Jason Bay is a former Canadian professional baseball player who played in the Major League Baseball (MLB) for 11 seasons. He was born on September 20, 1978, in Trail, British Columbia, Canada. Bay started his baseball career in the minor leagues, playing for the Idaho Falls Braves, the Jamestown Jammers, and the Macon Braves. He was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the 22nd round of the 2000 MLB draft.
Bay made his MLB debut with the San Diego Padres in 2003. He played for the Padres for one season before being traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2004. Bay played for the Pirates for four seasons, from 2004 to 2008. During his time with the Pirates, Bay was named to the All-Star team three times (2005, 2006, and 2008) and won the Silver Slugger award in 2005. He was also named the National League Rookie of the Year in 2004.
In 2008, Bay was traded to the Boston Red Sox. He played for the Red Sox for one and a half seasons, from 2008 to 2009. During his time with the Red Sox, Bay was named to the All-Star team in 2009. He was also a key player in the Red Sox's run to the playoffs in 2008.
In 2009, Bay became a free agent and signed with the New York Mets. He played for the Mets for three seasons, from 2010 to 2012. During his time with the Mets, Bay struggled with injuries and his performance on the field declined. He was released by the Mets in November 2012.
Bay signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners in 2013 but was released before the start of the season. He announced his retirement from baseball in April 2014.
Overall, Bay had a successful career in the MLB. He played in 1278 games, had a batting average of .266, hit 222 home runs, and had 754 RBIs. He was known for his power hitting and his ability to play multiple positions in the outfield. Despite his struggles with injuries and declining performance towards the end of his career, Bay will be remembered as one of the best Canadian baseball players of all time.
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