Edwin Encarnacion is largely considered the cream of this offseason's free-agent crop after averaging 39 home runs and 110 RBIs the past five years in Toronto, but the slugger is unlikely to return to the Blue Jays next season.
According to MLB Network Radio, Toronto is out of the running to re-sign Encarnacion as talks heat up with other, bigger-spending teams during MLB's Winter Meetings.
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The Blue Jays offered Encarnacion a four-year, $80 million deal in November, then signed slugger Kendrys Morales after getting rejected by Encarnacion's camp. Toronto also agreed to a two-year, $12.5 millino deal Monday with first baseman/outfielder Steve Pearce, ESPN first reported.
Edwin Encarnacion spoke today with his agent, Paul Kinzer, following Jays' signing of Pearce. "He's disappointed," Kinzer said. @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 5, 2016
Encarnacion's agent, Paul Kinzer, has said his client will probably sign a contract this week and is seeking a deal worth up to $125 million, a steep but worthwhile number for a player who has hit 193 home runs since the start of the 2012 (trailing only Baltimore's Chris Davis, 197).
Encarnacion batted .263/.357/.529 with 42 homers and an AL-leading 127 RBIs this past season, earning him an All-Star selection for the third time in four seasons.
With the Astros and Blue Jays reportedly out of the running, the slugger's services appear to be in a bidding war between the Yankees, Rangers and Red Sox.