Blue Jays rumors: Toronto won't pursue Kyle Lohse

Despite concerns surrounding Ricky Romero, the Toronto Blue Jays will not pursue free agent Kyle Lohse, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.

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Romero has followed up his disastrous season in 2012 -- 5.77 ERA with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 1.18 -- with an equally ugly spring. The left-hander has appeared in four games for the Jays this exhibition season, allowing eight runs on 11 hits and seven walks over 8 2/3 innings.

Still, Rosenthal notes that Toronto is confident enough in J.A. Happ -- who's next in line and pitching well this spring -- that they don't feel a need to look outside of the organization, at least when it comes to Lohse.

Romero was an ace for the Blue Jays as recently as 2011, posting an ERA of 2.92 over 32 starts. However, Toronto acquired Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle from the Miami Marlins and R.A. Dickey from the New York Mets this offseason, bumping Romero down in the rotation.

The market for Lohse continues to develop, as several teams have been tied to the 34-year-old free agent recently. He requires draft-pick compensation and is reportedly asking for something close to what Ryan Dempster received from the Boston Red Sox earlier in the winter -- two years and $26.5 million.

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