Cubs lose bid as catcher Martin goes to Toronto

The Cubs will have to look elsewhere for a catcher or stick with Welington Castillo behind the plate.

Free agent Russell Martin, a veteran the Cubs had interest in, has signed a five-year, $82 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, according to multiple reports.

The 31-year-old Martin, who was born in Canada and has lived in Montreal, spent the last two seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 2014, he had a hitting line of .290/.402/.430 with 11 home runs and 67 RBI.

He came up with the Dodgers in 2006 and also has played for the New York Yankees.

The Cubs also have interest in several pitchers, either through trade or free agency, and having Martin behind the plate would have been a strong selling point.

Castillo, 27, had a line of .237/.296/.389 this year with a career-high 13 home runs and 46 RBI. Cubs management has expressed support for Castillo, but if they can find a better option, they'll explore it. Castillo has come under criticism for his framing of pitches and game calling.

On Sunday, the Cubs traded reliever Arodys Vizcaino to the Braves for infielder Tommy La Stella. International signing-bonus slots also were exchanged in the deal.