TORONTO - The Toronto Blue Jays declined to offer right-hander Josh Towers a contract for the 2008 season ahead of Wednesday's midnight deadline, hours after the San Francisco Giants shut the door on a proposed Alex Rios-for-Tim Lincecum deal.
Each of the club's seven other players eligible for arbitration - Rios, Marco Scutaro, Reed Johnson, Scott Downs, Brian Tallet, Jason Frasor and Gustavo Chacin - were tendered contract offers. Players who are non-tendered become free agents.
The decision to non-tender Towers doesn't necessarily mean his days with the Blue Jays are through. The team can still negotiate with him and they would consider bringing him back at a reduced price to compete for a job and provide depth.
He's expected to opt for a fresh start.
Towers is coming off a US$5.2-million, two-year deal during which he pitched poorly. He was 5-10 with a 5.38 ERA last season after going 2-10 with an 8.42 ERA in a disastrous 2006. That followed a terrific 2005 in which he was 13-12 with a 3.71 ERA over 208 2-3 innings.