Reports: Blue Jays Making Push for David Price
Despite their preference to avoid rentals, the Blue Jays have always made the most sense for David Price. While most other contenders have solid enough alternatives — especially with the Dodgers apparently on the verge of landing two quality starters in one fell swoop — to avoid paying a premium price for a short-term upgrade, the Blue Jays rotation are not in that position, and after designating Felix Doubront for assignment, they don’t even have a #5 starter at the moment. So this shouldn’t be a surprise.
sources: blue Jays are making a major push for david price
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) July 30, 2015
Executive involved in bidding for Price believes #BlueJays may indeed be close to landing him. “Not going to go on much longer,” he said.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 30, 2015
The Blue Jays have the kinds of young talent that the Tigers will be interested in, given their short-term window; a pitcher like Daniel Norris could replace Price immediately, giving the team a starter for 2016 and beyond. There’s a natural fit on both sides here, so both teams should be incentivized to make a deal with each other.
The interesting thing will be to see if the deal expands beyond Price. While the Blue Jays line-up is already too right-handed, they do need a better left fielder, and the Tigers are going to trade Yoenis Cespedes, most likely. If the Tigers insist on getting an elite return, perhaps the two teams will work out a deal that upgrades Toronto’s two weakest spots at the same time. After all, if you’re giving up big pieces of your farm system for a rental, you probably shouldn’t stop short and still be rolling out Ezequiel Carrera in the postseason.
Perhaps another team will get involved, but no team has a real reason to bid more on Price than the Blue Jays do. It’s the fit that makes the most sense, and should probably be the deal that gets done.
Dave is the Managing Editor of FanGraphs.
Oh good. Maybe we can get Devon Travis back.
Well, someone has to make a play for the second AL wild-card spot. I mean, with the Tigers and Indians folding and the Twins and White Sox being what they are, the only wild-card contenders are the AL West runner-up, the Jays, Orioles, and Rays.
It’s also not unthinkable that the Jays could catch the Yankees for the division title. But for now, there’s the possibility that the Jays could clinch a wild-card slot with enough time to spare that they can have Price start the play-in game, while the runner-up in the AL West has to go with their best over all 162 games.
No no no to Cespedes. If Pompey isn’t in the deal he should be the LF.
So apparently Norris and Alford are both going… I assume (hope?) this means we’re also getting more guys, but even with Cespedes added I don’t like this. Way too much to give up for three months of one or two guys. I’ve been waiting literally my whole life for us to make the playoffs, and I don’t want to go back to rebuilding after just these two years.
So basically you want it both ways.
No, I’d rather hold on to good prospects and build a sustainably good team than try to be really good for two years and then go back to non-contention.
Hearing it’s Boyd and Norris…….if so wow!!
Norris, Boyd, Labourt.
Expensive, and I fully expect another deal like Bruce + Chapman for Alford+. Do that, and I’ll be very happy.
Jays just added Price and Tulo in the last 2 days and you’re not happy????
No to this, thank you very much. The Jays don’t need relievers. Keep Alford. Add a mid rotation SP at most, and let Pompey play LF. That’s all they need to do. Between Osuna, Sanchez, Hendriks, Cecil, Hawkins you’ve got 5 great relief options and if that’s not enough then you’re not managing properly.
Might as well make it a three team trade and include Trout as well.