Blue Jays Reported To Have Signed Ervin Santana

Better late than never I suppose as the Blue Jays have reportedly agreed to a one-year contract with free agent right hander Ervin Santana. According to Dionisio Soldevila, who is a reporter for ESPN Deportes, the terms are one-year and $14 million which is pretty much the same as a qualifying offer.

Sources: Ervin Santana has reached an agreement on a $14 million one-year contract with the Blue Jays

— Dionisio Soldevila (@dSoldevila) March 8, 2014

Apparently he's not too rushed to agree with Toronto:

Waiting until 5 for better offer. RT @Enrique_Rojas1: Si para las 5 pm ET no hay una mejor oferta, Ervin Santana será miembro de #BlueJays.

— Gregor Chisholm (@gregorMLB) March 8, 2014

The Orioles have a few hours to up their offer:

Ervin Santana deciding between #Orioles and #BlueJays, according to @Enrique_Rojas1. BAL offered 1/$13 with incentives, TOR 1/$14.

— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) March 8, 2014

If the reports are true, the Blue Jays will forfeit their earliest non-protected pick which is the 50th pick of the draft. It looks like Alex Anthopoulos is tired of being a .500 team as well. The news that came out earlier this week about the Blue Jays having two rotation spots available is history now as there is now only one job up for grabs with a serious log-jam on the team's depth chart.

There will be a lot more to come with this story as it develops.

UPDATE (Minor Leaguer)

I think we should take this with a grain of salt, but Max Wildstein of OutsidePitch MLB LLC, which is an MLB "Pro Blog", reported that a "source" told him the Orioles are "closing in" on Ervin Santana. and that they are the "likely favourites". But take a look at the tweets from Wildstein since this morning:

Source: #BlueJays sign P Ervin Santana to a 1yr-$14 million deal

— Max Wildstein (@MaxWildsteinMLB) March 8, 2014

P Ervin Santana will sign with the #BlueJays for $14 million by 5pm if he does not receive a better offer by then

— Max Wildstein (@MaxWildsteinMLB) March 8, 2014

P Ervin Santana deadline is 4pm not 5

— Max Wildstein (@MaxWildsteinMLB) March 8, 2014

A rival exec said "From what I've heard, (Ervin) Santana will be an Oriole" #Orioles

— Max Wildstein (@MaxWildsteinMLB) March 8, 2014

Source: All signs point to P Ervin Santana and the #Orioles agreeing on a deal

— Max Wildstein (@MaxWildsteinMLB) March 8, 2014

Circulating rumours will have us believe that the Blue Jays have offered Santana $14 million, with the Orioles offering $13 million but with incentives that can bring the deal above the amount guaranteed by Toronto.

UPDATE 2 (Minor Leaguer)

Jose Bautista has reportedly fired his long-time agent Bean Stringfellow, joining Ervin Santana in leaving the Proformance agency.

Source: OF Jose Bautista fired agent Bean Stringfellow of Proformance. Ervin Santana left 1rst.

— Enrique Rojas/ESPN (@Enrique_Rojas1) March 8, 2014

UPDATE 3 (Minor Leaguer)

Now Jon Morosi's sources says that it may be days before Ervin Santana makes his decision. Good lord.

Source: Ervin Santana has not set a deadline to make a decision and is prepared to wait "days" before signing with a club. @FOXSports1

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) March 8, 2014