LAS VEGAS-. He Dominican José Bautista, former star hitter for the Toronto Blue Jaysbought a majority stake in the team Las Vegas Lights footballwho militates in United Soccer League Championshipthe second division of the United States.
“Las Vegas is the place to be, it has emerged as a great city for professional sports, and I will do everything I can to move this club forward,” Bautista said Tuesday in a statement. “As a soccer fan and former professional athlete, I am excited to get involved with the world’s game. Since my retirement from professional baseball, I have seen the incredible growth of soccer in the United States, and I look forward to sharing my love of the sport with the Las Vegas soccer community.”
Bautista was a six-time All-Star over a 15-season career that included 344 home runs and 975 RBIs. The most memorable moment of his career came in Game 5 of the American League Division Series in 2015, against Texas.
The Dominican threw his bat high after hitting a three-run home run.
The Lights began play in 2018 and are based at Cashman Field. They finished last among the 12 teams in the Western Conference in 2023, with three wins, 21 losses and 10 draws.
They did not make the playoffs and will open the new campaign on March 9, in Memphis.
Source: AP
