Report: Blue Jays to Sign OF Dexter Fowler

Fowler will join Toronto on a minor-league deal as a depth piece in the Blue Jays' outfield.

© Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

The Blue Jays are expected to sign veteran outfielder Dexter Fowler to a minor-league contract with an invite to MLB spring training camp, a source told MLB.com's Keegan Matheson.

Fowler, 36, has slashed .238/.340/.400 (97 OPS+) over 188 games since the start of the 2019 season. The switch-hitter is coming off a torn ACL in 2021, which he suffered while sliding into second base in a game against Toronto on April 9, forcing him to miss the rest of the season.

Fowler—whose lone All-Star season came in 2016 with the Cubs—figures to begin the season in Triple A Buffalo, where he'll form an outfield alongside Josh Palacios and Mallex Smith. 

Well, well. Here's something interesting:

Dexter Fowler has a locker with a nameplate in the Blue Jays clubhouse here in Dunedin.

— Arash Madani (@ArashMadani) March 30, 2022

A 14-year MLB veteran, Fowler was primarily a center fielder early in his career, but has since transitioned to right field. While Fowler doesn't bring much to the Blue Jays defensively (-22 OOA since 2016), his switch-hitting ability would be a valuable asset in a largely right-handed major-league lineup, should he get a call to The Show. 

This is the second move for an outfielder Toronto has made lately, with the team dealing tenured Blue Jay Randal Grichuk in exchange for speedy outfielder Raimel Tapia on March 24.