Blue Jays Re-Sign Edwin Encarnacion To One-Year Contract

Earlier in the offseason, the Oakland A’s decided to scoop up third baseman Edwin Encarnacion off waivers from the Blue Jays despite having Kevin Kouzmanoff already set at third base. Thursday night, they cut ties.

Up against a midnight ET contract deadline, the A’s have non-tendered Encarnacion, making the 27-year-old a free agent. Encarnacion made $4.75 million in 2010, and the team didn’t want to risk getting stuck with him, as he was set to earn a 2011 raise through arbitration. So Encarnacion is now free to negotiate with whichever teams he pleases, and the A’s will move forward for the time being with Kouzmanoff at the hot corner.

It’s evident why the Blue Jays let Encarnacion go. The third baseman batted just .244 a year ago and even took a quick trip to the minors. His 2010 salary was $4.75 million, and as an arbitration-eligible player, he was due to get a raise - a raise the Blue Jays didn’t want to pay. So they let him go for nothing.

The A’s have their reasons for doing this, though, and just because we don’t know what they are doesn’t make this move any less valid. The bigger question now is what this means for Kouzmanoff, if it means anything. Be sure to read more over at Athletics Nation.