Jose Bautista to sign one-day contract and retire as Toronto Blue Jay

Blue Jays legend Jose Bautista will don the iconic blue jersey one more time when he signs a one-day contract to officially close out his baseball career in Toronto.

The Toronto Blue Jays announced Bautista's ceremonial signing on Friday morning, on the eve of his induction onto the team's Level of Excellence on Saturday.

Blue Jay FOREVER 💙#JoeyBats will sign a one-day contract and retire a Toronto Blue Jay! pic.twitter.com/XrxGlHPZ1h

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) August 11, 2023

The 42-year-old Dominican slugger spent nine seasons in Toronto, including memorable postseason runs in 2015 and 2016.

His 2016 ALDS celebratory ensuing bat flip is remembered as one of the greatest moments in Blue Jays history, following a no-doubter three-run bomb to blow open a bizarre and controversial 53-minute-long seventh inning in the series' Game 5.

BAUTISTA WITH A DRIVE pic.twitter.com/TQg4hbpNAs

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) August 11, 2023

Jose Bautista is also being immortalized off the field with the reveal of a new mural at Spadina and Adelaide, depicting his iconic bat flip.

New Jose Bautista bat flip mural at Spadina and Adelaide pic.twitter.com/oIrczGbnv0

— Henry Chan (@pushpulllonglnz) August 10, 2023

Bautista will be the star of the weekend on Saturday in the Rogers Centre when the Toronto Blue Jays host the Chicago Cubs at 3:07 p.m.