The Blue Jays made the first significant free-agent signing this offseason of a player from another team, inking Russell Martin to a five-year, $82 million contract.
Toronto sees a window to go for it now with key players Mark Buerhle, R.A. Dickey, Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion all coming up on free agency after either the 2015 or 2016 seasons. The Jays won 83 games last year and the AL East is viewed as wide open.
The Blue Jays see Martin as a difference maker on both sides of the ball and in the clubhouse. He is known as one of the best pitch framers, throwers and handlers of pitchers in the majors. Last season for the Pirates, he had a .402 on-base percentage to go along with 11 homers and 67 RBIs.
Martin played for the Yankees in 2011-12. He badly wanted to return to the organization. But the Yankees were worried about his low batting average and believed they had catching coming in the pipeline and never made him a serious offer. Martin, instead, signed with the Pirates for two years and now gets this five-year pact.
Martin turns 32 in February. The Blue Jays, though, believe Martin is such a terrific athlete that he will age well. In addition, he is Canadian born and is returning to his home nation.
The belief in the industry was catching was in such demand that Martin would get four-year offers and the team willing to go to a fifth year would win. The Cubs and Dodgers were known to be interested in Martin. The Pirates wanted to retain him, but knew they would not go to that contract length, which motivated them dealing Justin Wilson to the Yankees for Francisco Cervelli last week.
Toronto now has switch-hitting catcher Dioner Navarro as a trade chip. He hit .274 last year with 12 homers and is due $5 million in 2015.