of the Herd's four-game series against the Gwinnett Braves, where he is expected to play both right field and designated hitter.

"This is competitive baseball, so I'm trying to help this team win games, I'm not just going to come here and waste at bats. These opportunities don't come every day for some people, so I can't disrespect that, and come in here and not do my job."

Hardcore Bisons' fans may remember that Bautista, before he was known throughout the baseball world as "Joey Bats," last appeared at Coca-Cola Field while playing with the Indianapolis Indians in the 2005 International League playoffs. During the series, the then-Pirates farmhand he hit a key home run against the Herd, in what has been the last time the club has reached the postseason.

Fans this weekend hope that this time around, Bautista can once again knock one out of the park, but while representing Buffalo.