Edwin Encarnación Helped Revive the Jays, But It Won’t Be Near Enough for Cooperstown

Edwin Encarnación had maybe the most famous parrot outside of a pirate’s when he played for the Blue Jays. He was also pivotal to returning the franchise to October relevance. A three-time All-Star, an American League RBI leader, and the author of one of the most important home runs in Jays’ history, Encarnación appears for the first time (and most likely the last) on the Hall of Fame ballot this year.

I watched him once in a spring training game in Sarasota, Florida, when he played for the Cincinnati Reds. He wasn’t a great fielder at third, but man, he could hit. His 16-year career included stops with the Guardians, Mariners, Yankees, and White Sox, but he made a name for himself with the Jays.

Alongside José Bautista, they formed Toronto’s version of the “Bash Brothers.”

Encarnación’s basic career ledger is imposing: 424 home runs, 1,261 RBIs, an .846 OPS, and a 123 OPS+. His overall Baseball Reference WAR rests at 35.3. For context, that’s comfortably above-average, and considering he played a lot of DH, his value was concentrated almost entirely in the batter’s box.

Following a mid-2009 trade from Cincinnati in the Scott Rolen deal, Encarnación initially played third base for Toronto before later moving between first and DH.

Earlier in his career with the Jays, they nearly let him go. In 2010, he was designated for assignment.  Oakland claimed him on waivers, then non‑tendered him a few weeks later. Toronto eventually re-signed him.

I'm not sure if it was ever directly attributed to Bautista, but Encarnación eventually found his power in Toronto. In 2012, he crushed 42 homers and had a .941 OPS. It was a season that saw him finish 11th in MVP voting and start a multi-year run of elite production.

The start of that year also earned him a contract extension with the Jays. He signed a three-year, $27 million deal (with a $10 million club option for 2016) in July 2012.

When you consider some of the Jays' hitting greats like George Bell, Carlos Delgado, Vernon Wells, Joe Carter and Bautista, it might be surprising to learn that Encarnación finished his time with the Jays third in home runs (239), while ranking among the top 10 in several other categories, including RBIs and OPS.

He wasn’t just about power either. Encarnación paired his power with consistent plate discipline, maintaining walk rates of between 10-13%. That is much better than most sluggers when it comes to patience at the plate.

There is no question that he is best known for his walk-off, three-run homer in the bottom of the 11th inning of the 2016 American League Wild Card Game against the Baltimore Orioles.

If he had been able to maintain what he did in 2015 and 2016 throughout his career, his chances of being inducted into Cooperstown would have been improved substantially. He hit 39 home runs with 111 RBIs in 2015 along with a .929 OPS. The following year, he upped his home run output to 42 and increased his RBIs to 127.

Those seasons were a bit of an anomaly for Encarnación. Sure, he drove in 100 runs or more in six seasons, but didn’t really get close to that output in most of the other 10.

Encarnación was primarily a DH and first baseman for the majority of his career, so if you are looking for recent comparisons that would include Delgado, Mark Teixeira, and maybe even Don Mattingly.

Teixeira had 409 career home runs and finished well above Encarnación in WAR at around 50. He only garnered 1.5% of the vote in his first year of eligibility to enter the Hall of Fame and fell off the ballot.

Given that Delgado and Mattingly were both recently reconsidered by a Cooperstown special committee and fell short of the 12 votes needed for induction, the odds are not in Encarnación’s favour.

One of the biggest hurdles for Encarnación’s Hall of Fame case is positional value. Voters have historically undervalued designated hitters, even those with elite offensive numbers. David Ortiz is the rare exception, and his induction was buoyed by postseason heroics and a larger-than-life persona. Encarnación’s career, while impressive, lacks that same narrative weight beyond his Wild Card walk-off.

Bigger names like Cole Hamels, Ryan Braun and Matt Kemp are among the 12 newcomers on the National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot this year. Encarnación is also joined by Howie Kendrick, Daniel Murphy, Rick Porcello, Shin-Soo Choo, Gio González, Alex Gordon, Nick Markakis and Hunter Pence.

Carlos Beltrán is among 15 players who carried over from last year. He came 19 votes shy in last year’s balloting.

While Edwin Encarnación left the Jays in 2016 for a big contract with Cleveland, then proceeded to the Mariners, Yankees and White Sox, he will always be remembered for his contributions in Toronto. No doubt, part of that productivity resulted in him returning to the organization, where he continues to serve as a special advisor and assistant.

Like a lot of former Jays, including Bell, Delgado, Bautista, and Dave Stieb, Encarnación’s contributions won’t be recognized by Cooperstown. Instead, we can look back fondly at his parrot and remember him and the teams he led during the 2010s.

Ultimately, Encarnación’s story isn’t about a Hall of Fame plaque. It’s about moments that mattered for Toronto. From his 2012 breakout to his 2016 heroics, he helped define an era of Blue Jays baseball that reignited the franchise.

For a generation of Toronto fans, his name evokes packed stadiums, deafening roars, and the thrill of meaningful October baseball.

Edwin Encarnación won’t get a plaque on the wall in Cooperstown, but he gave Toronto something just as rare. He gave the franchise hope, excitement, and a return to the playoffs after two decades. In the end, that’s a legacy no ballot can define.

If you watched the Blue Jays this past season, you might have noticed that Encarnación was frequently in the dugout as part of his current role with the club. He continues to mentor Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and others in the franchise, and that might ultimately be even more impactful than his playing contributions.