Report: Blue Jays add lefty masher Steve Pearce
The Toronto Blue Jays added versatility to their lineup Monday on Day 1 of baseball’s Winter Meetings, reportedly agreeing to a two-year, $12.5-million contract with free-agent utility man Steve Pearce, sources told ESPN’s Buster Olney.
The move is yet another indication the Blue Jays are preparing to move on from their pursuit of slugger Edwin Encarnacion, who’s reportedly seeking a five-year, $125-million deal.
Pearce, who boasts experience at several positions across the diamond, split his time between the Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles last season, posting an .867 OPS with 13 homers and 13 doubles over 85 games. The 33-year-old right-handed hitter is particularly effective against southpaws, managing a 1.028 OPS versus opposite-sided pitchers in 2016.
The acquisition of Pearce now gives the Blue Jays three players expected to battle for at-bats at first base and DH, provided Encarnacion doesn’t return. Last month, Toronto signed veteran switch-hitter Kendrys Morales to a three-year, $33-million deal, while Justin Smoak remains under contract through at least 2018.
Pearce, who was in the midst of a breakout campaign in 2016 before requiring forearm surgery, has only appeared in more than 100 games once in his career. He checks off several boxes for a club looking for greater roster efficiency, though, with experience playing second base and the outfield. There’s also the possibility of Blue Jays manager John Gibbons using Pearce as a right-handed platoon option at first, as reports out of the Winter Meetings indicate Toronto is targeting left-handed veteran Mitch Moreland, who hit 22 homers for Texas last year.
Neither option will replace Encarnacion, however, the All-Star slugger who hit 42 homers and drove in 127 runs in 2016. Recent reports suggest the Blue Jays are unlikely to re-sign Encarnacion after their initial four-year, $80-million offer was left on the table.
