Outfielder George Springer and the Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to a six-year, $150 million contract, sources confirmed to ESPN’s Jeff Passan on Tuesday.
Springer is headed to the Blue Jays’ spring training facility in Dunedin, Florida, for a physical. If all goes according to plan, Toronto will get the star it has been looking for all winter
The contract would be the largest given out by the Blue Jays in franchise history. Their only other contract that topped $100 million was a $126 million extension to Vernon Wells in 2006.
Springer, the spark plug for the Houston Astros’ offense in the leadoff spot for the past four seasons, was one of the most coveted free agents on the market this offseason. He hit a team-high 14 home runs this season and added another four in the postseason, as the Astros lost to the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Championship Series.
While several of his teammates struggled offensively this past season amid fallout from the 2017 sign-stealing scandal, Springer, who earned a prorated $7,777,778 from a $21 million salary after avoiding arbitration, has continued to put up better numbers since — hitting .265 with 32 RBIs in 51 games in 2020 while lowering his strikeout rate to 17.1%, a career best.
Because Springer turned down a one-year, $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.
