Blue Jays hang on to Justin Smoak with $8M option
Club has declined Solarte's $5.5M option, making him eligible for arbitration
The Toronto Blue Jays have exercised their $8-million US club option on first baseman Justin Smoak and have declined the $5.5-million club option on infielder Yangervis Solarte.
The Blue Jays announced the moves Wednesday evening on Twitter.
ROSTER UPDATE:<br><br>We've exercised our 2019 club option on 1B Justin Smoak and declined our 2019 club option on INF Yangervis Solarte.<br><br>Solarte will remain on the 40-man roster and is eligible for arbitration.
—@BlueJaysSmoak had a breakout season in 2017, batting .270 with 38 home runs and 90 runs batted in.
He remained productive in 2018 with a .242 average, 25 homers and 77 RBIs.
Solarte batted .226 with 17 homers and 54 RBIs.
The Jays say Solarte will remain on the 40-man roster and is eligible for arbitration.