The Blue Jays have apparently shown interest in… Yadier Molina?

Here’s a new name to cross off of your ‘The Blue Jays have shown interest in _____’ bingo card.

According to Jon Heyman, the Blue Jays “still” have interest in catcher Yadier Molina…

The “still” in this post is a little weird, given the fact Molina is one of the few names we haven’t heard associated with the Blue Jays this winter. But, alas, the veteran catcher is apparently a target for the team.

Why, though? I mean, there’s no denying the excellent career Molina has put together (nine-time All-Star, nine-time Gold Glove winner, and two-time World Series winner) but he’s now 38 years old and is coming off a season in which he slashed a .262/.303/.359 line.

The Blue Jays also already have a logjam behind the plate with Danny Jansen, Reese McGuire, Alejandro Kirk, Riley Adams, and Gabriel Moreno currently on the 40-man roster, so this doesn’t seem to be the position the team should be looking to add to.

I imagine that the play here would be to bring in Molina largely for his leadership qualities as he could be beneficial to Toronto’s young catchers and pitching staff. It would also open the door to trade another catcher, perhaps Jansen or Kirk, to fill the team’s most glaring need, which is the starting rotation.

Mark Shapiro did say there was still room to be creative and adding Yadier Molina would certainly be that.

Personally, I doubt Molina is leaving St. Louis, the place he’s spent his entire career, unless he really, really wants to follow in his brothers’ (Benji and Jose) footsteps and play a season or two for the Blue Jays. This is more than likely just Molina’s camp working to get more money out of the Cardinals.