DUNEDIN, Fla. — A running joke around the Toronto Blue Jays after Yimi Garcia was traded to the Seattle Mariners during last summer’s deadline selloff was that the veteran reliever wanted to stay so badly, he’d be back once he hit free agency.
Lo and behold, 140 days later with a $15-million, two-year deal in his back pocket, the veteran reliever indeed was, as a central part of a bullpen makeover that at that point also featured Nick Sandlin and eventually included All-Star Jeff Hoffman.
Although the 34-year-old said there were “a lot of teams calling for me” once he hit the open market, “the Blue Jays were my first priority. I had a good feeling I will be back here when I got traded. I like it here. I had a good meeting when I left with Ross (Atkins). I like how they treat people, your family and the players. It’s a little bit different than other teams.”
His return sets up a unique dynamic at the Blue Jays’ camp, with Garcia and the two players he was traded for, outfield prospect Jonatan Clase and high-A catcher Jacob Sharp, all sharing the same spring clubhouse.
“We talked about it — it feels a little bit strange,” a grinning Clase said through interpreter Hector Lebron. “There was the trade and now we’re all together here. Yimi, I’m glad he’s here. He’s a great human being. We’ve been talking a lot. It’s all good.”
Added Sharp: “It is interesting — I did not expect that at all. But it’s fun and it’s a great experience for me to see these guys.”
