Reigning American League Cy Young winner Robbie Ray and the Seattle Mariners are reportedly finalizing a five-year, $115-million deal, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.
The deal, Passan reported, will have an opt-out after the third season.
Ray, who was traded from the Arizona Diamondbacks to the Toronto Blue Jays along with cash for left-hander Travis Bergen in August of 2020, went on to sign a one-year, $8 million contract to stay with the Jays after being encouraged by his brief time with the team down the stretch of the '20 season.
In his commanding one-season run with the Blue Jays in 2021 that endeared him to fans, Ray transformed his career, rebounding from a troubled 2020 campaign which saw him pitch to an ERA of 6.62 in 12 appearances and an average of 7.8 walks per nine innings.
Ray posted a 13-7 record for Toronto this past season to go along with a 2.84 earned-run average and 248 strikeouts over 193.1 innings pitched.
The reports of Ray leaving the Blue Jays come one day after Toronto reached an agreement on a five-year, $110 million contract with right-hander Kevin Gausman.
The 30-year-old's departure marks the second pitcher from Toronto's 2021 staff to depart via free agency, joining Steven Matz, who finalized a four-year, $44-million deal with the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday.
Joining the pitching duo on their way out of Toronto is Marcus Semien, who reportedly agreed to a seven-year, $175-million deal with Texas after one stellar year with the Blue Jays in which he was named a finalist for the AL most valuable player award.
