Blue Jays Rumors: Toronto Expected to Target Carlos Quentin

The Toronto Blue Jays are expected to be among the teams targeting San Diego Padres outfielder Carlos Quentin if he’s made available, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. Heyman adds that the Padres are expected to make Quentin available, though Jayson Stark of ESPN reported yesterday that San Diego is open to keeping the slugger around beyond this year.

Heyman reports the Blue Jays are said to have long liked Quentin. Toronto held trade talks this winter for several then-Chicago White Sox players and wound up acquiring closer Sergio Santos. The White Sox later traded Quentin to the Padres.

One competing executive told Heyman the Padres are in a tough spot when it comes to keeping Quentin. While Heyman says the Padres are holding out some slim hope of retaining Quentin, the club is inhibited by exceedingly low revenues and an ownership situation that remains unsettled.

Quentin owns a career OPS of .847 and has hit at least 21 home runs a season since 2008, when he hit 36 long balls. Over his first eight games with the Padres since being activated from the disabled list, Quentin has hit at a clip of .481/.548/1.185.

This week, Buster Olney of ESPN said that Quentin could be the most sought-after hitter on the trade market this summer. Olney added that Quentin would theoretically fit well in the Blue Jays lineups as well as with a lot of contenders, including the Cincinnati Reds, Tampa Bay Rays, Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates and Miami Marlins.