Former Toronto Blue Jays star José Bautista is making a comeback, but this time it’s not on the baseball field—it’s in partnership with Mary Brown’s Chicken, heralding the return of its popular Batter’s Box menu item.

Having already established a five-year sponsorship as an Official Partner of the Toronto Blue Jays and Official Chicken Restaurant of the team, Mary Brown’s is now extending its collaboration with the esteemed former outfielder through a new multi-year partnership.

During his illustrious tenure with the Blue Jays, Bautista earned numerous accolades, including six All-Star selections and three Silver Slugger Awards. Notably, he set the single-season home run record for the franchise in 2010 with an impressive 54 homers—a record that remains unbroken to this day. Affectionately known as “Joey Bats,” Bautista’s contributions to the team led to his induction into the Blue Jays’ esteemed Level of Excellence in 2023, further cementing his legacy in Toronto sports history.

Expressing his excitement about the collaboration, José Bautista remarked, “I’m thrilled to be stepping back into the batter’s box and entering a partnership with Mary Brown’s, a proud Canadian brand. Toronto and all of Canada has always been a special place for my family and me, and it’s a great opportunity to reconnect with fans of the game across the country over the coming years.”

Jeff Barlow, Chief Marketing Officer at MBI Brands, echoed Bautista’s enthusiasm, stating, “As longtime fans of José, we couldn’t be more excited about teaming up with him to promote our famous hand-cut and hand-breaded signature chicken.” Barlow also announced the much-anticipated return of the Batter’s Box to Mary Brown’s locations nationwide, providing fans with an opportunity to enjoy a delicious meal while supporting Canada’s favorite baseball team.

Starting June 4th, 2024, the Batter’s Box will be available at Mary Brown’s Chicken outlets across Canada, excluding MB Express and Rogers Centre locations. Fans can also order the Batter’s Box through the MB App and Skip, the exclusive third-party delivery partner for the Batter’s Box.

Founded in St. John’s, Newfoundland in 1969, Mary Brown’s Chicken has grown from humble beginnings to over 260 locations nationwide. The brand, which prides itself on using fresh Canadian ingredients and hand-cutting and hand-breading its signature chicken and taters, has garnered widespread acclaim for its quality and mouth-watering offerings. With 18 years of consecutive same-store sales growth and numerous awards from the Canadian Franchise Association, Mary Brown’s Chicken continues to solidify its position as a Canadian culinary icon.