Blue Jays Exercise Adam Lind’s 2015 Option

The Toronto Blue Jays have exercised the 2015 contract option for 1B/DH Adam Lind.  This deal will pay Lind $7.5M over the 2015 season, but with trade rumors surrounding him, it still remains to be seen if Lind will play out this contract as a member of the Blue Jays.

Adam Lind’s $7.5M price tag could be enticing for teams seeking a left-handed bat in their DH hole, and his $8M team option for 2016 could sweeten the pot even further.  It was reported earlier this week that Adam Lind has begun to draw trade interest from around the league.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post believes that Lind could be one of the first significant names moved this offseason.  He lists the Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners as potential landing spots for the long-time Jay.

Lind saw his power numbers drop in 2014, but still enjoyed a strong season at the plate as he collected a slash line of .321 / .381 / .479.  The clear drawback with Lind in trade talks, or even as a member of the Blue Jays in 2015 if he is to stay in Toronto, is his struggles against left-handed pitching.

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The recent waiver claim of Seattle 1B Justin Smoak did little to quiet the speculation surrounding Lind.  While he was certainly not brought in to replace Lind, Smoak does create further depth at the 1B position that may allow GM Alex Anthopoulos to explore trade avenues more freely.

Considering the contract negotiations with Melky Cabrera, along with the desire to bolster the roster at CF, 2B and in the bullpen, shedding Lind’s salary in return for prospects or more affordable roster players is an understandable move.  That being said, the Blue Jays must be very careful not to create a new hole just by filling another.

If the Blue Jays are, in fact, looking to move Adam Lind, I see it as a very revealing time for Alex Anthopoulos.  A trade involving Lind will show a great deal of Anthopoulos’ ability, because Lind is a player that can be framed as anything from a dominant hitter to a flawed platoon DH.  The Blue Jays will need to approach any negotiations with the proper value placed on Adam Lind, and be sure not to undersell themselves.

As we have seen in the past, though, just because a trade seems likely, that does not mean it will happen.  The Blue Jays will not (or at least should not) make a move unless it benefits the baseball club. Adam Lind’s situation will be one of the most interesting stories to watch in what could be a very busy offseason for the Toronto Blue Jays.