Reports: Encarnacion deal getting closer, no Revere reunion

The saga of Edwin Encarnacion’s free agency — which feels like a ten-year voyage for many Blue Jays fans — could finally be nearing a close according to a report from ESPN’s Buster Olney.

Granted, similar word came out of Encarnacion’s camp at the winter meetings earlier in the month and given the recent rounds made by agent Paul Kinzer, it’s reasonable to be extremely skeptical.

In addition to Olney, Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish adds that Encarnacion’s camp is hopeful a deal will be reached before Christmas.

It remains entirely possible that Encarnacion’s free agency stretches to January or February, clogging up the rest of the right-handed power market along the way. If it all plays out how Encarnacion and his representatives intend, though, the market will get a significant jolt at a time in the off-season where it typically quiets for the holidays

Yesterday, Jim Bowden reported that the Blue Jays, Rangers, A’s, Astros, and Cleveland had all made multi-year offers to Encarnacion (though there was no clarity as to when the offers came, especially Toronto’s, which could very well have been their original four-year, $80 million offer that has long since been pulled).

Updates to come on Encarnacion as it develops.

Elsewhere, a report from Roch Kubatko this evening suggested that free agent outfielder and former Blue Jays’ leadoff man Ben Revere could sign as early as tomorrow. Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith has the Blue Jays angle:

Revere’s value absolutely bottomed out in 2016 with the Nationals after the Drew Storen deal, posting a -1.2 WAR with a .217 average.

The Blue Jays will continue to seek outfield help, but Revere is at the level where he would not have a noticeable or easily-predictable impact on Toronto’s roster. All three of Dalton Pompey, Ezequiel Carrera, and Melvin Upton Jr. are capable of providing the same value — or better — which negates the temptation to pay for a similar asset.