Report: Blue Jays unwilling to give Bautista multi-year deal

If Jose Bautista is to return to the Toronto Blue Jays this offseason, he'll have to do so by taking a significant discount.

The Blue Jays reportedly remain unwilling to offer the free-agent slugger more than the one-year, $17.2-million qualifying offer that he declined from the club in November, industry sources told Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com.

It was reported earlier this week that the Blue Jays and Bautista's agent have remained in contact as the market for the six-time All-Star has been slow to develop.

Bautista is said to be seeking a two-year deal and had been hopeful that he would receive one from the Boston Red Sox; however, the club told Bautista's representatives that they would not surpass the luxury tax threshold in order to do so.

There is a need for the Blue Jays to add an outfielder after missing out on signing Dexter Fowler, but the team seems more inclined to collect the draft pick attached to Bautista rather than sign him to a new deal. Under the new terms of the collective bargaining agreement, the Blue Jays can't issue Bautista another qualifying offer should they re-sign him.

Bautista spent the last nine seasons in Toronto, hitting .261/.382/.528 with 265 home runs and 701 RBIs in 1,078 games. He ranks ninth all time in franchise history in games played and hits, fifth in RBIs, third in OPS, and second in home runs.