Edwin Encarnación throws the first pitch in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series

Toronto, Canada. Edwin Encarnación once again experienced a special night with the Toronto Blue Jays, as he was in charge of making the ceremonial first pitch prior to Game 1 of the American League Championship Series (ALCS) between Toronto and the Seattle Mariners, held this Sunday at the Rogers Centre.

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Encarnación, one of the most beloved figures in the recent history of the Canadian franchise, was cheered by the more than 45 thousand fans present in the stadium. His appearance evoked memories of the golden age of the Blue Jays between 2015 and 2016, when the team reached the Championship Series consecutively under the offensive leadership of the Dominican slugger.

Edwin Encarnación throws out the first pitch ahead of Game 1 of the #ALCS 🦜 pic.twitter.com/YkjEyS2YD7
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 13, 2025

During his eight seasons in Toronto (2009–2016), Edwin Encarnación hit 239 home runs, establishing himself as one of the most productive hitters in the club’s history.
Alongside figures like José Bautista, Josh Donaldson, and Troy Tulowitzki, the Dominican player was part of an offensive core that brought the Blue Jays back to the elite of the American League. One of his most remembered moments occurred on October 4, 2016, when he hit a walk-off home run in extra innings during the Wild Card Game against the Baltimore Orioles, against his compatriot Ubaldo Jiménez, sealing Toronto’s pass to the Divisional Series. That hit remains as one of the most iconic in the history of the franchise.

Encarnación played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball, wearing the uniforms of Cincinnati, Toronto, Cleveland, Seattle, the New York Yankees and the Chicago White Sox.
He closed his career with impressive statistics:

424 home runs
1,261 RBIs
.846 OPS

His powerful swing, his consistency, and his emblematic “Parrot Walk” gesture (the parrot on the arm) made him a charismatic and respected figure on and off the diamond.

Encarnación’s return to the Rogers Centre coincided with the Blue Jays’ return to the American League Championship Series for the first time since that memorable 2016 campaign. In a gesture full of symbolism, the organization wanted to pay tribute to one of the protagonists of that glorious era.

“The Parrot is home”, the team published on their social media, accompanying a photo of the former player greeting the public after throwing the first ball.

Source: MLB.com / David Venn – MLB Spanish