The Toronto Blue Jays have signed versatile free agent infielder/outfielder Steve Pearce to a two-year contract worth $12.5 million.
How versatile is he? This versatile:
Steve Pearce played first, second, third, left and right last season for Rays and Orioles. Gives #BlueJays positional flexibility they want
— Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) December 5, 2016
The 33-year-old spent last season split between Tampa Bay and Baltimore where he hit .288 with 13 home runs and an .867 OPS in 85 games.
Pearce is a 10-year MLB veteran, having played for the Rays, Orioles, Yankees, Astros, and Pirates. His career-best season came in 2014 when he hit for an average of .293 and 21 home runs.
Short-term deal at a reasonable price, better against right-handers than Smoak and extremely versatile. Solid signing for the #BlueJays. https://t.co/QVILYuPXwe
— Alykhan K. Ravjiani (@AlykhanKR) December 5, 2016
Pearce does capably against right handed pitchers and has a 1.028 OPS against lefties.
By all accounts, this looks like a solid signing for the Jays, but of course it leads to the question: what does this mean for Edwin Encarnacion?
With Pearce and Morales in Toronto, it's really hard to see Edwin Encarnacion returning to #BlueJays
— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) December 5, 2016
We may soon find out.