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Blue Jays: Yankees reportedly will try and re-sign J.A. Happ

By Hayden Godfrey

OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 04: J.A. Happ #34 of the New York Yankees pitches against the Oakland Athletics in the bottom of the first inning at Oakland Alameda Coliseum on September 4, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 04: J.A. Happ #34 of the New York Yankees pitches against the Oakland Athletics in the bottom of the first inning at Oakland Alameda Coliseum on September 4, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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While former Blue Jays hurler J.A. Happ has undoubtedly been amazing in a New York Yankees uniform, the question of whether or not the Yanks will re-sign him is now a pertinent one in the eyes of many baseball fans…

Since joining the New York Yankees just before the July 31st non-waiver trade deadline, J.A. Happ has pitched to an excellent 2.70 ERA over 46.2 innings, holding opposing hitters to a paltry .220/.278/.393. In the month of August, Happ led Yankees starters in wins, ERA, and WHIP.

Now, a new, albeit thin, layer is being added to the Happ/Yankees situation. According to Jon Heyman of Fancred in the latest edition of his “Inside Baseball” series, the Yankees will “try to keep Happ in free agency in the winter”. Heyman also notes that Happ “should start” the American League Wild Card game, should the Yankees be in a position to play. As of this writing, the Yankees have a comfortable eight-game cushion in the Wild Card standings.

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While it’s news that the Yankees are going to make an attempt to retain Happ, it’s hardly a surprise. Starting pitching, especially of the left-handed variety,  is always valuable. Happ, in particular, has been solid over the past few seasons, making him an even more intriguing name in free agency this winter.

Aside from the obvious interest, a potential contract for Happ is tricky to estimate. MLB Trade Rumors writer Jeff Todd suggested that Happ could possibly get a three-year deal worth $40 million in total. The 35-year-old native of Peru, Illinois has tossed over 500 innings since 2016, boasting a 3.47 ERA and striking out 478 in 85 starts.

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Regardless, it’ll be interesting to see if the Yankees do actually manage to re-sign J.A. Happ. If they do, it would certainly be to the chagrin of many Blue Jays fans, seeing as the big lefty has pitched to a 3.59 ERA for his career at Rogers Centre, striking out 388 in 401.2 frames with a record of 33-24.

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