The Blue Jays are “far along” in contract talks with free-agent righty Mat Latos, reports Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. Nicholson-Smith notes that there’s no guarantee that the Jays will finalize a deal with the Bledsoe Agency client, but they’ve been in touch with Latos’ representatives multiple times over the past couple of weeks.
The 29-year-old Latos opened the 2016 season with the White Sox and got off to a strong start, logging a stellar 0.74 ERA through his first 24 1/3 innings with the South Siders. That excellent mark was buoyed by a .167 BABIP, though, and the 13-to-7 K/BB ratio that Latos logged in those four starts also served as a bad omen. Over the next six weeks or so, Latos posted a 7.25 ERA with 18 walks against 19 strikeouts before being released in mid-June. He’d later hook on with the Nationals and toss 9 2/3 innings, during which he yielded seven runs on 11 hits and five walks with 10 strikeouts.
Latos now sports an unsightly 4.93 ERA in 186 1/3 innings across the past two big league seasons, and he’s seen his average fastball velocity dip from 92.6 mph to 90.2 mph in the wake of knee 2014 knee surgery. However, he did enjoy a nice run of 15 starts in the middle of the 2015 season, and prior to that campaign, he was an excellent young arm for the Padres and Reds. Latos posted an ERA better than 3.50 each season from 2010-14, averaging 8.2 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 in that time while making a smooth transition from the pitcher-friendly Petco Park to the hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park. Certainly the diminished velocity and poor results in late 2015 and in 2016 are red flags, but Latos would be more of a depth option for Toronto than an expected contributor.
The Blue Jays are set in the rotation with Aaron Sanchez, J.A. Happ, Marcus Stroman, Marco Estrada and Francisco Liriano. The bullpen picture is a bit murkier even after the signings of veteran free agents J.P. Howell and Joe Smith. That duo will join closer Roberto Osuna, setup man Jason Grilli and sophomore Joe Biagini. Latos could conceivably fight for a spot alongside that quintet or head to Triple-A to open the season — assuming a minor league deal is the ultimate outcome — where he’d look to get back on track and await an opportunity at the Major League level.
I get we need depth, but why this douche?
I’d rather have someone who’s a douche on the team than a guy who’s got a DUI or some other criminal history
I would rather have someone who can play well, be it a douche or one who has broken the law. It’s baseball, not a morality contest..
No way I’d want a guy like Alfredo Simon or Matt bush. How about sign good players with no baggage instead
I’d take Matt Bush as a closer in waiting, he is probably the best bullpen arm on the Rangers.. If he slips up it is sad, but worth giving the guy a chance.
Baseball has some of the most naive followers. Just because a guy didn’t get caught using steroids doesn’t mean he didn’t use them or other PED’s. Just because someone has never been arrested does not mean he is a saint. Ignorance is bliss.
…if they’re arrested or caught using PEDs then they have for sure done something bad, that’s why people hate them.
Why is he a douche? I’m sure there’s a reason, I just don’t know it.
He’s a clubhouse cancer and burned bridges in both San Diego and Cincinnati on his way out
Don’t forget LA. I sure won’t. Let’s just say it’s fitting that his Dodgers’ ERA is 6.66.
Additionally, has a wacky wife who started a fight in a bar in PNC Park during wild card game a few years back.
Never heard that bit of news. Always sad when spouses get in spats. The post season is an emotional time but sheesh.
lol…if he’s a douche he’ll fit in well with Batista….
Just look at that ERA.
Buzz, your girlfriend….woof.
That last sentence… such a great movie!
I can’t believe I contemplated a trade request in fantasy with him as a one for one for Paul Goldschmidt.
Please tell me this was back in 2011 and not 2016
I agree! This guy is a clubhouse cancer. I’d rather see Barney or Goins be stretched out as a starter.
Jfodes…. HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA great line!
Goins pitched in school, he can bring it. II’m with jfodes, let’s stretch him out, lol. Actually, Bautista pitched too, He had a 90+ MPH heater. Let’s stretch him out too. lol.
Don’t forget that curve he sported in his one inning last year.
The guy is a clubhouse cancer. When he left cincinnati via trade the kindest quote ANY teammate had was “well, it’s really addition by subtraction.”
Blamed everyone but himself, including the clubhouse trainers for his inability to perform.
Good luck Toronto, your gonna need it……and a muzzle.
Just give him a minor league deal and let’s be done with it.
This Latos does move not appear to be a high reliability signing. It smells like an attempt to catch lightning in a bottle again on a cheap budget. Yeesh, Let’s go over budget and sign more elite ballplayers…. ….not the dregs. Latos was great at one time until the injury….
And what elite free agents are left?
Regardless, It’s only a depth move signing if it happens…just like what every other team does. This isn’t new.
