Headlines

  • Jose Altuve To Undergo Surgery On Fractured Thumb
  • Rockies To Sign Jurickson Profar
  • Jose Altuve Leaves WBC Game After Hit By Pitch
  • Edwin Diaz Undergoes Surgery To Repair Patellar Tendon
  • Out Of Options 2023
  • Cade Cavalli To Undergo Tommy John Surgery
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2022-23 MLB Free Agent List
    • Top 50 Free Agents
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2023
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Arbitration Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Blue Jays Exercise Thole Option, Decline Three Others

By charliewilmoth | November 1, 2014 at 1:20pm CDT

The Blue Jays have announced that they’ve exercised their option on catcher Josh Thole and declined their options on first baseman Justin Smoak and righties Brandon Morrow and Dustin McGowan. Smoak is still eligible for arbitration and will remain in the organization. Ben Nicholson-Smith of SportsNet.ca was the first to report on Smoak’s status (via Twitter), while Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish was first on McGowan.

Thole will make $1.75MM next season after hitting .248/.320/.278 in 150 plate appearances last season. He’ll continue to serve as the Jays’ catcher when knuckleballer R.A. Dickey is pitching.

The Jays will pay the newly acquired Smoak a $150K buyout rather than picking up his $3.65MM option. They’ll gamble that he’ll make less in arbitration. With Adam Lind headed to Milwaukee, the lefty now has a clearer path to a role with the Jays in 2015.

Morrow will receive a $1MM buyout on his $10MM option after missing much of the season due to a finger injury. He still throws hard, however, and his intriguing track record (including an excellent 9.4 K/9 in a career mostly spent as a starter) will make him a free agent to watch. McGowan, who posted a 4.17 ERA in 82 innings split between the rotation and the bullpen last year, will receive a $500K buyout rather than a $4MM option.

Share 16 Retweet 37 Send via email2

Newsstand Toronto Blue Jays Transactions Brandon Morrow Dustin McGowan Josh Thole Justin Smoak

Blue Jays Make Qualifying Offer To Melky Cabrera
Main
Marlins Exercise Option On Jeff Mathis
View Comments (16)

Comments

  1. Lee

    8 years ago

    They are just declining the Smoak option to pay him less through arbitration. If they don’t want him by spring training (end) they only have to pay him 1/6 of the contract.

    Reply
    • Jaysfan1994

      8 years ago

      Sounds like were stuck with Smoak anyways at the moment, doesn’t look like he’s going anywhere with Lind out.

      Reply
  2. docmilo5

    8 years ago

    Smoaked it! A term to be used in arbitration coined by Mariner fans in chat rooms talking about fly balls just short of the warning track.

    Reply
    • Jared S

      8 years ago

      Those might be off a wall or gone at Rogers Centre. Homeruns at Yankee stadium and in Boston with Peskie’s pole.

      Reply
      • docmilo5

        8 years ago

        Well, honestly I hope so. He’s a good kid. His glove is solid especially digging throws out of the dirt. Could be a 30 homer bat if someone can fix him.

        Reply
        • davbee

          8 years ago

          I agree, docmilo5. Smoak is a good guy with an underrated glove and serious power potential. For him to succeed it’s going to be all about learning to make contact.

        • docmilo5

          8 years ago

          Watching him the last 3 years it seems when he keeps his bat quiet he makes good contact. When he starts bouncing it off his shoulder and over his head he starts hitting lazy fly balls.

        • darrend

          8 years ago

          Thankfully the Jays have a pretty solid hitting coach in Kevin Seitzer. Oh, wait…

  3. turnurvern-on

    8 years ago

    I think Adam Lind is heading to Milwaukee not Toronto…

    Reply
  4. UK Tiger

    8 years ago

    Morrow could well be a FA sleeper/reclamation project.

    Be interesting to see who is in on him and at how much.

    Reply
    • Jaysfan1994

      8 years ago

      I don’t know, I read an article comparing him to other guys who’ve had the type of injury luck he has and most of them were out of baseball within the age of 30-31. Guys who are injury prone in their 20’s rarely stay healthy as they age into their 30’s.

      Reply
      • UK Tiger

        8 years ago

        Theres no doubt the stats on those sort of guys isnt good, but then theres always the exception that proves the rule.

        Possible buy low high reward candidate?

        Reply
        • Jaysfan1994

          8 years ago

          Yeah, his real value is as a reliever. Something he doesn’t want to be unfortunately.

  5. MarinerShawn

    8 years ago

    Each post about Smoak has referred to him as a lefty. That is true. But he is also a righty.

    Reply
  6. Dylan

    8 years ago

    There’s a slight error in your post. Adam Lind is not “headed to Toronto,” but “headed to Milwaukee,” or “headed out of Toronto.”

    Reply
  7. Jonathan Rowe

    8 years ago

    What the heck Anthopolous? Give up on McGowan for an additional 3.5 million. Trade Lind to Milwaukee for a guy to replace McGowan who has worse stats, fastball averages 89, and will make more than 3.5 mil… Gave away Lind to downgrade our relief staff… Ridiculous.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.
Log in Register

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Jose Altuve To Undergo Surgery On Fractured Thumb

    Rockies To Sign Jurickson Profar

    Jose Altuve Leaves WBC Game After Hit By Pitch

    Edwin Diaz Undergoes Surgery To Repair Patellar Tendon

    Out Of Options 2023

    Cade Cavalli To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Edwin Diaz Helped Off Field With Right Knee Injury

    José Quintana Out Until At Least July Due To Rib Surgery

    Trevor Bauer Signs With NPB’s Yokohama DeNA BayStars

    Craig Stammen “Highly Unlikely” To Pitch Again Following Shoulder Injury

    Diamondbacks, Corbin Carroll Agree To Eight-Year Deal

    Nationals Sign Keibert Ruiz To Eight-Year Extension

    Rockies Showing Interest In Jurickson Profar

    Andrew Painter Diagnosed With UCL Sprain; Ranger Suarez Dealing With Forearm Tightness

    Marlins, Jose Iglesias Agree To Minor League Contract

    Marlins In Agreement With Yuli Gurriel On Minor League Deal

    Carlos Rodon, Tommy Kahnle, Lou Trivino To Begin Season On IL

    Mitch Moreland Announces Retirement

    Astros Facing Gaps In Extension Talks With Kyle Tucker, Framber Valdez

    Lorenzo Cain To Officially Retire As A Royal This Summer

    Recent

    Jose Altuve To Undergo Surgery On Fractured Thumb

    Yoan Moncada, Nolan Arenado Leave WBC Game Due To Injuries

    NL Central Notes: Reds, Weaver, Cessa, Suzuki, Wesneski, Miller

    Juan Soto Day-To-Day With Mild Oblique Strain

    MLBTR Chat Transcript

    Diamondbacks’ Corbin Martin To Undergo Lat Tendon Surgery, Likely To Miss 2023 Season

    Austin Nola Leaves Game After Being Hit By Pitch In The Face

    Braves Outright Jackson Stephens

    Mariners Sign Delino DeShields To Minors Contract

    Red Sox Acquire Angel Pierre From Royals

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Offseason Outlook Series
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Go Ad-Free
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2023
    • 2022-23 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2023-24 MLB Free Agent List
    • MLB Player Chats
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • Feeds by Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrowsFOX Sports Engage Network scroll to top
    Close

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version