The most active team this offseason nearly got its hands on the 2010 home run king according to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com.

Rosenthal writes that before the Red Sox signed Carl Crawford, they explored a trade for Jose Bautista. Boston made “multiple” offers for the Blue Jay’s slugger, but in the end Toronto wasn’t willing to pull the trigger.

Toronto Blue Jays Jose Bautista waits to bat against the Los Angeles Angels in the 2nd inning at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California on August 15, 2010. UPI/Lori Shepler.

Other clubs pursued Bautista as well. The Jays, however, preferred to keep the slugger, who has one year left of arbitration before becoming a free agent.

The Jays are not exploring multiyear deals with Bautista, according to his agent, Bean Stringfellow, who spoke to Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com.

All of the preliminary trade talk involving Bautista eventually could lead to a move — not with the Red Sox, but another interested club if the Jays fall out of contention by July.

If they do decide to deal him, it won’t be hard for the Jays to find a trade partner for a guy who hit 54 home runs and drove in 124 RBI last season. Perhaps the most interesting part about Bautista’s 2010 season was that he was bothered by a sports hernia which required offseason surgery) since May. Obviously Toronto is leery that it was a fluke year for their outfielder.

Bautista requested $10.5 million and was offered $7.6 million from the Blue Jays in arbitration, so one would think that the two sides would reach an agreement and avoid a hearing. But it’s almost February and no deal has been worked out yet so maybe the two sides are headed for arbitration.