Blue Jays add another starter, sign J.A. Happ to three-year deal
The Toronto Blue Jays continued compiling depth in their starting rotation Friday, signing veteran left-hander JA Happ to a three-year deal worth $36 million.
The team announced the deal early Friday evening, making it their third notable move in their starting rotation this winter. Toronto also re-signed right-hander Marco Estrada to a two-year, $26.5 million deal and acquired right-hander Jesse Chavez is a trade with the Oakland A’s on Nov. 20.
The Blue Jays have been adding depth with the expectation that David Price will leave in free agency this winter. Price has shown interest in re-siging, and fans are definitely clamoring for his return, but the Jays seemed to realize quickly that he would be priced out of contention. Hence, the move to build depth with cheaper options.
For what it’s worth, Fox Sports’ Jon Morosi says this signing all but officially ends the possibility of Price returning.
At 33, Happ does not offer the same upside as Price, but he lengthens the rotation for manager John Gibbons and should be counted on to absorb innings.
Happ comes to Toronto after an uneven 2015 season that saw him struggle in Seattle, posting a 4.64 ERA over 20 starts. He rebounded with Pittsburgh, however, making 11 starts and putting up a 1.85 ERA. If nothing else, he certainly boosted his own value, but the bounce back provides hope that he’s the necessary adjustments.
While certainly cheaper than Price, it’s an expensive deal for a lower level free agent who hasn’t exactly proven consistent. It’s possible the Blue Jays were willing pay because there’s a comfort level with Happ, who pitched in Toronto for three season before being dealt last winter. Happ compiled a 4.39 over 291 innings during that stint, serving as a starter and occassional reliever.
On the larger scale, this deal could set a pretty high floor in terms of what free agent pitchers make on the market this winter. Obviously, the bigger name starters like Zack Greinke and Price were going to cash in regardless, but this bodes well for second and even third tier options.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
