We are advancing more and more on the MLB off-season calendar, but most of the biggest free agent names remain on the market. Also on the market? A daily dose of rumors. We will examine this for Tuesday.
Blue Jays Serious About Springer
The Blue Jays, coming out of a surprise appearance in the playoffs in 2020 and with an impressive young core in place, must make a big noise in this off-season. Speaking of which, their interest in hiring outfielder George Springer can be characterized as quite serious. Here’s Ben Nicholson-Smith and Shi Davidi from Sportsnet:
“At the beginning of the off-season, the Blue Jays are believed to have presented Springer with a framework for a substantial offer – a five-year proposal for more than $ 100 million, reported Jim Duquette, the former Mets GM who now works for SNY. Now, the Blue Jays have a chance to present Springer with an improved offer, or at least continue to sell it in the franchise. “
Springer, 31, is among the best off-season agents in 2020-21. He is a .270 / .361 / .491 (131 OPS +) hitter who is very comfortable in the starting position. The three-time All-Star finished seventh in the MVP poll and won the 2017 World Series MVP. He has 19 homers in 63 postseason games, including four in his 13 playoff games last year. During the 2020 regular season with Astros, he hit .265 / .359 / .540 (140 OPS +) with 14 homers, 32 RBI and 37 races in 51 games.
Mets are also considered strong candidates for Springer’s services, and Queens is considered the favorite destination for Connecticut natives. However, given that the Mets recently indicated that the luxury tax cap could be a significant consideration after the addition of Francisco Lindor, the Blue Jays may be in a better position to make a serious run at Springer.
Jays in advanced conversations with Kirby Yates
Over Toronto, according to several reports, the Jays in the final stages of negotiations with Kirby Yates:
As you can see above, Yates fought in the shortened 2020 season, but he shot in just six games before undergoing surgery to remove bone fragments from his elbow. In 2018 and 2019, Yates achieved dominance after developing a divisor. Over the course of those two seasons, Yates pitched for an ERA of 1.67 with 191 strikeouts and 29 unintended walks in 123 2/3 innings. As long as he is healthy, he will have the profile of the dominant bullpen strength in 2021.