According to Rogers Sportsnet on Monday, the Toronto Blue Jays have signed first baseman Brandon Belt of Nacogdoches, Texas to a one-year deal worth $9.5 million. The Blue Jays will be the second team Belt has played for in his Major League Baseball career following 12 seasons with the San Francisco Giants from 2011 to 2022.
In 78 games, 298 plate appearances and 254 at bats, Belt batted .213 with eight home runs and 23 runs batted in during 2022. He scored 25 runs and had 54 hits, nine doubles, one triple, one stolen base, 37 walks, 89 total bases, one sacrifice fly, an on base percentage of .326 and a slugging percentage of .350. Belt’s triple came in a 12-3 Giants win over the Washington Nationals on April 24. Belt’s stolen base and sacrifice fly came in a 7-1 Giants win over the Colorado Rockies on May 11.
In 2016, Belt was an All-Star. That year he batted .275 with 17 home runs and 82 runs batted in. Belt’s career batting average is .261 with 175 home runs and 584 runs batted in. With the Blue Jays, he is expected to backup Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of Montreal, Quebec at first base.
Also while with the Giants, Belt won two World Series titles. The first championship came in 2012 as the Giants beat the Detroit Tigers, and the second championship came in 2014 as the Giants beat the Kansas City Royals.
