Jays still hot on Springer’s trail after adding star closer
Now that the Toronto Blue Jays have added a potential highend closer, could this be the start of a big finish to what has always been an ambitious off-season?
Things are certainly heating up with general manager Ross Atkins and his crew, as the team reached agreement with right-handed reliever Kirby Yates on Tuesday, adding a lethal late-innings arm less than two years removed from being one of the top closers in the game.
And, over the next week or so, we should get an indication if the boldly stated goals for improvement are a success for the young, improving team. It is clear the Jays are pushing to make it happen.
Word of the Yates pursuit comes a day after the team reached agreement with another right-hander, Tyler Chatwood, who figures to be another bullpen arm.
And both of these developments come in the midst of what is believed to be a serious late surge by the Jays to land free agent centre-fielder George Springer, an acquisition that has the possibility to instantly make the off-season a resounding success.
Multiple sources indicated that the Jays were intending to meet with Springer again this week as the perceived list of top-end pursuers has been narrowed down to Toronto and the New York Mets.
But back to Yates, who could be a huge boost to the Jays’ bullpen, especially if he returns to the form he flashed in the 2019 season when he had a hefty 41 saves and a skimpy 1.19 ERA.
Had the reliever been a free agent a year ago, he would have cashed in handsomely. But his 2020 season was aborted after just 4.1 innings of work when the reliever had surgery to remove bone chips on his elbow.
Terms of the deal with the Blue Jays, which was first confirmed by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, were not immediately available but are pending the results of a physical.
If healthy and back in form, Yates would become the immediate front-runner for the Jays’ closer job, a position previously held by Ken Giles, who is a free agent and had Tommy John surgery late in the 2020 season.
Yates will have to show he is fully recovered from the injury, however, as the Jays have a long list of bullpen arms that have had success under pitching coach Pete Walker and the rest of the coaching staff.
The Jays have also been innovative in employing high-leverage pitchers in the ’pen and Yates would join a potentially high-octane group that includes Canadian Jordan Romano, Rafael Dolis and A.J. Cole.
The pending deal with Yates — who TSN’S Scott Mitchell reported was at the Blue Jays’ facility in Dunedin, Fla. on Tuesday — is a move that could trigger a huge week for the team if negotiations continue to progress with Springer.
The Jays made a detailed presentation to the former Astros star’s camp earlier in the winter and appear to be aggressive in trying to land him.
Reports out of New York have said that Toronto already presented a five-year offer in the Us$100-million range, which would make it the biggest free-agent contract in club history — although not likely enough to outbid the Mets.
The benefits of acquiring the three-time all-star with the Houston Astros are many, starting with his .270 career batting average. The 2017 World Series MVP would immediately emerge as a leadoff candidate for manager Charlie Montoyo’s order and would be a notable defensive upgrade over Randal Grichuk in centre field.
As is almost always the case with Canada’s lone MLB team, it is likely that the Jays would have to pay a premium to land Springer, who has expressed a desire to play closer to his Connecticut home.
The Springer camp has played the various courtships close to the vest, which is part of the game at the high end of the market. While it is believed a decision will be made soon, a source said it isn’t necessarily imminent.
If the Mets remain serious bidders, as expected, they’ll first have to regroup from the front office upheaval on Tuesday with the firing of general manager Jared Porter.
The idea that the Jays are returning to the table with Springer’s team this week is certainly encouraging, especially given that Atkins and company most likely have yet to push their top-dollar offer to the middle of the table.
Would the Jays get to a six-year deal worth US$150 million — a number speculated to be what it would take to land Springer? We wouldn’t bet against it.
Things are moving for the Jays regardless, starting with Monday’s agreement on a one-year deal with Chatwood. At this point, the addition of Chatwood smells mostly of a depth acquisition (assuming the injury-troubled right-hander passes a physical). The team has made it clear it wants to stockpile experienced arms.
And don’t forget super starter Trevor Bauer, who has had contact with the Jays and is still out there playing the field.
As slow-moving and uninspiring as the off-season has been for the Jays — and the majority of teams not named the Padres and Mets — the lagging timeline has been mostly out of the Jays’ control. And with two huge pieces out there, they still have a chance to end it with a bang.