2017 Toronto Blue Jays season
| 2017 Toronto Blue Jays | |
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| Major League affiliations | |
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| Owner(s) | Rogers, CEO Mark Shapiro |
| General manager(s) | Ross Atkins |
| Manager(s) | John Gibbons |
| Local television |
Sportsnet Sportsnet One (Buck Martinez, Pat Tabler, Dan Shulman, Matt Devlin) |
| Local radio |
Blue Jays Radio Network Sportsnet 590 the FAN (Jerry Howarth, Joe Siddall, Mike Wilner, Duane Ward) |
| < Previous season | |
The 2017 Toronto Blue Jays season will be the 41st season of the franchise in the American League East division of Major League Baseball, and the 27th full season of play (28th overall) at Rogers Centre.
The Blue Jays offseason began on October 19, 2016, when they were eliminated by the Cleveland Indians in the American League Championship Series. On October 24, general manager Ross Atkins held a press conference at the Rogers Centre to discuss the team's offseason plans. Atkins stated that the club would likely extend qualifying offers to pending free agents José Bautista and Edwin Encarnación, and pick up Jason Grilli's $3 million contract option for the 2017 season. He also told reporters that the team could explore stretching out Joe Biagini and using him as a starting pitcher, and that Roberto Osuna would remain a relief pitcher indefinitely. With regards to the coaching staff, Atkins stated that the coaches from 2016, with the exception of assistant hitting coach Eric Owens, would return for the 2017 season.
Center fielder Kevin Pillar underwent surgery in late October to repair a thumb ligament he tore in August, and is expected to be ready for 2017 spring training. Jason Grilli's option for the 2017 season was picked up by the team on November 5. On November 7, Bautista and Encarnación were each issued a $17.2 million qualifying offer for the 2017 season.R.A. Dickey signed with the Atlanta Braves on November 10.Lourdes Gurriel Jr., a Cuban player who defected in February 2016, signed a seven-year, $22 million contract with the Blue Jays on November 12. Encarnación and Bautista each declined their qualifying offers on November 14. The Blue Jays will gain a compensatory first round draft selection in the 2017 Major League Baseball draft if they sign with any other team.Kendrys Morales signed a three-year, $33 million contract with the Blue Jays on November 18. The Blue Jays also claimed Dominic Leone and Leonel Campos on November 18, and added Anthony Alford, Ryan Borucki, and Richard Ureña to the 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 draft. The St. Louis Cardinals and Brett Cecil finalized a four-year, $30.5 million contract on November 21.Steve Pearce signed a two-year, $12.5 million contract with Toronto on December 5. The Blue Jays selected Glenn Sparkman in the Rule 5 draft on December 8, and lost minor leaguers Jorge Flores, Jorge Saez, and Matt Smoral in the Triple-A phase of the draft.
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