Blue Jays rumors: Michael Brantley joining George Springer?

Blue Jays rumors: Michael Brantley not a done deal yet

After a quiet start to the offseason, Blue Jays rumors are springing (Springer-ing?) up all over the plate, with the latest reports having four-time All-Star outfielder Michael Brantley agreeing to terms with the Toronto Blue Jays, joining former Houston Astros teammate George Springer, who reportedly agreed to a six-year, $150 million deal Tuesday night.

Hazel Mae of Sportsnet was first to report the Brantley deal.

However, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com tossed a bit of cold water on those earlier reports, citing a source that a deal between Brantley and the Blue Jays was not yet complete.

The Blue Jays did appear to be a fit for Brantley, with the question being whether the budget would allow a second top-tier free-agent signing. With this report, it appears that question has been answered.

Brantley missed most of the 2016 season because of shoulder and biceps problems that needed surgery, but returned in 2017 to be selected to the All-Star Game. However, that season ended with a severe right ankle injury.

He’s been mostly healthy since and has racked up three straight seasons with slash lines better than .300/.360/.460.

Brantley season, he appeared in 46 games and hit .300/.364/.476 in 187 plate appearances, with 15 doubles, five homers, 22 RBI and 24 runs scored. He walked 17 times and posted 28 strikeouts.

He followed that up with a strong postseason as the sub-.500 Astros made a run to the ALCS and pushed the Tampa Bay Rays to seven games in that series after falling into a 3-0 hole.

Brantley was 2-for-7 with two walks, two RBI and two runs scored in Houston’s Wild-Card Series sweep of the Minnesota Twins, then went 7-for-19 with two homers, five RBI and six runs scored as the Astros dumped the Oakland A’s 3-1 in the ALDS.

Against the Rays, Brantley hit .346/.452/.462 in 31 plate appearances with a homer, four RBI, two runs scored and four walks.

He is a lifetime .286/.361/.381 hitter in 38 postseason games, with four homers and 16 RBI.

Signing Brantley along with Springer would give the Blue Jays significant outfield depth that could be flipped for pitching help.

Last season, the Jays went with a primary outfield of Lourdes Gurriel Jr. in left, Randal Grichuk in center and Teoscar Hernandez in right, with Cevan Biggio, Jonathan Davis, Derek Fisher and Anthony Alford each getting at least one start.

Grichuk was displaced from center field with the addition of Springer and still has three years and $31 million remaining on the five-year extension he signed in April 2019, his first season in Toronto after being acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals for middle reliever Dominic Leone and minor-league pitcher Connor Greene, a 2013 draft pick that has yet to pitch in the majors.

In 55 games last season, Grichuk slashed .273/.312/.481 with 12 homers and 35 RBI. He is a career .246/.295/.483 hitter who did belt 31 home runs for the Jays in 2019. He will be 30 in August.

Hernandez turned 28 last October and has started at each outfield position as a regular over the last three seasons — left field in 2018 (78 starts), center field in 2019 (79 starts) and right field last season (38 starts).

Acquired in the July 2017 trade that sent Francisco Liriano to Houston, Hernandez had his share of struggles through the 2019 season, slashing .238/.394/.482 in 286 games while striking out 352 times.

But he broke out in the abbreviated 2020 campaign,, hitting .289/.340/.579 with 16 home runs and 34 RBI in 207 plate appearances, earning a Silver Slugger and some MVP votes. If teams are willing to believe last year wasn’t a small sample-size anomaly, he could have some value for teams looking for another outfield bat.

Hernandez will be arbitration-eligible next winter and is under team control through 2024.

Last season was Gurriel’s first as a regular after playing a utility role after he was called up from Triple-A Buffalo. He hit .308/.348/534 in 57 games and 224 plate appearances, notching 14 doubles, 11 homers and 33 RBI with 48 strikeouts. He also had an October birthday, turning 27.

Gurriel is under team control through 2025.

What’s next for Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins? If they get the Brantley deal done, it will likely be a call to arms … pitching arms, that is.