Toronto Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos orchestrated one of the most historic series of moves by an MLB club prior to the non-waiver trade deadline. While the team is in an excellent position to make the playoffs for the first time in 21 years, there's still much work to be done in the offseason.
First off, Anthopoulos' contract will expire after the season and rumors have yet to touch base on what Mark Shapiro, the Blue Jays' new team president, plans to do with the current general manager. Perhaps Shapiro will need to make a decision on that quickly because the team has a few impending free agents that deserve attention - starting pitchers David Price and Mark Buehrle.
Price will be the most highly sought-after free agent and rumors suggest he will garner heavy interest from a number of other big market MLB clubs. Many will also target Buehrle because he'll provide favorable depth for various starting rotations around the league.
Will the Blue Jays do all they can to keep this team together, especially if they make the playoffs this year?
"The Rogers Corporation finally woke up and spent big to overhaul the roster at the deadline," writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. "The feeling is if the Jays can find a way to sign Price long term, and also tie up Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion beyond next year, they should be a powerhouse in the American League East for some time."
Price is expected to command a contract in excess of $200 million. Assuming the Blue Jays pick up the team options for Bautista and Encarnacion, the team has about $65 million committed to next season, not counting the arbitration salaries of Josh Donaldson, Ben Revere, Drew Hutchison, Michael Saunders, Justin Smoak and others. R.A. Dickey also has a $12 million team option and Marco Estrada will become a free agent, meaning the club could potentially lose four starting pitchers.
"Suddenly Buehrle has made himself a valuable commodity in the free agent market. Before the season, the Jays shuddered at having to pay him $20 million in the final year of his contract. Now they are hoping they can keep him. Buehrle is 36, but with 165 innings he's likely to throw his 15th straight season of 200."
Buehrle is having another good season for Toronto. He's 14-6 with a 3.53 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and four complete games (leads MLB) in 26 starts (171 innings).
The two left-handers seem to enjoy the city Toronto as well, which could help the team retain them both.
"It's crazy around here," Price told Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports. "The Canadians are so passionate. I went home on my scooter the other day, and people stopped me so much for pictures, it took me almost two hours to get home, and my scooter almost died ...
"I feel like we've got something special here. You knew this team had talent, but I didn't realize how close it was. This team has got that it factor. It has the togetherness, that closeness, and you just want to be a part of it."
As for Buehrle, the Miami Marlins sent him to Toronto before the 2013 season. Toronto was never a place he envisioned himself.
"Before I came here, this was a place where I never wanted to play," he told Nightengale." There was no chance of me signing in Toronto. You come here as a visitor, and you have the customs, trying to figure out your phone bills, the money exchange, the temperature readings.
"But now that I've played here, it's been so great. It's just such a great place to live and play. They make it so comfortable for you."
Could this indicate both starters would want to remain in Toronto? The bigger issue obviously deals with Price. Rumors suggest the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees and others are likely to chase him with lucrative offers. But what if the Blue Jays make it to the World Series or even the ALCS? Will that be enough to convince Price to stay?
Price has reiterated he isn't thinking about free agency because he wants to focus on winning in 2015. Anthopoulos has set this team up nicely for the future with a good mix of All-Star veterans and rising talented prospects. Keeping Price and Buehrle in the rotation will likely be a priority for the team (specifically whoever is running the front office) once the offseason hits.
It's just a matter of convincing them to stay in Toronto when a number of other desirable destinations will be trying to lure them in.
