Report: Jose Bautista, Blue Jays close to deal

By Sports Illustrated and SI Wire/Sports Illustrated
Published

The Toronto Blue Jays and free-agent right fielder Jose Bautista are close to signing a deal, reports MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez.

According to FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal, the two sides are discussing a two-year deal in the $35-40 million range. The team had also reportedly reached to Edwin Encarnacion and Dexter Fowler during free agency, and when they failed, they focused on re-signing Bautista.

Fowler ended up signed a five-year, $82.5 million deal with the St. Louis Cardinals, while the Cleveland Indians signed Encarnacion to a three-year, $60 million contract.

Bautista, 36, hit .234 with 22 home runs and 69 RBI last season. His 22 home runs was his lowest output in four years.

In 12 MLB seasons, Bautista, a wix-time MLB All-Star, has hit .255 with 308 home runs and 862 RBI.

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