Could Rays sway Bautista in free-agency game?

ST. PETERSBURG — Signing Jose Bautista would be a plus for the Rays.

Though the free-agent slugger did not have a Bautista-like year in 2016, when he hit .234 with 22 home runs and 69 RBIs, and his defense is not what it used to be, he’s still got some tread left on the tires.

Bautista is one season removed from a campaign that saw him hit 40 home runs with 114 RBIs. At age 36, he has experience. He’s a proven winner, too.

• Hot Stove Tracker

The Rays tentatively have Steven Souza Jr. penciled in to play right field in 2017. The left-field mix looks like a question mark. There’s Corey Dickerson, who profiles more as a designated hitter. Mikie Mahtook has had hot stretches at the Major League level, but he’s had some ice-cold stretches as well. And Nick Franklin is more of a utility player, though he did earn praises for his outfield efforts in ’16.

Thus Bautista would be a major upgrade, even if he finished somewhere between his 2015 and ’16 numbers.

Bautista declined the one-year, $17.2 million qualifying offer made to him by the Blue Jays after the 2016 season. So what has to happen for the Rays to entertain …

continue reading in source mlb.mlb.com