Jays win one of free agency’s biggest prizes, lose moral high ground
The Blue Jays have signed star free agent outfielder George Springer, with Toronto and the three-time All Star agreeing to a deal Tuesday, pending a physical.
The contract is reportedly for six years and US$150 million, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.
The Blue Jays confirmed the deal was for six years pending a physical when reached for comment by The Canadian Press, but didn’t provide further details.
The 31-year-old was considered one of the premier players available after declining his qualifying offer from the Houston Astros — the team he has spent his entire seven-year career with — in October to become a free agent.
The New York Mets and Jays were reportedly the two frontrunners, with his name being linked to both clubs for weeks.
The centre fielder was named an All Star for the first time in 2017, and went on to become World Series MVP that season when Houston beat the L.A. Dodgers in seven games for a championship, now tainted by the Astros sign-stealing scandal that became public in 2019, and confirmed by MLB in January 2020. He was also named an All Star in 2018 and
‘19, and took home the AL Silver Slugger Award in both seasons.
Brantley not a Jay
The Toronto Blue Jays have not completed a deal with free agent outfielder Michael Brantley, according to multiple reports on Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, multiple major media outlets reported the Blue Jays had come to terms with Brantley on a three-year deal, however The Associated Press later reported that he had signed a two-year, US$32 million deal with Houston.