The 1983 Toronto Blue Jays season was the franchise's seventh season of Major League Baseball. For the first time in team history, Toronto avoided a last place finish in their division and recorded a winning record. The Blue Jays finishing fourth in the American League East with a record of 89 wins and 73 losses, starting a streak of 11 consecutive winning seasons. It was the team's first season to use the song "OK Blue Jays" in the seventh-inning stretch.
Offseason Transactions Transactions by the Toronto Blue Jays during the off-season before the 1983 season. October 1982 Purchased Tucker Ashford from the New York Yankees.
November 1982 Signed amateur free agent Nelson Liriano. Acquired Cliff Johnson from the Oakland Athletics for Alvis Woods. Wayne Nordhagen granted free agency.
December 1982 Drafted Jim Acker from the Atlanta Braves in the 1982 MLB Rule 5 draft. Acquired Dave Collins, Fred McGriff, Mike Morgan and cash from the New York Yankees for Tom Dodd and Dale Murray. Glenn Adams granted free agency. Acquired Don Cooper from the Minnesota Twins for Dave Baker.
January 1983 Player rights of Jerry Garvin sold to the St. Louis Cardinals. Signed amateur free agent Enrique Burgos.
February 1983 Acquired Jorge Orta from the New York Mets for Steve Senteney. Acquired Cecil Fielder from the Kansas City Royals for Leon Roberts. Signed free agent Randy Moffitt from the Houston Astros to a contract. Signed amateur free agent Tony Castillo to a contract. Signed free agent Mickey Klutts from the Oakland Athletics to a contract.
Regular season Willie Upshaw became the first Blue Jay to get over 100 RBIs with 104. On August 4, 1983, New York Yankee Dave Winfield, while warming up before the 5th inning of a game at Toronto's Exhibition Stadium, accidentally killed a seagull with a thrown ball. He doffed his cap in mock sorrow. Fans responded by hurling obscenities and improvised missiles. After the game, he was brought to the Ontario Provincial Police station on charges of cruelty to animals and was forced to post a $500 bond before being released. Quipped Yankees manager Billy Martin, "It's the first time he's hit the cutoff man." The charges were dropped the following day. For years afterward Winfield's appearances in Toronto were greeted with loud choruses of boos, but he later became a fan favorite when he joined the team in 1992. During an August 24, 1983 game, Baltimore Orioles pitcher Tippy Martinez picked off three Toronto Blue Jays baserunners in one inning. The baserunners were Barry Bonnell, Dave Collins and Willie Upshaw. 100 Things Orioles Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die, Dan Connolly, Triumph Books, Chicago, 2015, ISBN 978-1-62937-041-5, p.188
Opening Day starters Dave Collins Dámaso García Jim Gott Alfredo Griffin Cliff Johnson Lloyd Moseby Rance Mulliniks Hosken Powell Willie Upshaw Ernie Whitt
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Transactions Transactions for the Toronto Blue Jays during the 1983 regular season. April 1983 Returned Tucker Ashford to the New York Yankees following previous purchase.
June 1983 Signed free agent Doyle Alexander from the New York Yankees to a contract.
July 1983 Signed free agent Alvis Woods from the Oakland Athletics to a contract. Released Hosken Powell.
September 1983 Signed amateur free agent Gerónimo Berroa to a contract.
