Free agent infielder Takashi Toritani won’t be playing for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2015. In fact, he won’t be playing Major League Baseball at all. The 33-year-old has decided to return to Japan, the Hanshin Tigers announced Friday.
Toritani has 11 seasons of experience as the starting shortstop for the Tigers, who play in Japan’s Central League. The left-handed hitter has a lifetime .285/.372/.412 batting line and he hit .313/.406/.415 with eight home runs for the Tigers in 2014.
The Blue Jays were among the teams that showed interest in signing Toritani.
“We’ve scouted him quite a bit,” GM Alex Anthopoulos said on Sportsnet 590 The FAN in December. “We have some scouts that like him and he’s someone that we’ve certainly talked about internally. Beyond that I probably wouldn’t get into anything else, but certainly a guy like that would fit.”
Toritani is a client of agent Scott Boras, who confirmed the Blue Jays’ interest during the MLB Winter Meetings.
Now that the infielder is off of the market, the Blue Jays are expected to rely on a combination of Maicer Izturis, Ryan Goins and Devon Travis at second base barring further additions. The free agent market includes Gordon Beckham but the top second base options have already signed.
