The Toronto Blue Jays batted slugger Jose Bautista from the leadoff spot Thursday night in an attempt to jump-start their slumping offense.
The Jays' bats didn't catch fire, but they did help Toronto to a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Twins in 11 innings. Bautista went 1-for-3 with a walk.
Toronto had lost five straight games entering Thursday night's matchup at Target Field. It was their first five-game losing streak since September 2013.
Bautista last led off for the Blue Jays on June 15, 2010, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. He went 0-for-4.
American League MVP Josh Donaldson batted second, followed by Edwin Encarnacion in the third spot and first baseman Justin Smoak in the cleanup spot. Encarnacion had the biggest night, a 3-for-5 effort that included a two-run home run.
Bautista has appealed his one-game suspension for making a hard slide into second base on Sunday against the Texas Rangers and for his postgame comments. Rougned Odor punched Bautista in the jaw after the play and was suspended eight games. He has also appealed.
Toronto led the major leagues with 232 home runs and 891 runs scored last season en route to finishing first in the American League East. Entering Thursday, the Blue Jays were 17th in runs scored (168) and tied for eighth in home runs (49).
Bautista has struggled at the plate this season with a .222 batting average, seven home runs and 28 RBIs entering Thursday. Last season, he hit 40 homers with 114 RBIs and finished with a .250 average.
Bautista, 35, is in the final season of his current contract and will be a free agent after this season. In spring training, he was vocal about his demands for his next contract, telling reporters he had told the team what his "number" was and wasn't willing to negotiate.