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Blue Jays ownership involved in bringing Bautista back

FILE - In this Oct. 6, 2016, file photo, Toronto Blue Jays' Jose Bautista smiles as he walks through the dugout during Game 1 of the team's American League Division Series against the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas. A person with knowledge of the negotiations tells The Associated Press that free agent outfielder Jose Bautista is staying with the Toronto Blue Jays after agreeing to an $18 million, one-year contract with mutual options for more years. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File) FILE - In this Oct. 6, 2016, file photo, Toronto Blue Jays' Jose Bautista smiles as he walks through the dugout during Game 1 of the team's American League Division Series against the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas. A person with knowledge of the negotiations tells The Associated Press that free agent outfielder Jose Bautista is staying with the Toronto Blue Jays after agreeing to an $18 million, one-year contract with mutual options for more years. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

By Associated Press January 19, 2017 1 min read

TORONTO (AP) – Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins says ownership got involved in the re-signing of veteran Jose Bautista.

Atkins says the desire of Edward Rogers, the controlling shareholder of Rogers Communication, to help was “abundantly clear.” He says Thursday that thanks to Rogers, they don’t have to rebuild.

The free agent slugger looked like he might sign elsewhere but agreed to an $18.5 million, one-year contract this week that includes mutual options for more years.

A longtime fan favorite, Bautista hit 22 homers with 69 RBIs last year while batting .234 in an injury-slowed season.

The Blue Jays’ failure this offseason to re-sign fan favorite Edwin Encarnacion didn’t go over well in Toronto.

Atkins says Bautista can become the player who hit 40 homers in 2015.