The 1991 Toronto Blue Jays season was the franchise's 15th season of Major League Baseball. It resulted in the Blue Jays finishing first in the American League East with a record of 91 wins and 71 losses. The team's paid attendance of 4,001,527 led the major leagues, as the Blue Jays became the first team in MLB history to draw four million fans in a season. The Blue Jays hosted the All-Star Game on July 9.
Toronto lost the ALCS to the eventual World Series champion Minnesota Twins in five games.
Offseason On December 4, 1990, the San Diego Padres and Blue Jays made one of the biggest blockbuster deals of the decade. The Padres traded second baseman Roberto Alomar and outfielder Joe Carter to the Blue Jays in exchange for first baseman Fred McGriff and shortstop Tony Fernández. Blue Jays GM Pat Gillick and Padres GM Joe McIlvaine originally talked about just trading Joe Carter for Fred McGriff.Diamond Dreams: 20 Years of Blue Jays Baseball, Stephen Brunt, p.261, Penguin Books, The Padres were losing Jack Clark and needed a new first baseman. The Blue Jays had John Olerud ready to take over at first base but were losing outfielder George Bell. Gillick decided to up the ante by trying to get Alomar. Gillick figured that with Garry Templeton in the twilight of his career, Fernández would be an adequate replacement. Alomar feuded with Padres manager Greg Riddoch and the thinking was that Bip Roberts and Joey Cora could platoon at second base. Over the next two seasons, Alomar and Carter would help the Blue Jays win the 1992 and 1993 World Series.
Transactions Transactions by the Toronto Blue Jays during the off-season before the 1991 season.
October 1990 José Escobar granted free agency. Webster Garrison granted free agency. Tom Gilles granted free agency. Released Jim Eppard. Released Rick Luecken.
November 1990 George Bell granted free agency (signed with Chicago Cubs on December 6, 1990, to a three-year, $9.8 million contract). Bud Black granted free agency (signed with San Francisco Giants on November 9, 1990, to a four-year, $10 million contract). John Candelaria granted free agency (signed with Los Angeles Dodgers on March 25, 1991, to a one-year, $830,000 contract). Rance Mulliniks granted free agency (signed with Toronto Blue Jays to a two-year, $1.5 million contract on December 4, 1990). Acquired Alex Sanchez from the Cleveland Indians for Willie Blair. Signed free agent Ken Dayley from the St. Louis Cardinals to a three-year, $6.3 million contract.
December 1990 Acquired Willie Fraser, Marcus Moore and Devon White from the California Angels for Junior Félix, Luis Sojo and a player to be named later (Ken Rivers on December 4, 1990). Signed free agent Ravelo Manzanillo from the Chicago White Sox to a one-year contract. Re-signed free agent Rance Mulliniks to a two-year, $1.5 million contract. Signed free agent Pat Tabler from the Kansas City Royals to a two-year, $1.6 million contract. Acquired Roberto Alomar and Joe Carter from the San Diego Padres for Tony Fernández and Fred McGriff. Signed amateur free agent Carlos Almanzar to a contract. Signed amateur free agent Edwin Hurtado to a contract. Signed free agent Dilson Torres to a contract. Acquired Mickey Weston from the Baltimore Orioles for Paul Kilgus. John Cerutti granted free agency (signed with Detroit Tigers to a one-year, $800,000 on January 14, 1991).
January 1991 Acquired Rene Gonzales from the Baltimore Orioles for Rob Blumberg.
February 1991 Re-signed Roberto Alomar to a one-year, $1.25 million contract.
Regular season May 1, 1991: The Blue Jays were part of baseball history, as Nolan Ryan threw his seventh and last no-hitter against them in Arlington. July 1, 1991: Joe Carter was named the AL Player of the Month for the month of June. August 13, 1991: After making 25 consecutive save opportunities, Tom Henke picked up a blown save after Paul Molitor hit a home run in the ninth. October 2, 1991: The Blue Jays clinched the American League East title in a 6-5 walk-off win over the California Angels. Joe Carter hit the game-winning single. The Jays also became the first team to have their season attendance pass the 4 million mark.
