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Report: Blue Jays plan to extend qualifying offer to Melky Cabrera

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Blue Jays reportedly intend to extend a qualifying offer to injured left fielder Melky Cabrera, who's likely to be among the most highly-pursued free agents this offseason.

According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the Blue Jays were so enamored with Cabrera's performance "both on and off the field" that it hardly required any thought to extend the 30-year-old a qualifying offer. The Blue Jays, however, remain optimistic that the offer "leads to another multi-year arrangement with Cabrera," who signed a two-year, $16-million deal with the club prior to the 2013 season.

Cabrera, who hit .301/.351/.458 (125 OPS+) with 16 home runs in 139 games before suffering a season-ending finger injury earlier this month, has stated his desire to remain in Toronto beyond this year.

“I love the city of Toronto, I have great teammates, a great club,” Cabrera recently told Blue Jays writers. “This was the club that gave me the opportunity after I got in trouble (with a 50-game PED suspension) a few years ago and I want to stay."

If Cabrera rejects the presumed qualifying offer, the Blue Jays will receive a compensatory draft pick should he sign elsewhere as a free agent.

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