Blue Jays continue to fish in the deep end of the free agent pond
The Toronto Blue Jays continue to fish in the deep end of the free agent pond as the team attempts to improve their roster for the 2021 campaign.
The free agent market has been slow developing as nearly every available player still remains for the taking. The Blue Jays and their invested interest in top tier talent has been the one constant this entire offseason and is soon to pay dividends for the club.
The Blue Jays appear to be the wedge preventing DJ LeMahieu from already inking a reunion contract with the New York Yankees. The Yankees are reportedly $25 million dollars apart in their negotiations while it appears Toronto is ready and willing to make the financial investment necessary to ink LeMahieu.
The question remains whether or not LeMahieu is willing to play north of the border or if his camp is just using the Blue Jays as a negotiating pawn to force the Yankees hand to increase their offer. Time will tell but it appears Ross Atkins and company are willing to go the extra mile to land the infielder.
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Aside from LeMahieu, the team is still reportedly one of the favourites to sign former Astros outfielder George Springer. The Springer negotiations appear to be a two horse race between the Blue Jays and the New York Mets with the Astros seemingly poised to move on from their former centerfielder.
The Jays do not appear to be in the running for free agent pitcher Trevor Bauer with the Angels and Mets garnering most of the rumour talk. It has been reported that Bauer would ideally prefer the west coast and a team that houses their spring training facility in Arizona.
Regardless of how the chips fall, there is no questioning the brain trust and their commitment to winning this offseason. Even if they don’t end up landing the big free agent fish of the offseason, at least they were fishing in the deep end this time around.