The Toronto Blue Jays signed enigmatic former A’s first baseman Daric Barton to a minor-league contract on Tuesday with an invitation to spring training.
Barton, 29, has spent his entire eight-year Major League career with the A’s, hitting a cumulative .247 with 30 home runs and 184 RBIs while compiling a .356 on-base percentage and .721 OPS. Barton batted just .158 in 57 at-bats for the A’s in 2014.
Barton was originally acquired from St. Louis in the Mark Mulder trade in 2004. His best season with the A’s was in 2010 when he registered a .393 on-base percentage while leading the American League with 110 walks.
Barton had a .261/.371./.411 batting line for the A’s Triple-A Sacramento team in 2014. He had nine home runs and 56 RBIs for the RiverCats. Barton was granted free agency in October.
Barton joins Justin Smoak and Chris Colabello in a battle for Toronto’s first base job, with Smoak, recently acquired from Seattle, the favorite.
