Jays: Sabathia eyed to fill rotation spot

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA.— The Blue Jays are hoping to borrow from the experience of having a past-his-prime starter in the five-man rotation to log significant innings and mentor a younger, inexperienced pitching staff. Mark Buehrle filled that role from 2013 to 2015, and the Jays reached the AL Championship Series in his final year. Now they are pursuing 37-year-old free-agent lefty CC Sabathia, who has spent the last nine seasons with the Yankees.

General manager Ross Atkins would love to try to duplicate the clubhouse chemistry that Buehrle helped create with Sabathia, another highly respected veteran who has been there before and commands the respect of his peers.

While not admitting that the club had even had contact with Sabathia or his representatives, Atkins described a special relationship between the pitcher and this Jays front office, the result of Sabathia playing his first eight years in Cleveland.

“Winning’s obviously first and foremost,” Atkins said. “Environment, culture, I think CC would talk about the impact that (president Mark Shapiro) has had in his career and how much he trusts Mark.

“That’s unusual, for players to form bonds with executives to the extent that it becomes mentorship and leadership, beyond just respect and trust.”

Shapiro was farm director of the Indians when Sabathia was drafted 20th overall in 1998, and he became GM in 2001, the same year Sabathia debuted with the big club. Shapiro eventually pulled the trigger on the trade that sent the pitcher to Milwaukee in 2008. The two men have stayed in touch through the years and would be re-connecting if the Jays could sign Sabathia.

Clearly the Yankees would be a more logical destination, given their current need for another starting pitcher, but if they are able to make a trade for a younger, cheaper starter in the meantime — there has been talk they have interest in Detroit’s Michael Fulmer — the Jays’ chances might increase. Another club rumoured to be interested in his services is the Angels, who were the runners-up for Sabathia when he signed as a free agent with the Yankees before the 2009 season.

So what could Sabathia bring to the Jays in a one- or two-year deal, after making 27 starts and logging 1481⁄ innings in the Bronx in 2017?

“Leadership and big-game ability, big-game pitching,” Atkins said. “He’s not going to back down from any challenge. Strike-thrower. On the biggest stages he’s proven that he’s more than effective. I think the world of CC. Love him as a human being, as a person, what he’s meant to the game, the industry, impact on multiple people’s careers, executives, players, managers, leaders. I think the world of him.”

The Jays have also moved to fill the role of major-league assistant athletic trainer, promoting Jose Ministral. In addition, Donovan Santas has been promoted to head of strength and conditioning and will join the major-league staff.