Blue Jays' Zaun files for free agency

Veteran catcher Gregg Zaun has likely played his final game for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Zaun, 38, filed for free agency Monday, ending a five-year tenure with Toronto. 

"There were times in the not-too-distant past where I envisioned myself retiring a Blue Jay," Zaun said at the end of the season. "But I don't see retirement coming for a few more years at least.

"I still feel good and still feel like I have a lot to offer. I still feel like some of my best baseball is in front of me."

Zaun averaged .237 with six home runs, 30 runs batted in, 29 runs scored and seven errors in 86 games last season, but he lost the starting catcher's role to Rod Barajas.

Barajas, 33, had a $2.5-million US contract option picked up by the Blue Jays last Friday.

"Obviously, if they don't want me back, it is a moot point," Zaun said. "But I will listen to anything they have to say to me."

Zaun is a lifetime .251 hitter with 78 HRs, 405 RBIs and 392 runs in 1,114 games since he broke into the major leagues with the Baltimore Orioles on June 24, 1995.

He also has played for the Florida Marlins, Texas Rangers, Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros and Colorado Rockies.

Jimenez, Sanchez join Jays

Toronto plucked pitcher Kelvin Jimenez and shortstop Angel Sanchez off the waiver wire on Monday.  

Jimenez, 28, split last season between the St. Louis Cardinals and the triple-A Memphis Redbirds.

The Dominican right-hander made 15 relief appearances for the Cardinals, permitting 15 runs on 28 hits and 15 walks with 11 strikeouts in 24 innings pitched.

Jimenez is 3-0 with a 6.82 earned-run average in 49 trips out of the bullpen since he made his MLB debut with St. Louis on April 27, 2007. 

Sanchez hasn't played in the majors since 2006, when he spent a week with the Royals before undergoing ligament replacement (Tommy John) surgery.

The 25-year-old Puerto Rican native went 6-for-27 (.222) with four strikeouts, one run batted in and two runs scored in eight games with Kansas City.

Toronto has 39 players on its 40-man roster.