Toronto Blue Jays: Jose Bautista Must Decide Between Loyalty and Money
By Paul Taylor
Jose Bautista has indicated a desire to finish his career with the Toronto Blue Jays, but this loyalty will be tested by what offers are available.
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The 2015 season was Jose Bautista‘s best yet in a Toronto Blue Jays uniform, when you consider it from an overall perspective. The team finally returned to the playoffs after a 21-year absence, while Bautista enjoyed an impressive individual campaign.
As such, it should come as no surprise to hear the six-time All-Star wishes to finish his career in Toronto. Speaking to Gregory Strong of The Canadian Press, he said: “It would be an honour if I had the opportunity to do so.”
While this is music to the ears of Blue Jays fans, Bautista’s loyalty will be tested by what offers are available to him. In line to become a free agent after the 2016 season, he would be one of the most sought-after players on the open market.
Another factor will be how much Toronto is willing – or able – to offer him. Apart from the three-time silver slugger, they have nine other players set to become unrestricted free agents next off-season, including the likes of Edwin Encarnacion and R.A. Dickey.
Throw in the declining value of the Canadian dollar, and the Blue Jays have a lot of important decisions to make. Having said that, it would at least help if they actually made an offer for Bautista to consider.
Speaking to Strong, Bautista said: “I have to have something to consider at some point if I’m going to make that decision, which hasn’t happened yet. So I’m going to continue to go about my business just like any other year and any other day because I don’t really have a decision to make right now.”
In fairness to team president Mark Shapiro and general manager Ross Atkins, they also have to take the home run slugger’s age into consideration. At 35, his long-term future is uncertain.
However, Bautista keeps himself in tremendous shape, and believes he still has a lot to offer: “I have to go by how I feel and I feel great.
“I feel like I could play for another 10 (years). Whether that’s realistic or not, again time will tell. But…I’ll play until they tell me that I can’t or they kick me out or they just send me home.”
When the former Pittsburgh Pirates draft pick arrived in Toronto during the 2008 season, people weren’t sure what to expect. However, you can bet no one predicted his breakout 2010 campaign, when he set career-highs, with 54 home runs and 124 RBIs.
Even at that point, the Blue Jays front office couldn’t know if that was a one-off, or the start of something special. In some respects, their five-year, US$64 million offer ahead of the 2011 season was a calculated gamble.
Suffice it to say, the risk paid off and it was a no-brainer for the team to pick up Bautista’s $14 million option in 2016. However, even though he hasn’t given the Blue Jays a deadline for a new contract offer, an important decision is looming.
The outfielder is likely to command around $25 million per season on the open market, but the reality is the Blue Jays will not be in a position to match that, due to their other commitments. They will make an offer, but we could be very close to finding out how much Bautista truly desires to finish his career with the Blue Jays.
For now though, the Dominican Republic native is saying all the right things: “I’d be a fool not to consider being extended by the franchise that gave me a second chance to be an everyday player in the big leagues and then experience a ton of success.”
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What would you do with Jose Bautista? Would you make him a big money offer or risk having him leave Toronto? Let us know in the comments section below.