After recording one of his strongest seasons ever, Victoria native Michael Saunders finds himself as a Major League Baseball free agent, but in an interview with the Times Colonist on Tuesday the Toronto Blue Jays outfielder expressed his desire to return to the club.
The soon-to-be 30-year-old recorded career highs in home runs (24), doubles (32), walks (59), games played (140) and plate appearances (558), but Saunders did not receive a qualifying offer from the Blue Jays on Monday.
That move makes him a free agent and a compensatory draft pick is not attached to Saunders, which should make the Lambrick Park grad even more attractive to suitors.
“I have spoken to Ross Atkins, the general manager, numerous times on the phone. No negotiations, just staying in touch and we both expressed our desire to stay in Toronto,” said Saunders, who will be in Victoria on Friday for a Lambrick Park baseball academy fundraiser. “At the end of the day, it’s a two-way street, but my first choice is to remain a Blue Jay.
“I would love to finish my career as a Blue Jay. Obviously, it’s a lot easier said than done, but that’s my first choice. I thought, growing up, how cool it would be to wear a Jays’ uniform. I’ve been very vocal about that throughout my 10 years. Even though it’s only been two years [in Toronto] it really feels like one.”
An injury suffered early in 2015 hampered that season.
“I’ve always expressed that it’s been a dream of mine to one day wear that uniform. I’ve had that opportunity to do that and I’ve loved every minute of it, and I’ve expressed to Ross and the Blue Jays my desire to stay.”
Saunders scored 70 runs, one less than his career high in 2012 with the Seattle Mariners, and recorded 57 RBIs, tying his personal best from that 2012 campaign. His 124 hits were one lower than that 2012 season, but his strikeouts this year (157) were his highest.
His .253 batting average was second best behind his final year in Seattle in 2014 in which he hit .273.
Monday’s move doesn’t mean Saunders will not be back in Toronto as the two sides can work out a contract for less than the qualifying offer required, which would have given the six-foot-four, 225-pound outfielder an incredible raise from his $2.9-million US to the $17.2M US qualifying mark.
The majority of Saunders’ production this season came in the first half as he hit .298 with an .372 on-base percentage, 16 home runs and 42 RBIs as he was named to the all-star game. Following that break he hit .178 with eight home runs and had an on-base percentage of .282.
“I remained healthy all year and that was a big part of it. I feel like I was a product of my environment as well, I hit in such a great lineup, one through nine with the Jays. I felt good about my year. I didn’t finish as strong as I would have liked, but I felt good about what we did in the playoffs,” he said.
Saunders hit .381 as a designated hitter in the post-season with a double and a home run among his eight hits.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t make it as far as we wanted to,” he said. “Everyone dreams of that World Series ring and title. We wish that we could have got past Cleveland, but kudos to them. They showed they played good ball.
“I had a great first half,” he said in summarizing his year. “Quite honestly, I felt that I slowed down a bit, got tired in my legs. Unfortunately, with my knee injury last year, I wasn’t able to work out this past off-season like I wanted to and that was part of it.
“I got that rejuvenation in the playoffs, with the excitement and got my adrenaline going. I felt that I performed in the playoffs and that’s helping me through right now.”
