MARCH 11: The Blue Jays have now elected to release Carrera, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet (Twitter link).
MARCH 1: The Blue Jays announced that outfielder Ezequiel Carrera has been outrighted after clearing waivers. He had recently been designated for assignment but will now return to camp as a non-roster invitee. That’s the best possible result for Toronto, which had to expose Carrera to the waiver wire in order to add reliever Seung-hwan Oh.
It appears that Carrera has accepted his assignment, as he would have had the right to opt instead for free agency. The fact that the remainder of the league passed on claiming him isn’t promising, though that would’ve meant stepping into a $1.9MM arbitration salary.
It is not immediately clear whether Carrera is still playing pursuant to that arb agreement, or whether instead the team now controls him on alternative terms such that he’d earn at a different rate if he stays with the club into the start of the season. Regardless, the Jays will owe Carrera at least thirty days’ worth of termination pay (just over $300K).
The Jays are obviously fond of the 30-year-old, who has appeared in 332 games with the organization over the past three seasons. He has never been better than 2017, when he turned in a healthy .282/.356/.408 batting line in 325 trips to the plate while also adding eight homers and swiped ten bags.
Still, later developments in the offseason evidently led the club to go in a different direction. The signing of Curtis Granderson — the only other left-handed-hitting outfielder who seems likely to be in the mix in the early portion of the season — certainly didn’t help Carrera’s cause. And the acquisition of Randal Grichuk likely took away the possibility of a strict platoon scenario. With the switch-hitting Dalton Pompey and lefty-swinging Dwight Smith Jr. also in the mix, the Jays obviously felt they did not need to keep another southpaw bat on the 40-man roster.
jimmertee
Hard to believe that no one claimed him from waivers. It won’t be too long before the injury bug starts its normal duties and teams are looking for outfielders….Carrera may not be a core piece, but he is quality depth which is a rare thing in MLB. He’ll be playing soon at the MLB level…
terrymesmer
> Hard to believe that no one claimed him from waivers.
Your lack of knowledge is showing.
#lunaticeyes
BlueJayFan1515
It is though. I mean, look at the Giants- they need a somewhat capable defender and a lefty platoon bat for center, that is Carrera in a nutshell. His defense isn’t as terrible as it seems, he just has no baseball IQ.
wiggysf
Nah, Giants just don’t have space in their limited budget
MuleorAstroMule
Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t he agree to a 1 year contract at $1.9 mil prior to arbitration making the salary guaranteed? I was under the impression that only players that went through the arbitration process could be cut for 30 days termination pay.
jodygerut
All arb agreements are non-guaranteed when agreed to. 1/6th is guaranteed, then as spring training goes on, more of it becomes guaranteed, and by the end of spring all of it is.
MuleorAstroMule
But he never reached arbitration. He signed a one year deal prior. I understand that if he went through the process, he could be released for termination pay but since he signed a one year deal can he still be considered an arbitration player? I understand he’s “arbitration eligible,” but everything about arbitration on MLB.com doesn’t use this distinction so that leads me to believe termination pay is only possible for players who go through the process.
I suppose the easiest thing would be to go back to last year and see who got released for termination pay and see if the went through the process or signed prior and that should give me a clear answer.
MuleorAstroMule
Well, turns out it happened to Brett Lawrie. That proves me wrong. Nice to learn something. MLB.com, you could word things a bit better.
Aaron Sapoznik
All arbitration eligible players qualify under the rules for the non-guaranteed contract as jodygerut correctly pointed out, regardless of whether he agrees to a deal with his club or actually goes through an arbitration hearing to have his contract decided for him. Even an arb-eligible player who is non-tendered by his own club at the December deadline would fall under this guideline despite becoming a free agent.
CubsNation
The union could secure him the entire salary via a contractual hearing that he could easily win since it appears as if the J’s had no intrest in actually giving him a shot, thus wasting his time and money.
clrrogers 2
I was hopeful my we could trade him for a bullpen lottery ticket or as part of a deal for a backup catcher.
jaysrock
Not surprised to see he passed waivers, however I don’t see him being in Buffalo either. They just don’t have the room for him down there. Their depth is OF and I think he now gets shopped around as part of a package for a reliever or backup catcher.
Lyman Bostock
In a world where Jon Jay and Cargo still don’t have jobs, Kemp can’t get traded even if they cover most of his salary, and Dickerson gets dropped over a few million bucks … why would it be surprising he passed waivers? It seems like he’s been on the Jays forever though, doesn’t it?
Aaron Sapoznik
Both Jon Jay and Carlos Gonzalez have agreed to FA contracts this past week. Jay signed a one-year deal with the Royals while ‘Cargo” has agreed to a contract and will remain with the Rockies.
Phillies2017
The comment was posted over a week ago
justin-turner overdrive
“Obviously fond of him” – OBVIOUSLY!!!
7 seasons, 0.3 bWAR and a -0.4 WAR last year – this guy shouldnt be on anyone’s 40 man.
TennVol
The spring emergence of Alford and Hernandez, who are both superior players than Carrera, caused this. Good news for the team, bad for Carrera. Good guy and good for a bad team but the Jays have incredible OF depth now and he is out.
mikehills
Alford and Teo are going to spend as much time as possible in Buffalo. The signing of Granderson and the acquisition of Grichuk caused this.
Solaris601
Despite his flaws I’d still rather see Carrera in the Giants’ OF mix instead of Gregor Blanco who SF seems determined to keep no matter what.
Gwynning's Anal Lover
I’ve been milkin’ and plowin’ so long that
Even Ezequiel thinks that my mind is gone
ReverieDays
Solid, have an upvote.
Brian Smith
Going to miss Zeke. Exciting player, Just lacking the arm and head to make it big anywhere.I hope he ends up starting somewhere.