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MLB

Jose Bautista returns to the Blue Jays after testing free agency

By Chris Bahr FoxSports
Published | Updated
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October 6, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista (19) hits a three run home run in the ninth inning against the Texas Rangers during game one of the 2016 ALDS playoff baseball game at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Jose Bautista is staying with the Toronto Blue Jays after all.

Bautista, 36, rejected the team's one-year qualifying offer in November that would have paid him $17.2 million in the 2017 season. Instead, he opted to test the free-agent market, which wasn't as lucrative as he expected.

Limited to 116 games by injuries last season, Bautista hit .234/.366/.452 with 22 homers, 24 doubles and 69 RBI. In the past nine seasons with the Jays, he has hit .261/.382/.528 with 265 homers and 701 RBI.

He also has swatted six postseason homers with Toronto, including one that resulted in the most famous bat flip of all time:

Bautista will slide back into his right-field spot for Toronto, which avoided losing both of its free-agent sluggers this offseason. First baseman/DH Edwin Encarnacion signed with the Cleveland Indians, and the Blue Jays will replace him with a combination of newcomers Kendrys Morales and Steve Pearce.