There are some decent ballplayers left, but I would agree no elite ballplayers,. That means trades for elite ballplayers. Of the free agents left, I would take Angel Pagan, Colby Lewis, & Alexei Ramirez can still play even though the Jays are crowded in the middle infield.
Who’s knows if he’ll start or relieve. Maybe he could succeed out of the bullpen by regaining the mph he’s lost in recent seasons. As well, solid starting pitching depth is vital as it helps the jays keep biagini in the pen for the year
*who
I thought the Jays were good on outfielders.
Not sure what to expect. I don’t think this will end well. This guy had been done for a few years. What can the Jays really expect. An ERA over 6?
He’ll fit in well with this team chemistry wise. Jays have plenty of A-holes like him.
but those walks though…
I’m hoping he makes the team and comes out of the pen as a long reliever/spot starter. Really. I think if he can accept a role like that he will beast.
Who’s the clubhouse cancer in Toronto?
I said A-hole. Not cancer.
They are, off the top of my head, Bautista, Donaldson and Stroman.
Lol Stroman? Really?
I wouldn’t describe Donaldson or Stroman as a-holes. I wouldn’t argue about Bautista being one, however.
What have Donaldson or Stroman ever done to deserve being called an A-hole? Unreal.
DOnaldson and Stroman are great teamates. Donaldson is a leader on this team. Tulo and him have become good friends. Donaldson helped Tulo get aclimmatized to Toronto when he was traded. Teams will drool over Donaldson when he becomes a free agent.
Bautista is a good teammate too. He just rattles other teams
Donaldson has been one of the best in MLB for the past 4 seasons. Such an A-hole! Lol
Great teammates! For sure.
But…
Yankees were not thrilled with the way Stroman or Grilli are getting hyped after big outs. Comments after the brawl that took out Benoit suggest that the Yankees downright hate the way many of the Jays celebrate big plays/moments.
Twins were not thrilled with something about Donaldson’s face. Kind of the whining and glaring thing that Bautista does but in a more subtle way perhaps? Trying to figure out what it was but Molitor called him out. Not a guy to be taken lightly. Had to have been sort of bush.
I can see how Stroman and Donaldson could be considered as showing up other team at times, but as a Jays fan, I know that these managers are just getting cranky with their combination of profession and age, because this is just some passionate players we’re talking about. Bryce Harper style. Make baseball fun again? Something like that.
Russell Martin struts around like he’s king boxer anytime benches clear. I love it. Opponents must hate it. I love that part more than anything to be honest.
A few A-holes on the team but at least the T-hole is gone…
Let me guess??? Yankees fan?
Jays fan. Born and raised.
Tulo is kind of jerky but that happens, he’s also a gamer and a stud so come in his nature to stick his chest out
it’s funny how you people talk about these players like you know them personally
Shoot. I was hoping SD would get him back. I don’t care about his reputation. He has fire and still young enough to turn his career around.
he will get shelled in that ballpark. i got to watch him suck last year.
You would be better off signing cat latos. Mat has nothing left in the tank, he is done.
1 for cat Latos reference
You can have James Shields for a pack of sunflower seeds and a case of Gatorade.
Absolutely shocking to me that Latos is only 29. I feel like he’s been around for 20 years. Or maybe it just feels like it’s been that long since he was good.
This was my thought too. I feel like that happens often with guys that were good and fall off. It always has me feeling “holy crap, he’s still around?”
As an Os fan, the jays can have him
I love how people comment on who is a cancer in the dressing room. How many games did you suit up for bud? Were you in that locker room and lean over to the stall beside yours and say, “hey Pillar, we have some real A$$ holes on our team eh?” What a moron you are. Nobody cares about your inside scoop when really it’s coming from a round table conversation at dinner that some poor soul has to listen to coming out of your mouth. Ever wonder why nobody has dessert with you? You’re a plug buddy.
Uhm it’s been pretty well documented that mat Latos is not a good teammate. Just ask skip Schumacher
Just give him another chance
Yeah let me go ask my buddy Skip shumacher…. We’re tight like that. Besides the only skip that matters right now is John Gibbons. Nuff said! Besides, with your great analysis of the game, I don’t think any sports station panels are reaching out for your expertise. You’re just a s#it talker who tries to analyze the pro career of an athlete because you’re a hack that never made it. Back to video games and stamp collections stud.
^ I like this guy.
The only logical explanation as to why you’re like this is that you are mat Latos. Sorry I take advantage of something called a Google search bar. Should I also not believe anything else I read anywhere or should I ask you first what’s acceptable to believe?
It’s all about what he did with the word Skip there… did you not see that?!!
You are sentenced to go jump some rope, listen to scratched cd’s or maybe play hopscotch for awhile if you don’t appreciate the beauty of that Jaysfan’s post!