The Blue Jays could be set to continue spending this offseason, with Toronto reportedly showing interest in left-hander Jon Lester, according to Rob Bradford of WEEI.com.
Blue Jays among possible suitors for Jon Lester, per report
The Blue Jays already made a free-agent splash in signing Russell Martin. Could they land Lester too?
Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
Per Bradford, the Jays are one of six teams that identified Lester as a target, though the Cubs and Red Sox will meet with the pitcher this week and are both considered likelier landing spots for the 30-year-old. Still, Toronto has gotten the attention of the baseball world after inking Russell Martin to a five-year, $82 million deal, and if their interest in Lester is any indication, the Jays have some money left to spend.
Why this makes sense
Pitching has been Toronto's biggest downfall the past two seasons, with the club's starting rotation the main culprit. In 2014, Jays starters finished with the fifth-highest ERA in the American League, and the team lacked anything resembling a top-of-the-rotation arm. Mark Buehrle, R.A. Dickey and Drew Hutchison led Toronto's rotation in games started, and the Jays also had to depend on J.A. Happ to make 26 starts. The arrival of rookie Marcus Stroman brought some hope for the future, but the Jays lack anyone of Lester's pedigree.
Given the club’s decision to plunge into free agency with the signing of Martin, further spending can’t be ruled out at this point. The A.L. East is wide open, and Toronto has a solid core already in place. The addition of Lester would go a long way in making the Jays serious players not just in the division, but for the pennant as well.
Why this doesn’t make sense
Although Toronto flexed some financial muscle in locking up Martin, the Blue Jays haven't often spent big in free agency. Last winter, the Blue Jays found themselves in a similar place, needing just an addition or two to improve their chances of contention. Instead, they added virtually no one, even though Ervin Santana sat unsigned until March and eventually agreed to a one-year, $14 million deal with the Braves. Will Toronto suddenly spend over $200 million on two players this winter after barely opening the checkbook last offseason?
In addition, the Cubs and Red Sox maintain serious interest in Lester. Both have plenty of money (especially after Chicago lost out on Martin), and Lester is meeting with both clubs this week. The Jays have also shown reluctance to handing out contracts for greater than five years, something Lester will garner elsewhere. Considering the type of commitment it will take to sign Lester, the chances of the Blue Jays outbidding everyone else for the southpaw are slim.
Likelihood: 2 out of 10
There is no doubt that Toronto would love to add Lester and will at least ensure that either the Red Sox or Cubs have to spend big to nab the lefty. But signing a 30-year-old starter to a massive contract isn’t the way the Jays have done business in the past, even if their 2015 payroll is set to be the biggest in franchise history.
If the Jays are going to add a starter, a cheaper option such as Santana or James Shields appears more likely. Toronto has surprised everyone once already, though, so one can't unequivocally rule them out as serious suitors for Lester.
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