TORONTO – Mat Latos has already experienced his share of highs and lows at the MLB level. Intrigued by the upside he offers and optimistic that he can rebound from recent struggles, the Toronto Blue Jays signed the right-hander to a minor-league deal.
Best-case scenario, all involved could benefit from the agreement, which the team officially announced Thursday. The Blue Jays address a need for rotation depth by adding a 29-year-old who has already started 186 MLB games. Meanwhile, Latos would earn $1.5 million at the MLB level and up to $500,000 more in incentives. Most importantly, he gets the chance to re-establish his value on a contender after a pair of poor seasons.
Though most of Latos’ experience comes as a starter, he could also pitch out of the bullpen, where his stuff might play up. The Blue Jays will stretch him out this spring to keep their options open.
Latos earned Cy Young votes in his age-22 season, when he posted a 2.92 ERA in 31 starts for the 2010 San Diego Padres. Four more stellar campaigns followed, but he struggled in the two seasons after being traded to the Marlins in December of 2014. Since that deal, he has played for five organizations while posting a 4.93 ERA.
Most recently, Latos spent the 2016 season with the Chicago White Sox and Washington Nationals, pitching to a 4.89 ERA in 70 innings. He started 12 times while also setting a career high with eight relief appearances.
All told, his fastball averaged 90.2 m.p.h. in 2016, down from a career-best 94.2 in 2009.
The Blue Jays’ rotation appears to be set, with Aaron Sanchez, J.A. Happ, Marco Estrada, Marcus Stroman and Francisco Liriano all returning. Still, all teams need starting depth, and the Blue Jays lack compelling alternatives in that area. There’s less certainty in Toronto’s bullpen, where at least two spots appear to be up for grabs behind Roberto Osuna, Jason Grilli, Joe Biagini, J.P. Howell and Joe Smith.
Kris Medlen, Yusmeiro Petit, Jim Henderson, Seth Maness and Matt Albers are among the established free agent pitchers who signed minor-league deals earlier this off-season.
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