Blue Jays advantages in dead Bruce-for-Saunders Trade

Bruce was unneeded expense

While adding a flashy name like Bruce always sounds appealing, the ugly reality is that with big names come bigger contracts. And while we don’t know for sure if the Reds or Angels would have sent income compensation (it was reported they would not), the fact of the matter is that Bruce is still owed a decent chunk of change.

He will earn 12.5 million this year with a 13 million/1 million buyout coming in 2017. With Saunders making just 2.9 million, and Brown even less than that, the Blue Jays would have needed to invest a serious chunk of change in Bruce. With the talks of resigning Bautista and Encarnacion already underway and in a state of constant media chaos (at least in Bautista’s case), investing that much money in a marginally better outfielder seems wasteful and frivolous.

By saving nearly 10 million by not acquiring Bruce, the Blue Jays free a significant amount of financial flexibility. Whether they use it to invest in Joey or Edwing or not, the Jays benefited financially by not making the deal.

With a lot of depth still on the free agent market, names like Kyle Lohse, Alfredo Simon, Aaron Harang, and Joe Nathan are on the list of Pitching talents still without homes. This late in the off season, many of them could come cheap, and cheap upside arms in the pen is something that wouldn’t hurt the 2016 Jays by any means.

Furthermore if the Blue Jays are concerned about Saunders’ health, Marlon Byrd and Austin Jackson are intriguing free agent options in the outfield while the trade and waiver wire will pick up as 25-man rosters are former.

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