Opening Day starters Roberto Alomar Joe Carter Kelly Gruber Manuel Lee Rance Mulliniks Greg Myers John Olerud Dave Stieb Devon White Mookie Wilson
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Transactions Transactions for the Toronto Blue Jays during the 1991 regular season.
May 1991 Signed amateur free agent Freddy García to a contract. Signed amateur free agent Julio Mosquera to a contract.
June 1991 Kenny Williams selected off of waivers by the Montreal Expos. Willie Fraser selected off of waivers by the St. Louis Cardinals. Acquired Tom Candiotti and Turner Ward from the Cleveland Indians for Denis Boucher, Glenallen Hill, Mark Whiten and cash.
July 1991 Selected Efraín Valdez off of waivers from the Cleveland Indians. Acquired Cory Snyder from the Chicago White Sox for Shawn Jeter and a player to be named later (Steve Wapnick on September 4, 1991).
August 1991 Acquired Candy Maldonado from the Milwaukee Brewers for Bob Wishnevski and a player to be named later (William Suero on August 14, 1991).
September 1991 Signed free agent Dave Parker from the California Angels to a contract.
1991 MLB draft June 3, 1991: 1991 Major League Baseball draft Shawn Green was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 1st round (16th pick). Player signed September 25, 1991.Shawn Green at Baseball Reference Jeff Ware was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 1st round (35th pick). Player signed August 25, 1991.Jeff Ware at Baseball Reference Dante Powell was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 1st round (42nd pick), but did not sign.Dante Powell at Baseball Reference Chris Stynes was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 3rd round. Player signed June 4, 1991.Chris Stynes at Baseball Reference Alex Gonzalez was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 14th round. Player signed June 12, 1991.Alex Gonzalez at Baseball Reference
Roster 1991 Toronto Blue Jays Roster Pitchers Catchers
Infielders Outfielders
Other battersManager
Coaches
(bench) Manager Cito Gaston was sidelined with a herniated disc from August 21 to September 25. Gene Tenace served as the team's interim manager, going 19–14 and keeping the Jays in first place in the AL East for the duration of Gaston's absence.
Game log
|- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 1 || April 8 || Red Sox || 2–6 || Clemens (1–0) || Stieb (0–1) || || 50,114 || 0–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 2 || April 9 || Red Sox || 4–3 || Key (1–0) || Harris (0–1) || Henke (1) || 42,211 || 1–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 3 || April 10 || Red Sox || 5–3 || Timlin (1–0) || Gray (0–1) || Henke (2) || 41,164 || 2–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 4 || April 11 || Brewers || 7–3 || Wells (1–0) || Robinson (0–1) || || 38,326 || 3–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 5 || April 12 || Brewers || 5–4 (11) || Timlin (2–0) || Plesac (0–1) || || 43,150 || 4–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 6 || April 13 || Brewers || 3–7 || Brown (1–0) || Stieb (0–2) || Crim (1) || 49,872 || 4–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 7 || April 14 || Brewers || 9–0 || Key (2–0) || August (0–1) || || 47,136 || 5–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 8 || April 15 || @ Tigers || 4–3 || Stottlemyre (1–0) || Terrell (0–2) || Ward (1) || 9,632 || 6–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 9 || April 16 || @ Tigers || 2–6 || Gullickson (1–0) || Wells (1–1) || Henneman (2) || 10,791 || 6–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 10 || April 17 || @ Tigers || 4–5 (10) || Henneman (1–0) || Ward (0–1) || || 16,355 || 6–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 11 || April 19 || @ Brewers || 5–2 || Stieb (1–2) || August (0–2) || || 9,604 || 7–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 12 || April 20 || @ Brewers || 4–2 || Key (3–0) || Bosio (1–2) || Ward (2) || 13,545 || 8–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 13 || April 21 || @ Brewers || 8–11 (10) || Crim (1–0) || Wills (0–1) || || 14,920 || 8–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 14 || April 22 || @ Red Sox || 4–6 || Lamp (1–1) || Wells (1–2) || Reardon (4) || 25,841 || 8–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 15 || April 23 || @ Red Sox || 0–3 || Clemens (4–0) || Boucher (0–1) || Reardon (5) || 29,904 || 8–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 16 || April 24 || @ Red Sox || 6–1 || Stieb (2–2) || Young (0–1) || || 28,841 || 9–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 17 || April 25 || Tigers || 3–2 || Key (4–0) || Petry (0–1) || Ward (3) || 49,688 || 10–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 18 || April 26 || Tigers || 5–4 || Stottlemyre (2–0) || Terrell (0–3) || Ward (4) || 50,170 || 11–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 19 || April 27 || Tigers || 2–4 || Gullickson (2–0) || Wells (1–3) || Henneman (3) || 50,211 || 11–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 20 || April 28 || Tigers || 9–6 || Timlin (3–0) || Leiter (0–1) || Ward (5) || 50,134 || 12–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 21 || April 30 || @ Rangers || 5–8 || Gossage (2–0) || Acker (0–1) || Russell (5) || 24,873 || 12–9
|- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 22 || May 1 || @ Rangers || 0–3 || Ryan (3–2) || Key (4–1) || || 33,439 || 12–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 23 || May 2 || @ Royals || 3–1 || Stottlemyre (3–0) || Appier (1–4) || Ward (6) || 22,896 || 13–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 24 || May 3 || @ Royals || 5–1 || Wells (2–3) || Davis (2–2) || || 20,809 || 14–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 25 || May 4 || @ Royals || 5–6 || Saberhagen (2–3) || Boucher (0–2) || Montgomery (6) || 22,628 || 14–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 26 || May 5 || @ Royals || 3–0 || Stieb (3–2) || Gordon (1–2) || Ward (7) || 22,588 || 15–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 27 || May 7 || Rangers || 2–3 || Rogers (1–3) || Key (4–2) || Russell (6) || 44,622 || 15–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 28 || May 8 || Rangers || 4–2 || Stottlemyre (4–0) || Ryan (3–3) || Ward (8) || 43,211 || 16–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 29 || May 9 || White Sox || 2–0 || Wells (3–3) || Pérez (1–2) || Ward (9) || 47,236 || 17–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 30 || May 10 || White Sox || 3–5 (12) || Radinsky (2–1) || Fraser (0–1) || || 50,198 || 17–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 31 || May 11 || White Sox || 5–2 || Stieb (4–2) || Hough (0–2) || Ward (10) || 50,206 || 18–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 32 || May 12 || White Sox || 4–2 || Key (5–2) || Hibbard (2–1) || Ward (11) || 50,108 || 19–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 33 || May 13 || Royals || 4–2 || Stottlemyre (5–0) || Davis (2–4) || Ward (12) || 44,275 || 20–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 34 || May 14 || Royals || 4–1 || Wells (4–3) || Gubicza (0–1) || Timlin (1) || 43,357 || 21–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 35 || May 15 || Royals || 4–6 || Saberhagen (4–3) || Boucher (0–3) || || 50,113 || 21–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 36 || May 17 || @ White Sox || 3–5 || Pall (1–1) || Timlin (3–1) || Thigpen (7) || 30,095 || 21–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 37 || May 18 || @ White Sox || 9–2 || Key (6–2) || Hibbard (2–2) || || 34,861 || 22–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 38 || May 19 || @ White Sox || 4–5 || Patterson (1–0) || Timlin (3–2) || Thigpen (8) || 41,015 || 22–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 39 || May 20 || @ Athletics || 1–0 || Wells (5–3) || Welch (4–3) || Henke (3) || 24,631 || 23–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 40 || May 21 || @ Athletics || 11–7 || Acker (1–1) || Dressendorfer (3–3) || Timlin (2) || 22,738 || 24–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 41 || May 22 || @ Athletics || 1–2 || Moore (6–2) || Stieb (4–3) || Eckersley (11) || 34,028 || 24–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 42 || May 24 || @ Angels || 3–2 || Timlin (4–2) || Finley (7–2) || Henke (4) || 26,408 || 25–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb"