The Toronto Blue Jays let Alex Rios go for nothing but salary relief when the Chicago White Sox claimed him on waivers in 2009. But five years later the Blue Jays are showing interest in the right fielder, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
Rios is batting .302/.330/.435 in 96 games with the Rangers this year. While he has just four home runs, he has 21 doubles and eight triples with 16 stolen bases, so he stands out in a market lacking impact position players.
Rios’ contract now makes him an appealing trade candidate. He earns $12.5 million in 2014 and his contract includes a $13.5 million option for 2015 with a $1 million buyout.
If the Blue Jays were to acquire Rios, they could play him in right field, move Jose Bautista to third base and play Brett Lawrie at second base. Toronto GM Alex Anthopoulos has said he intends to upgrade his roster before the July 31 trade deadline, though it’s not clear how much salary he can take on.
The Rangers are just 40-59, but they could rebound as soon as 2015, so they could keep Rios and exercise his option instead of trading him. The Kansas City Royals and Seattle Mariners also have interest, according to CBS.
The Blue Jays originally selected Rios with the 19th pick of the 1999 draft. He debuted in 2004 and would go on to make two All-Star appearances with Toronto in 2006-07.
