Encarnacion's HR puts Blue Jays' trio in franchise record books
Much of the Toronto Blue Jays' success this season can be attributed to the gauntlet of power hitters residing in the middle of the order.
Heralded as one of the best hitting trios in the organization's 39-year history, sluggers Edwin Encarnacion, Josh Donaldson, and Jose Bautista made that title official Saturday.
With Encarnacion's sixth-inning, two-run home run off Tampa Bay Rays reliever Brandon Gomes, the three have combined to hit 120 homers on the season, more than any trio in franchise history.
(Courtesy: MLB.com)
| Player | GP | HR | RBI | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donaldson | 157 | 41 | 123 | .950 |
| Bautista | 152 | 40 | 114 | .910 |
| Encarnacion | 145 | 39 | 111 | .927 |
Jose Canseco, Carlos Delgado, and Shawn Green of the 1998 Blue Jays set the previous record with 119.
| Player | GP | HR | RBI | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canseco | 151 | 46 | 107 | .836 |
| Delgado | 142 | 38 | 115 | .978 |
| Green | 158 | 35 | 100 | .844 |
It's the fourth straight game in which Encarnacion has homered. The two-time All-Star needs one more home run to anoint the Blue Jays as the first American League team to ever boast three players with at least 40 home runs, according to John Lott of the National Post.