Report: Blue Jays talking with Yusmeiro Petit

Though the Toronto Blue Jays have been noticeably quiet through the first three days of the winter meetings, the club is reportedly having dialogue with one of the more versatile pitchers available in free agency.

The Blue Jays continued talking Wednesday with right-hander Yusmeiro Petit, the veteran swingman who spent most of the 2015 campaign in the San Francisco Giants' bullpen, according to Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith. Petit, who turned 31 last month, has also drawn interest from an unknown National League East team.

Petit has pitched primarily in relief the last two seasons, but could be viewed as potential starting depth for the Blue Jays, who have already added Jesse Chavez and J.A. Happ to their rotation mix this offseason. Petit, however, made just one start for the Giants this past season and has fared better in relief throughout his career.

In 2015, pitching primarily in low-leverage situations, Petit fashioned a 3.67 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP over 76 innings, recording more than three outs in all but 12 of his 41 relief outings. The season prior, however, Petit was downright dominant out of the bullpen, scattering 27 impressive outings around 12 forgettable starts.

2014 Splits

The Blue Jays' bullpen depth remains somewhat thin following the departures of Mark Lowe and LaTroy Hawkins, along with the trade for Chavez that sent Liam Hendriks to Oakland. Petit could be viewed, then, as a middle-relief option in front of Aaron Sanchez, Brett Cecil, and Roberto Osuna.