Report: Bautista asking for more than $150M
It may cost the Toronto Blue Jays more than $150 million to retain the services of Jose Bautista beyond the 2016 season.
Just one day after the slugger denied a report from TSN's Rick Westhead claiming he asked the Toronto Blue Jays for a five-year, $150-million extension, MLB Network's Jon Heyman reports Bautista is looking for a deal that exceeds that hypothetical offer in both years and dollars.
FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal is also hearing the same thing as Heyman, but adds the average annual value Bautista seeks is below $30 million.
Bautista previously said he won't negotiate his salary with the Blue Jays, and that the mystery terms he presented to members of the front office aren't up for debate.
The 35-year-old is coming off a year in which he hit .250/.377/.535 with 40 home runs. He has averaged 38 homers and 97 RBIs over the past six seasons.
Bautista will earn $14 million in the final year of his contract.