Roster 1983 Toronto Blue Jays Roster Pitchers Catchers
Infielders Outfielders
Other batters Manager
Coaches
Game log
|- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 1 || April 5 || @ Red Sox || 7–1 || Stieb (1–0) || Eckersley (0–1) || Jackson (1) || 33,852 || 1–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 2 || April 7 || @ Red Sox || 4–7 || Stanley (1–0) || Leal (0–1) || || 9,603 || 1–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 3 || April 9 || Yankees || 7–4 || Jackson (1–0) || Gossage (0–1) || || 36,459 || 2–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 4 || April 10 || Yankees || 0–3 || Rawley (1–0) || Stieb (1–1) || || 23,093 || 2–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 5 || April 12 || Brewers || 5–6 || Sutton (1–1) || Morgan (0–1) || Easterly (1) || 11,413 || 2–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 6 || April 13 || Brewers || 7–2 || Clancy (1–0) || Caldwell (0–2) || || 10,809 || 3–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 7 || April 14 || Brewers || 4–5 || Slaton (1–0) || McLaughlin (0–1) || || 10,127 || 3–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 8 || April 15 || @ Yankees || 6–5 || Stieb (2–1) || May (0–1) || || 15,092 || 4–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbbbbb" | -- || April 16 || @ Yankees || colspan=6|Postponed (rain) Rescheduled for August 8 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 9 || April 17 || @ Yankees || 5–7 || Rawley (2–0) || Clancy (1–1) || || 50,200 || 4–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 10 || April 18 || @ Yankees || 0–3 || Guidry (1–1) || Leal (0–2) || || 11,148 || 4–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 11 || April 19 || Indians || 9–7 || Moffitt (1–0) || Spillner (0–1) || || 10,358 || 5–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 12 || April 20 || Indians || 4–1 || Stieb (3–1) || Sorensen (0–3) || || 10,173 || 6–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 13 || April 22 || @ Royals || 5–6 || Leonard (2–1) || Jackson (1–1) || Quisenberry (4) || 16,172 || 6–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 14 || April 23 || @ Royals || 5–4 || Moffitt (2–0) || Quisenberry (1–1) || McLaughlin (1) || 19,906 || 7–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 15 || April 24 || @ Royals || 1–7 || Renko (1–1) || Gott (0–1) || || 18,522 || 7–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 16 || April 26 || @ Rangers || 1–2 || Smithson (3–0) || Stieb (3–2) || || 17,380 || 7–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 17 || April 27 || @ Rangers || 3–2 || Moffitt (3–0) || Darwin (1–2) || || 7,518 || 8–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 18 || April 29 || White Sox || 3–9 || Dotson (3–1) || Leal (0–3) || Tidrow (2) || 13,212 || 8–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbbbbb" | -- || April 30 || White Sox || colspan=6|Postponed (rain) Rescheduled for July 26
|- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 19 || May 1 || White Sox || 8–0 || Stieb (4–2) || Bannister (1–4) || || 18,769 || 9–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 20 || May 2 || Rangers || 6–5 || Clancy (2–1) || Darwin (1–3) || Moffitt (1) || 10,525 || 10–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 21 || May 3 || Rangers || 2–7 || Matlack (2–1) || Gott (0–2) || Tobik (3) || 10,125 || 10–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 22 || May 4 || Rangers || 7–1 || Leal (1–3) || Honeycutt (3–2) || || 11,280 || 11–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 23 || May 6 || Royals || 6–1 || Stieb (5–2) || Gura (4–2) || || 12,699 || 12–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 24 || May 7 || Royals || 7–4 || Jackson (2–1) || Leonard (3–3) || Moffitt (2) || 15,527 || 13–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 25 || May 8 || Royals || 1–6 || Renko (2–2) || Gott (0–3) || Quisenberry (7) || 25,753 || 13–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 26 || May 9 || @ White Sox || 6–1 || Leal (2–3) || Burns (0–1) || || 9,848 || 14–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 27 || May 11 || @ White Sox || 3–1 (10)|| Stieb (6–2) || Hoyt (2–5) || || 18,844 || 15–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 28 || May 12 || @ Indians || 6–3 || Clancy (3–1) || Sorensen (2–5) || Moffitt (3) || 6,361 || 16–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 29 || May 13 || @ Indians || 1–5 || Eichelberger (1–1) || Morgan (0–2) || || 10,900 || 16–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 30 || May 14 || @ Indians || 8–1 || Leal (3–3) || Blyleven (3–4) || Jackson (2) || 15,505 || 17–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbbbbb" | -- || May 15 || @ Indians || colspan=6|Postponed (rain) Rescheduled