Jose Bautista refuted a report on Thursday that said he was considering retirement.
In a column of notes published on Thursday, Fan Rag Sports’ Jon Heyman said Bautista was dissatisfied with the contract offers he was receiving this offseason and is considering retiring. Bautista says that’s not the case.
Bautista told Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan that he is not retiring. Instead, it sounds like he’s looking to join a team he believes will be a contender.
“Right now I’m just considering my options, and it depends on two criteria,” Bautista told Passan. “That’s winning and making sure that my family’s in a good situation.”
Heyman reported that Bautista had a couple of seven-figure offers. One team to whom he was linked was the Tampa Bay Rays. While they might provide an opportunity to continue playing, they don’t appear to be prioritizing winning this season, which would be a concern for the 37-year-old former All-Star.
