TORONTO – Short on left-handed relief following the departure of Brett Cecil, the Toronto Blue Jays are showing interest in Jerry Blevins, according to an industry source.
Blevins posted a 2.79 ERA for the New York Mets in 2016, when he ranked fourth among left-handed relievers in strikeouts per nine innings (11.1 K/9) behind Andrew Miller, Aroldis Chapman and Brad Hand. The 33-year-old was durable enough to appear in 73 games, though the Mets asked him to record three-plus outs just 24 times. He earned a $4-million base salary in 2016, and positioned himself for a multi-year deal in free agency, where the demand for left-handed pitching seems strong if Cecil’s $30.5-million agreement with the St. Louis Cardinals offers any indication.
The Blue Jays’ internal left-handed relief options include Aaron Loup, Matt Dermody and Chad Girodo, so GM Ross Atkins figures to seek external reinforcements. The free agent market also includes Boone Logan, Mike Dunn and J.P. Howell, with teams including the Mets and Seattle Mariners expected to have interest in reinforcements.
Toronto has a particularly thorough approach to free agency, so it’s no surprise that its shown some interest in Blevins at a time that they need left-handed relief. Beyond the bullpen, Atkins’ list of off-season needs includes one or two outfielders, a backup catcher and, potentially, a first baseman.
