What It Means:

As things currently stand, Bautista and Encarnacion are both set to become free agents following the 2016 season. It seems unlikely the Blue Jays can afford both players on long-term deals, but it's looking like they're going to try. New Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins spoke about the situation, telling the Canadian Press he would "love to have both of them" remain with the Blue Jays beyond the 2016 season. He expanded on his thoughts saying, "And the more we've learned about them, that has only increased our interest in keeping them here. The challenge lies in placing a value on that and then agreeing on a contract." Bautista turned 35 years-old in October while Encarnacion's 33rd birthday was in January.

Bautista and Encarnacion both had a nERD which ranked within the top 10 this past season. Encarnacion had the slight edge in wOBA, posting a .392 wOBA to Bautista's .389, and Bautista's 40 home runs were one more than Encarnacion hit. The two sluggers, paired with reigning MVP Josh Donaldson, should help the Blue Jays score a ton of runs again in 2016.