TORONTO — Jose Bautista hit his major league-leading 50th home run Thursday, a first-inning solo blast off Seattle Mariners right-hander Felix Hernandez.
Bautista is the 26th player in baseball history to reach the 50-home run mark in a season, and the first since Prince Fielder (50) and Alex Rodriguez (54) did it in 2007.
After fouling back a 2-0 pitch, Bautista hammered the next one into the left field bullpen. All 50 of his homers have been to left or left center.
Bautista has hit 26 home runs since the All Star break, a Blue Jays' record.
The blast was Bautista's major league-high 31st at home this season, breaking Carlos Delgado's Blue Jays' record set in 2000.