Blue Jays: Former Indians outfielder Bourn lands minor-league deal
The Blue Jays have signed free-agent outfielder Michael Bourn to a minorleague contract, pending a physical.
The team has yet to announce the deal — which was first reported by Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal — but a team official confirmed it is in place, if not yet final.
Bourn, 33, split last season with the Cleveland Indians and Atlanta Braves, posting a dismal .592 on- base-plus-slugging percentage, while stealing 17 bases. He was cut by the Braves earlier this month.
A two-time all-star once highly regarded for his speed and defence, Bourn led the National League in stolen bases from 2009 to 2011. But he has been a subpar player since 2014, owing in part to recurrent hamstring injuries.
In 2013 he signed a four-year, $48million deal with the Cleveland Indians — the former club of Jays’ president Mark Shapiro and general manager Ross Atkins — but never lived up to expectations. He was traded to the Braves along with Nick Swisher and cash considerations partway through last season.
Bourn, who has spent the bulk of his career hitting in the leadoff spot, gives the Jays added outfield depth and, potentially, speed off the bench. For the time being he is expected to report to Triple-A Buffalo.
The Braves remain on the hook for his 2016 salary, so if he is called up to the Jays’ big-league roster they will owe him only a pro-rated amount of the roughly $500,000 major-league minimum.