MLB free agents 2016: Marco Estrada, Blue Jays reportedly talking multiyear deal

Bob Hille

MLB free agents 2016: Marco Estrada, Blue Jays reportedly talking multiyear deal image

Right-hander Marco Estrada and the Blue Jays are talking about a multiyear contract as the clock ticks down to Friday’s deadline for free agents to accept or reject qualifying offers, Fox Sports reported, citing unidentified MLB sources.

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Coming off a 2015 season in which he was 13-8 with a 3.13 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in 181 innings for the AL East champions, Estrada, 32, has these options:

— Accept the one-year, $15.8 million qualifying offer and plan on being a free agent next year.

— Reject the qualifying offer and hit the open market this offseason, though any team that signs him will owe the Blue Jays draft-pick compensation, which could limit his marketability.

— Sign a longer deal to stay in Toronto, where he was the team's most reliable postseason pitcher (2.33 ERA in three starts).

“We’d love to have him back,” Jays interim GM Tony LaCava told Fox Sports. “He was a big part of our success this year.”

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Bob Hille

Bob Hille Photo

Bob Hille, a senior content consultant for The Sporting News, has been part of the TSN team for most of the past 30 years, including as managing editor and executive editor. He is a native of Texas (forever), adopted son of Colorado, where he graduated from Colorado State, and longtime fan of “Bull Durham” (h/t Annie Savoy for The Sporting News mention).