Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reported yesterday that J.A. Happ will sign with the first team that is willing to offer that all-important guaranteed third year to the aging pitcher. Happ earned a modest $13 million last season in the final year of a 3-year deal he originally signed with the Blue Jays in the winter of 2015.
Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reported that the Blue Jays, Yankees, Reds, Astros, Rangers, and Phillies all have varying degrees of interest in Happ. The Jays will surely have to offer Happ that additional third season to prevent him from returning to a contender if all things are equal.