for August 16 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 31 || May 16 || @ Brewers || 2–1 (11)|| Stieb (7–2) || McClure (1–6) || Moffitt (4) || 8,298 || 18–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 32 || May 17 || @ Brewers || 6–9 || Caldwell (3–4) || Clancy (3–2) || Tellmann (2) || 9,304 || 18–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 33 || May 18 || @ Brewers || 6–7 || Slaton (5–0) || Geisel (0–1) || || 16,485 || 18–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 34 || May 19 || Orioles || 1–2 || McGregor (4–2) || Morgan (0–3) || Martinez (4) || 11,569 || 18–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 35 || May 20 || Orioles || 7–5 || Gott (1–3) || Martínez (3–7) || McLaughlin (2) || 16,034 || 19–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 36 || May 21 || Orioles || 6–0 || Stieb (8–2) || Stewart (2–2) || || 20,165 || 20–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 37 || May 22 || Orioles || 5–0 || Clancy (4–2) || Boddicker (1–1) || || 15,222 || 21–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 38 || May 23 || Tigers || 4–0 || Leal (4–3) || Wilcox (4–5) || Moffitt (5) || 35,011 || 22–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 39 || May 24 || Tigers || 7–6 || Jackson (3–1) || Rucker (1–2) || McLaughlin (3) || 19,105 || 23–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 40 || May 25 || Tigers || 2–6 || Petry (5–2) || Gott (1–4) || López (5) || 15,846 || 23–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 41 || May 26 || Red Sox || 2–7 || Stanley (4–2) || Stieb (8–3) || || 16,589 || 23–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 42 || May 27 || Red Sox || 0–2 || Tudor (3–2) || Clancy (4–3) || || 17,161 || 23–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 43 || May 28 || Red Sox || 9–5 || Jackson (4–1) || Aponte (3–3) || McLaughlin (4) || 30,171 || 24–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 44 || May 29 || Red Sox || 6–1 (6) || Gott (2–4) || Eckersley (3–2) || || 33,352 || 25–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbbbbb" | -- || May 29 || Red Sox || colspan=6|Postponed (rain) Rescheduled for August 29 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 45 || May 30 || @ Tigers || 6–4 (10)|| McLaughlin (1–1) || Gumpert (0–1) || || 10,901 || 26–19
|- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 46 || June 1 || @ Tigers || 1–3 || Rozema (2–0) || Clancy (4–4) || López (7) || 9,586 || 26–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 47 || June 2 || @ Tigers || 6–1 || Leal (5–3) || Wilcox (5–6) || || 11,907 || 27–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 48 || June 3 || @ Orioles || 2–3 || Martinez (3–1) || McLaughlin (1–2) || || 40,393 || 27–21 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 49 || June 4 || @ Orioles || 4–6 || Boddicker (3–2) || Stieb (8–4) || Stewart (2) || 22,659 || 27–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 50 || June 5 || @ Orioles || 5–2 || Clancy (5–4) || Davis (3–3) || McLaughlin (5) || 20,953 || 28–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 51 || June 6 || @ Orioles || 1–8 (6) || McGregor (7–3) || Leal (5–4) || || 16,649 || 28–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 52 || June 7 || @ Athletics || 3–5 || Conroy (1–1) || Gott (2–5) || Baker (3) || 8,353 || 28–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 53 || June 8 || @ Athletics || 5–2 || Stieb (9–4) || Codiroli (4–5) || McLaughlin (6) || 11,229 || 29–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 54 || June 9 || @ Athletics || 1–3 || Underwood (4–2) || Clancy (5–5) || Baker (4) || 6,846 || 29–25 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 55 || June 10 || @ Angels || 3–5 || Brown (1–0) || Leal (5–5) || || 32,751 || 29–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 56 || June 11 || @ Angels || 3–2 || Gott (3–5) || Goltz (0–5) || Moffitt (6) || 45,393 || 30–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 57 || June 12 || @ Angels || 6–5 (15)|| Clarke (1–0) || Brown (1–1) || Geisel (1) || 32,587 || 31–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 58 || June 14 || Athletics || 13–7 || Jackson (5–1) || Underwood (4–3) || || 20,189 || 32–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 59 || June 15 || Athletics || 1–10 || Krueger (5–5) || Leal (5–6) || || 20,039 || 32–27 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 60 || June 16 || Athletics || 9–1 || Gott (4–5) || McCatty (1–1) || || 18,186 || 33–27 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 61 || June 17 || Angels || 6–3 || Stieb (10–4) || Travers (0–2) || || 31,586 || 34–27 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 62 || June 18 || Angels || 6–7 || Sánchez (7–2) || Clarke (1–1) || || 40,150 || 34–28