An "extremely" encouraging visit to a Jose Bautista off-season workout has Toronto Blue Jays management believing the right-fielder is "most likely" to produce a 40-home run season like he did in 2015.
That comfort level might have accelerated contract talks between the free agent's representatives and the team that general manager Ross Atkins said began "around the winter meetings" in early December.
On Wednesday, Toronto confirmed the 36-year-old Bautista's re-signing for the 2017 season, a guaranteed $18 million US with a $17 million mutual option for 2018. The contact also includes a $500,000 buyout and a $20 million vesting option for 2019.
'We're excited about Jose as a right-fielder. We're also excited about his willingness to play multiple positions.' — Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins on newly re-signed outfielder Jose Bautista
Atkins confirmed on Thursday that the team would be on the hook for the $500,000 buyout should Bautista walk away from the mutual option before the team has chance to exercise it.
The second-year GM is also confident Bautista would play the bulk of games in right field during the upcoming season. In 2016, the former third baseman played 91 games in right, 26 as a designated hitter and one at first base.
"We're excited about Jose as a right-fielder," Atkins said. "We're also excited about his willingness to play multiple positions. He's extremely open-minded about that."
Atkins believes knee and toe injuries played a large part in Bautista's disappointing 2016 season in which he posted a .234 batting average in 116 games and 69 runs batted in over 423 at-bats. The 22 home runs were his fewest since he hit 13 in 2009.
The veteran major leaguer hit .250 in 2015 with 40 homers, 114 RBIs and a .536 slugging percentage in 153 contests.
"I'm optimistic we're going to be able to rely on him," Atkins said of Bautista, a six-time American League all-star, in a Thursday interview with Sportsnet. "He's a very driven player."
Jays believe Jose Bautista 'most likely' to produce 40-homer season
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