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MLB

Tuesday's MLB: Springer agrees to six-year, $150 million deal with Blue Jays

Ronald Blum and Rob Gillies
Associated Press

Toronto — All-Star outfielder George Springer became the most prominent among baseball’s free agents to reach an agreement this offseason, a $150 million, six-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday night because the deal was subject to a successful physical.

It would be the largest contract in team history.

Houston Astros' George Springer takes a lead off first during the first inning of the team's baseball game against the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas.

Springer, who turned 31 in September, is a three-time All-Star who has spent his entire seven-season career with Houston and was the World Series MVP when the Astros beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games for their first title in 2017. The championship was later tainted when it was discovered Houston illicitly stole signs that season.

Springer hit .265 with 14 homers and 32 RBIs during the shortened 2020 season, earning a prorated $7,777,778 from a $21 million salary.

He has a .270 career average with 174 home runs and 458 RBIs, including career bests of .292 with 39 homers and 96 RBIs in 2019.

Under new owner Steve Cohen, the New York Mets also were said to be interested in Springer.

A slow free agent market saw only 21 of 181 players who became free agents following the World Series enter Tuesday with finalized agreements.

The Blue Jays have an emerging young core and are able to add at least one major contract before their younger players like Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. earn a lot more. Toronto has been linked to most of the top free agents this winter, but now has the one it wanted most.

The upstart Blue Jays went 32-28 during the pandemic-altered 2020 season, finishing third in the AL East behind Tampa Bay and the New York Yankees and qualifying for the expanded postseason. They were swept in two games by the AL champion Rays in a first-round series.

Toronto had success despite moving its home games to Buffalo, New York, after the Canadian government didn’t allow the team to play in Canada because of the COVID-19 risk of frequent travel throughout the U.S. It’s not clear where the Blue Jays will begin the 2021 season.

The Blue Jays have had to overpay free agents to play in Canada before, but the Springer contract will be just the second $100 million-plus deal in team history. Vernon Wells and the Blue Jays agreed to a $126 million, seven-year contract in 2006. At the time it was sixth-largest deal in baseball history.

Because Springer turned down an $18.9 million qualifying offer, Houston will receive an extra pick in next July’s amateur draft after the fourth round and Toronto will lose its second-highest draft pick and also forfeit $500,000 of international signing bonus pool space for the 2022-23 signing period.

Quintana lands with Angels

Left-hander José Quintana has agreed to an $8 million, one-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels, a person familiar with the negotiations told AP.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement is subject to a successful physical.

Los Angeles was looking to boost its rotation following a fourth-place finish in the AL West at 26-34, 10 games behind first-place Oakland. Angels’ starters had a 5.52 ERA in the shortened 2020 season, 29th among the 30 major league teams and ahead of only Detroit’s 6.37.

Quintana joins a rotation projected to include left-hander Andrew Heaney and right-handers Shohei Ohtani, Dylan Bundy and Griffin Canning.

Quintana was limited to one start and three relief appearances during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, when he started late after surgery July 2 to repair nerve damage caused by a cut on the thumb of his pitching hand. The Cubs said Quintana was hurt while washing dishes at his home in Miami and that he needed five stitches.

Quintana made relief appearances on Aug. 25 and 30, then was sidelined again by an inflamed latissimus dorsi muscle on the left side of his back. His only start was Sept. 22 at Pittsburgh. He made another relief appearance on Sept. 27 and finished 0-0 with a 4.50 ERA in 10 innings.

Los Angeles gets a pitcher who turns 32 on Sunday and averages 91-92 mph with his fastball, spotting it with a curveball, sinker and change-up.

Around the horn

Toby Gardenhire, the son of former Tigers' manager Ron Gardenhire, will manage Minnesota’s new Triple-A affiliate, the St. Paul Saints.

... Right-hander Hunter Wood has signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers

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Blum contributed reporting from New York.