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Report: Blue Jays nearing deal with Bautista

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

One of Toronto's best athletes of all time might be staying north of the border after all.

The Blue Jays are nearing a deal with veteran Jose Bautista, sources told Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com.

Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports confirmed the report, adding that the Blue Jays and the six-time All-Star's camp remain in "serious talks," with a deal likely to happen.

His return would fill a major void in the Blue Jays' lineup after the team missed out on bringing back slugger Edwin Encarnacion, and fell short in their pursuit of Dexter Fowler.

The Blue Jays and Bautista were on and off for much of the offseason after the the 36-year-old rejected the qualifying offer. The club entered free agency with a focus on re-signing Encarnacion, and were said to be interested in getting more athletic and younger in the outfield, being linked to multiple free agents and players through trade, including Charlie Blackmon, Andrew McCutchen, and Fowler.

After contract talks between Encarnacion and the Blue Jays fell apart and the 34-year-old signed a three-year, $60-million deal in Cleveland, the front office turned its attention to Bautista in hopes of bringing back the storied veteran after missing out on Fowler - who signed in St. Louis - as well as not having the prospect depth to acquire a player of Blackmon or McCutchen's caliber through trade.

President Mark Shapiro recently offered praise for Bautista, labeling him as the best free agent available, with tremendous pedigree. It's possible Toronto's pursuit intensified after the Indians - and, more recently, the Baltimore Orioles - were in touch with his camp.

Bautista has spent the past nine years with the Blue Jays, emerging as one of the best sluggers in team history as well as one of the most feared hitters in all of baseball. He's coming off one of his worst statistical seasons since joining the team, hitting .234/.366/.452 with 22 home runs and 69 RBIs in 116 games played, but also missed time due to injury.

Over the course of his nine years with the Blue Jays, he ranks first in all-time WAR (37.7), second in home runs (265), third in slugging percentage (.528), and fifth in on-base percentage (.382).

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