The Toronto Blue Jays are reportedly very interested in retaining Melky Cabrera's services.

According to CBS' Jon Heyman, the Jays have begun contract talks with the 30-year-old outfielder and the team is believed to be willing to offer at least three years' term to get it done.

The Jays are planning on qualifying Cabrera, the report adds, but the $15.3 million it would take to do that is likely not enough to keep Cabrera in Toronto.

Toronto signed Cabrera to a discounted two-year, $16 million contract in 2012, just after he finished serving a 50-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs.

Cabrera was limited to just 88 games in 2013 with Toronto, but surged in 2014, posting a .301 batting average and racking up 171 hits before season-ending surgery to repair a broken pinky finger. He spent much of the season in the American League hits leaders.

Heyman wrote that a relatively weak free agent outfield market could drive Cabrera's price up.

He also added that only Brett Cecil and Aaron Loup are expected back from the Jays' 2014 relief core.