Rumour Mill: Is The Bautista, Encarnacion Era Over In Toronto?
Edwin Encarnacion
As you probably already know, both Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarncion declined a $17.2 million qualifying offer from the Toronto Blue Jays yesterday for next season.
Is this the end of the Bautista, Encarnacion era in Toronto?
I think it is.
Now, believe it or not, the two players didn't declined the offer because of the financial terms.
The main issue here is the length of the contract.
It is reported that Encarnacion wants a four or five year deal, where as Baustista wants three.
I thought the Blue Jays probably was going to try to hold on to Encarnacion.
Bautista made it clear before the 2016 season started that he wants what he feels he deserves when contract negotiations began at the end of this past summer .
I knew the possibility of Bautista signing with another team was interment.
As for Encarnacion, things changed.
Last week, Toronto signed free agent, Kendrys Morales, a designated hitter.
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With Morales in the lineup, Encarnacion doesn't have a huge role on the team anymore.
Yes, Encarnacion has played first base, but it has been rare.
Now Bautista and Encarnacion is on the free agent market.
The Boston Red Sox, the Houston Astros, and the Texas Rangers are the teams that are rumoured to be pursuing Encarnacion.
As for Bautista, it is not clear where he's going to go. However, Boston and the New York Mets have been mentioned as possible teams to sign him.
On the positive side, Morales is a really good hitter. Last season, the 6'1", 225 lb Cuban slugger had 147 hits, including 22 doubles, 30 homeruns and a .263 batting average with the Kansas City Royals.
The bad thing about Morales is he struck out a career high 120 times. That's not good.
