Blue Jays Deal For David Price “Imminent”

11:28am: A deal sending Price to Toronto is “imminent,” Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports tweets.

It’s unconfirmed, but rival execs expect Daniel Norris and Anthony Alford to be in the deal, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (Twitter links).

11:17am: As Toronto emerges, other suitors seem to be falling back in the discussion. The Yankees “have tried” to join the discussion, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post, but it’s not clear they’re willing to include as much in the way of top prospects. The Giants are “pessimistic” of getting something done, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. Meanwhile, the Dodgers have no plans of including Alex Wood — if they acquire him — in deals to any other teams, Jayson Stark of ESPN.com tweets.

11:05am: The Jays are “closing in” on a deal for Price, Heyman tweets.

10:58am: Toronto has emerged as a “strong favorite,” Heyman reports. A deal could come together quickly, he adds.

10:48am: The Blue Jays are making a “major push” to acquire star lefty David Price, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports on Twitter. Toronto has long been said to be pursuing one or more arms to bolster its staff, and the ace lefty would certainly do that and more.

While the presence of the Jays on the market for Price is not exactly unexpected, it’s notable that the team intends to be a serious contender for his services. Toronto already used several significant trade pieces to acquire star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, and has been rumored to be discussing a range of options in that regard.

The Dodgers have frequently been mentioned as the most likely club to land Price, as Los Angeles still seemingly wants to add a top-quality arm after missing on Cole Hamels. But the Dodgers are still working to complete a complicated deal with the Braves and Marlins that would have major implications for the pursuit of Price. Other teams, too, remain potential challengers for the service of Price, one of the game’s most durable, highest-quality starters.

All said, Toronto’s participation in the market ought to drive up the ask on the veteran southpaw. The Jays still have several highly appealing young pieces, including young starters such as Daniel Norris and Aaron Sanchez, that could theoretically be dangled, though it remains unclear what kind of package Toronto will offer — let alone what Detroit is looking to accomplish in a trade.