Christian Yelich to Toronto extremely unlikely

The Toronto Blue Jays reportedly have some interest in Christian Yelich, but don’t expect him to end up in Southern Ontario, especially with the high asking price.

As the Toronto Blue Jays continue their search for help in the outfield, they have been linked to an increasing number of potential solutions. However, the latest possibility is arguably the most intriguing yet.

According to the Boston Globe‘s Nick Cafardo, the Blue Jays appears to have some interest in Christian Yelich. Certainly, he would prove to be an excellent acquisition.

Yelich has enjoyed decent success — at least on an individual basis — during his five years in the Majors. His resume includes a Golden Glove in 2014 and a Silver Slugger Award in 2016.

The 26-year-old has taken his durability and consistency to another level in the last two years. He is coming off a season where he played in a career-high 156 games, had a slash line of .282/.369/.439 and stole 16 bases.

Interestingly, you can make a case that Yelich still hasn’t quite lived up to the glowing reputation he had when he was drafted. Regardless, the combination of his age and contract length make him an appealing option.

Of course, this is where the issues start to arise, when considering the likelihood of the Toronto Blue Jays acquiring the Thousand Oaks, California native. First, there is the asking price, with the Miami Marlins looking for a major haul in return.

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Second, is the considerable interest in Yelich, with Cafardo naming the Milwaukee Brewers, Texas Rangers and San Francisco Giants specifically. You can only wonder how many other teams are also considering making a move, which would in turn likely lead to a bidding war.

Taking everything into account, it’s hard to imagine the 2010 first round draft pick ending up in Southern Ontario. Of course, we’d be more than happy to be proved wrong.

As a side note, if the Marlins do move Yelich, Cafardo advises they will be in the market for bridge players, i.e. one-year, low-money contracts with incentives. The irony of this is it’s possible former Blue Jay Jose Bautista could fit this criteria and end up playing in South Florida.

Next: How far are Jays willing to go for Lorenzo Cain?

Are you familiar with Yelich and if so, what’s your take on him? Do you want to see the Toronto Blue Jays make a move for him? What would you be prepared to give up in return? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.