Rick Weiner has reported that the front office has made contact with former Texas Rangers hurler Yovani Gallardo, which is not surprising considering the two sides have had several discussions over the last couple of months. With the money the front office has to work with, it could take some creative work to finally get the 29-year-old to sign on the dotted line.
The Blue Jays might have missed on Price, but the team has done a reasonable job over the winter to ensure they will compete for another AL East title. However, even president Mark Shapiro has expressed an interest in adding more help on the mound and he likes that the team could add the former second round pick without breaking the bank.
Gallardo went 13-11 with a respectable 3.42 ERA last season with Texas. Over the last seven seasons, the right-handed pitcher has at least 30 starts each year and has pitched over 180 innings, something that would help eat innings and get the game into the late stages and allow Toronto’s bullpen to take over ball games.
Another plus to this move is it would allow either Roberto Osuna or Aaron Sanchez to move into a middle relief role, something that would add some depth to the bullpen and allow both pitchers to see some action, keeping them sharp if they needed to move back into a starting role.
The Blue Jays have one of the best offensive lineups in the MLB, but to win a World Series, more depth on the mound is needed and Gallardo could be that player that helps put this team over the top and possibly play late into October.
