TORONTO – Two former Phillies starters—southpaw J.A. Happ and right-hander Gavin Floyd—could fill out two-fifths of the Toronto Blue Jays' starting rotation for the 2016 season. Jon Heyman of MLB Network first reported on Jan. 4 that the 2015 American League East Champions have agreed to a deal with Floyd, the Phillies' first-round selection in the 2001 amateur draft, pending a physical.
Update – Feb. 6, 2016: Heyman reports that the Blue Jays have signed Floyd to a one-year, $1 million contract with incentives "based on days on active roster."
Floyd, 33, is 72-72 with a 4.38 ERA and a 1.331 WHIP ratio over 215 games and 1,219 innings throughout his 12-year Major League career.
The Annapolis, Maryland, native had appeared in just 24 games in red pinstripes before he was dealt on Dec. 6, 2006, to the Chicago White Sox, along with southpaw prospect Gio Gonzalez, in exchange for right-hander Freddy Garcia.
Floyd would spend the next seven seasons with the White Sox, where he posted a 4.22 ERA and struck out 828 batters spanning 1,042 2/3 innings.
A former ninth-rated prospect by Baseball America entering the 2003 season, Floyd has suffered injuries in each of the last three seasons, which has limited his playing time to just 21 games on the mound with three different teams: White Sox (2013, Tommy John surgery), Atlanta Braves (2014, right elbow olecranon fracture) and Cleveland Indians (2015, right elbow fracture).
The Baltimore Orioles were the only other team reported to have interest in signing Floyd this offseason. It was reported on Jan. 11 that they were considering signing Floyd to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training, according to Comcast SportsNet. Floyd's agent Mike Moye told reporters one day later, however, that his client "respectfully declined" to throw at Orioles' mini camp that week.
Right-hander Chad Jenkins, Toronto's first-round pick selected 20th overall in the 2009 amateur draft, was designated for assignment to make room for Floyd on the 40-man roster.
Blue Jays' pitchers and catchers are due to report to Dunedin, Florida, on Feb. 21.
Matt Rappa (@mattrappasports) is managing editor of Philliedelphia.com.
