Blue Jays rumours: Encarnacion, Jays not agreeing on years

A report from ESPN Deportes says that Blue Jays designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion is pessimistic about his contract negotiations in his free agent year

Welcome to the day of Edwin Encarnacion news.

Shortly after the Blue Jays designated hitter was shut down for at least one week with an oblique issue, Enrique Rojas brings us this less-than-optimistic report about Encarnacion’s contract negotiations with the Blue Jays.

*Disclaimer: The following quotes come from a translated version of Rojas’ article, which originally appeared in Spanish. 

“There is nothing new in the last meeting held my lawyer [with the Blue Jays] we do not reach any agreement as to the years. We have not talked about much [money]. What interests us most to us are the years and do not reach an agreement, “Encarnacion said.

“Now I hope to finish my year, finish my healthy year and go to free agency. I do not rule [agreement] yet, but there is less chance that percentage is not made to be done,” he said.

Encarnacion was then asked if he was seeking a six-year deal, which the reporter linked to his teammate Jose Bautista‘s negotiation, he responded “With four or five years one does” (Which I interpret to mean “four or five years will do”).

Now 33-years-old, the conversation surrounding Encarnacion and his injuries will make or break the Blue Jays willingness to stretch their terms or overall money.

He’s dealt with injuries to his oblique, hamstring, finger, wrist, back, quadricep, and several other areas on the human body. At the same time, though, he’s averaged 140 games and nearly 600 plate appearances in each of his past five seasons. Encarnacion has also continued to put up large power numbers along the way.

So who wins: the nagging injuries or Encarnacion? My heart tells me Encarnacion, my head disagrees.

These injuries are worrying for someone who works primarily as a designated hitter, so entering that fifth year could be troublesome.

The silver lining, however, remains that if Encarnacion is headed for free agency, he will be giving the Blue Jays his most motivated season to date.