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Blue Jays: The five free agents least likely to sign in Toronto

By Chris Henderson

TORONTO, CANADA - DECEMBER 4: President Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins pose for a photo after speaking to the media as Atkins is introduced as the new general manager of the Toronto Blue Jays during a press conference on December 4, 2015 at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
TORONTO, CANADA - DECEMBER 4: President Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins pose for a photo after speaking to the media as Atkins is introduced as the new general manager of the Toronto Blue Jays during a press conference on December 4, 2015 at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /
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ST. LOUIS, MO – MAY 10: Adam Wainwright # 50 and Yadier Molina #4 of the St. Louis Cardinals bump gloves prior to the start of the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on May 10, 2019 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by St. Louis Cardinals, LLC/Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO – MAY 10: Adam Wainwright # 50 and Yadier Molina #4 of the St. Louis Cardinals bump gloves prior to the start of the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on May 10, 2019 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by St. Louis Cardinals, LLC/Getty Images) /

Guaranteed to stay put

It’s becoming more rare all the time, but the St. Louis Cardinals have a pair of players that have spent their entire careers with one organization, and both are set to become free agents this winter.

For Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright, there are likely only two choices ahead of them this off-season. Either work out a new deal to come back to St. Louis for at least one more year, or perhaps decide to call it a career.

Prior to this season, I likely would have bet on the latter for Wainwright, only he had a fantastic 2020 campaign. He ended up going 5-3 with a 3.15 ERA and a 1.051 WHIP over 10 starts and 65.1 innings, and he was arguably the Cardinals most reliable starter. If the 39-year-old wants to come back for a 16th season, I’m sure he’d be welcomed with open arms in St. Louis.

As for Molina, his season got off to a slow start thanks to a positive test for Covid-19, which limited him to 42 games. He wasn’t quite up to his typical standards, slashing .262/.303/.359 over 145 at-bats, but he remains an asset on defence behind the plate. It’s hard to imagine Molina calling it a career just yet, and I’d be shocked if he didn’t return for an 18th season with the Cards.

I expect that both of the Cardinal veterans will return for the 2021 campaign, even if they’ll technically be free agents if they don’t re-up with St. Louis in the next few weeks. However, I don’t think they’re going to be options for the Blue Jays regardless of how long it takes to get things worked out.

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