The Toronto Blue Jays did the expected and exercised the team options for Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion this offseason. However, the Blue Jays now have a tall task ahead of them in trying to sign both players to new contracts, which seemingly isn't going too well.
Bautista reportedly asked for at least a five-year, $150 million deal this offseason and said he was unwilling to negotiate since he felt he's played under a hometown discount for a while now. Encarnacion set an Opening Day deadline for his negotiations, but he recently said the talks have stalled because the two sides couldn't agree on the length of a new contract.
Based on rumors and reports, it's not looking great for the Jays in terms of keeping both sluggers.
The latest from Jon Heyman suggests why the negotiations aren't going so smoothly.
Jays may sign 1 of @JoeyBats19 and encarnacion but word is, no chance both. Martin/tulo r on books, can't do 4 huge salaries
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) March 25, 2016
Belief is Jays would do 75M cespedes deal or close for Bautista, who they likely prefer. But that's half or less the ask
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) March 25, 2016
Based on what we've heard from reports, Bautista wants at least a five-year deal and Encarnacion wants at least a four-year deal. However, catcher Russell Martin is just one year into his five-year, $82 million contract and shortstop Troy Tulowitzki still has five years and $98 million left on his current pact.
The financials simply may not add up for the Blue Jays.
Based on the performances of Bautista and Encarnacion during their tenures with Toronto, the open market will likely set their price tags extremely high and, in all probability, out of the Jays' reach if the team can't reach an agreement with either one before the end of the 2016 season.
Just take a look at their stats since arriving in Toronto:
Bautista - .264/.384/.538 with 630 runs scored, 243 home runs and 632 RBI in eight seasons (962 games)
Encarnacion - .269/.355/.521 with 494 runs scored, 197 home runs and 552 RBI in seven seasons (839 games)
The Blue Jays' new management, led by president Mark Shapiro and general manager Ross Atkins, have not provided any specifics regarding either of the two, but it's fairly obvious both players remain a priority since they've been such an integral part of the team's success.
Then again, the club will also have to make Josh Donaldson a priority if they want to keep him in Toronto for the long haul (even though they control him for three more seasons). The slugger just signed a two-year, $28.65 million contract to cover his first two arbitration years, but the team discussed other long-term scenarios with him to gauge his interest in remaining in Toronto.
But right now Bautista and/or Encarnacion are the top priority. It seems as if Encarnacion would be the more affordable option, but we'll see what direction Shapiro and Atkins decide to go in.
