With the news that Trevor Bauer had a meeting set up with members of the Toronto Blue Jays coaching staff, the speculation can truly begin.
The Toronto Blue Jays have been connected to virtually every free agent on the market thus far. If there is a big name available that would potentially be an upgrade, there are rumors that the Blue Jays are interested. It does make sense – the Blue Jays finally returned to the postseason and are hungry for more.
Naturally, the Blue Jays have been linked to Trevor Bauer as another potential fit for their rotation. Bauer himself added fuel to that fire, as he mentioned that he had a meeting with the organization.
Christmas in San Diego, calls with teams, FaceTimes with fans, Baby Yoda, and of course @Firststarlog! Watch the last vlog of 2020 here 📺: https://t.co/o4tafBffCs pic.twitter.com/SCWQzNTyF5
— Trevor Bauer (トレバー・バウアー) (@BauerOutage) December 31, 2020
The Blue Jays are also in a solid situation financially. While they were still impacted by the pandemic, they are considered to be more capable of spending on top tier free agents than the majority of the other teams. Likewise, their payroll sits at approximately $87 million currently, giving the team plenty of flexibility.
Bauer would certainly be an upgrade atop the rotation. He put together a career year in the abbreviated 2020 season, posting a league leading 1.73 ERA and a 0.795 WHiP over his 73 innings. He struck out exactly 100 batters while issuing just 17 walks. While he is not likely to replicate those numbers over a full season, pairing him with Hyun Jin Ryu atop the Blue Jays rotation would make a tremendous difference.
There is also a level of familiarity between Bauer and Toronto. Team president Mark Shapiro and general manager Ross Atkins were part of the Indians organization when they acquired Bauer from Arizona. His quirks and training habits would not be an issue.
Ultimately, this is just another chapter in what has been a unique trek through free agency. Bauer has been engaging with the fan bases of virtually every team while attacking reports about his asking price. To this point, no one really knows what he is looking for, or which teams he is actually interested in. This meeting with Toronto is the first real glimpse into his situation.
And now, the speculation can truly begin. If nothing else, we know that Trevor Bauer had a meeting with the Toronto Blue Jays, and that there is interest on both sides.