Blue Jays Interested In Steve Pearce

The Blue Jays news keeps on rolling in. Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports now tells us that the Blue Jays are interested in first baseman Steve Pearce, and see him as a potential right-handed hitting platoon partner for Justin Smoak. Pearce, 33, is coming off elbow surgery, but did boast an impressive .288/.374/.492 slash line last season.

I mentioned Pearce as a possible target here, claiming that he is one of the most underrated players in the game. He's been an above average hitter against right-handed pitchers, while absolutely crushing lefties in the process. Pearce is a plus defender at first base, but can also play second, third, and the corner outfield spots in a pinch.

With Kendrys Morales now in the fold, signing Steve Pearce would effectively shut the door on re-signing Edwin Encarnacion. The odd thing about a platoon is that Pearce seems to hit right-handed pitching better than Smoak, and the Jays might be better off giving Pearce an everyday role.

MLB Trade Rumors predicted a two year, $10 million contract for Pearce, but my guess is that the Blue Jays would need to exceed that estimate.