Blue Jays unwilling to offer Bautista more than $17.2M qualifying offer: report

Free agent slugger Jose Bautista might have to accept a significant discount if he fancies a return to Toronto. In fact, he’ll likely have to accept an offer he had previously rejected.

The Blue Jays brass has reportedly informed the free-agent slugger that the one-year, $17.2 million (all funds U.S.) qualifying offer he had rejected after the World Series is as high as the club is willing to go, Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com reports.

Toronto has reportedly remained in contact with Bautista’s agent as the two sides had met during last week’s Winter Meetings. After initially seeking a reported five-year deal in the neighbourhood of $150-million, Bautista was reportedly willing to accept a two-year deal with Boston before the Red Sox opted to sign 1B/DH Mitch Moreland.

If he were willing to accept the one-year deal, Bautista would immediately fill one of two glaring holes in Toronto’s outfield. The Blue Jays had missed out on signing Dexter Fowler when the former Chicago Cub had agreed to a five-year, $82.5-million contract with the St. Louis Cardinals.