Report: Blue Jays have interest in Angel Pagan

With spring training under way, position battles become a big part of baseball's preseason and it appears one veteran outfielder is receiving interest from a team with uncertainty in left field.

The Toronto Blue Jays have been linked to free agent Angel Pagan in recent days, according to Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com.

Chisholm notes, however, that competition in the outfield could deter the club from seriously pursuing Pagan and that a fit would be tricky. The Washington Nationals have also recently shown interest.

As things currently stand, the Blue Jays have a few players battling for the starting left-field job, a group that includes Melvin Upton Jr., Ezequiel Carerra, and Dalton Pompey. Newcomer Steve Pearce is also an option at the corner outfield spot but due to Justin Smoak's early struggles and inconsistency at the plate, he seems destined for an expanded role at first base.

Of the three outfielders mentioned, all of them come with risk. Upton enters his first spring training with the team but is known for his struggles against right-handed pitching. Carerra is likely best served as a bench player, while Pompey has yet to prove his worth at the major-league level and can be sent to minors.

Pagan has experience playing in left field with 202 games at the position throughout his career. The 35-year-old is also a capable switch hitter combining to .286/.339/.412 versus right-handers and .267/.311/.398 against lefties. He hit .277/.331/.418 with a career-high 12 home runs last year with the San Francisco Giants, including 15 stolen bases.