Jose Bautista hasn’t paid for meal or drink in Toronto since bat flip

Jose Bautista is still reaping rewards from the bat flip heard ’round the world.

Back in Toronto for the NBA’s All-Star Weekend, Bautista was kept busy. He was one of Drake’s assistant coaches for the Celebrity Game and had the pleasure of taking in All-Star Saturday night from courtside seats.

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If the Blue Jays star had time to hit the town for a bite or a cocktail, it was more than likely on the house. Bautista admitted In an interview with Canadian sports network TSN that he hasn’t had to pay for a meal or a drink in Toronto since his dramatic home run in Game 5 of the ALDS that sent the Blue Jays to the ALCS and he’s hopeful that will continue to be the case for the next little while.

Given the lack of success had by Toronto sports teams over the last 20 years, Bautista’s home run tops the list of great Toronto sports moments in recent memory. 

The fan base’s feelings toward Bautista adds an extra layer of intrigue in his upcoming contract talks with the Blue Jays. Entering the final year of his deal, the 35-year-old outfielder has publicly expressed his desire to re-sign with the club. However, with new management at the top of the organization in president Mark Shapiro and general manager Ross Atkins, it’s still unclear where Bautista fits in the franchise’s long-term future. 

At least Bautista can bank on being well fed and taken care of at the city’s many fine restaurants until his contract situation is resolved.

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Israel Fehr is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter. Follow @israelfehr