Encarnacion 'disappointed' Blue Jays moved on so quickly

Edwin Encarnacion’s desire to test free agency may be what ultimately keeps him from returning to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Toronto signed Steve Pearce, who’s primarily a first baseman, on Monday, while Kendrys Morales agreed to a three-year pact earlier in the offseason to be the team’s designated hitter. Shortly after the club inked Pearce to a two-year deal on Monday, Encarnacion’s agent Paul Kinzer told Jon Morosi the free-agent slugger was “disappointed” and surprised the Blue Jays moved so quickly to replace him. The Blue Jays reportedly offered Encarnacion a four-year, $80 million contract earlier in the offseason that he rejected in the hope of landing a deal in the range of five years and $125 million.

General manager Ross Atkins confirmed to reporters that acquiring Pearce makes it highly improbable that Encarnacion is retained.

Now that Toronto has seemingly moved on, Encarnacion’s market has apparently dried up. The Astros and Yankees filled their DH spots with veterans on one-year deals, as Carlos Beltran is off to Houston and Matt Holliday is Bronx-bound. Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan tweets that Cleveland has emerged as a potential destination for Encarnacion, while the Texas Rangers are still an option, according to Morosi.

Encarnacion was ranked second on the Yahoo Sports free-agency tracker because of his prodigious power at the plate, but it appears he overshot his value as a 34-year-old DH. That miscalculation appears to have jeopardized a possible reunion with the Blue Jays, who wasted little time in acquiring more affordable players at his position, and can now use their remaining payroll space for corner outfielders, bullpen help, and a backup catcher.

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Israel Fehr is a writer for Yahoo Canada Sports. Email him at israelfehr@yahoo.ca or follow him on Twitter. Follow @israelfehr