Toronto Blue Jays: Reunion with J.A. Happ could be beneficial
It looks like the Toronto Blue Jays are considering a reunion with J.A. Happ and it actually makes sense as a dependable arm in the rotation.
With all the names the Toronto Blue Jays have been linked to in free agency, the last player some might have expected the team to be interested in was J.A. Happ.
After two tenures in Toronto, the 38-year-old could be back again although the Blue Jays will have some competition. It appears that the Boston Red Sox, are among the teams looking at adding the southpaw pitcher along with the Los Angeles Angels and Texas Rangers.
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In 2020 with the New York Yankees, Happ had a 3.47 ERA over nine starts but was pushed to the bullpen during the playoffs. Seeing the players who are expected to hit the open market, Happ doesn’t check off the box of being a high impact free agent that general manager Ross Atkins was looking to add this off-season.
At the same time, this might just be the Blue Jays getting an idea of what is out there on the market. With Robbie Ray returning, it seems like the Blue Jays would be looking to reach higher than Happ to be in the No. 2 or 3 spot in the rotation.
There are a lot of teams looking to add an elite pitcher this off-season so a player like Happ who has been able to produce consistently and rack up innings in the rotation will be an attractive quality.
Looking at the Blue Jays’ rotation right now, the team has Hyun-Jin Ryu, Nate Pearson, Ray, Tanner Roark and Ross Stripling who can start. Would Happ be an upgrade on any of those options? Considering his experience pitching in the AL East, that gives him some leeway.
However, Toronto should be looking to swing for the fences on a player like Trevor Bauer, Masahiro Tanaka, Corey Kluber, James Paxton, Matt Shoemaker, Chris Archer, Charlie Morton, or even Taijuan Walker. Those options are all capable of providing more upside even if they might cost more.
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Do you think the Blue Jays should be trying to get Happ? What would you offer him? Let us know in the comments below.