NASHVILLE — The free agent relief market truly started taking shape on the eve of the winter meetings, as Darren O’Day, Mark Lowe, Ryan Madson and Joakim Soria all reportedly agreed to terms on lucrative multi-year contracts.

The Toronto Blue Jays weren’t one of the teams spending atop the bullpen market Sunday, not that they were ever expected to outbid everyone for relief pitching. It wasn’t Alex Anthopoulos’s style, and it’s rarely been Mark Shapiro’s style. For now, the flurry of contracts brings the relief market into focus, setting the bar for further deals and shrinking the pool of available relievers.

The Blue Jays touched base on Lowe and Soria before they signed their respective deals, opening dialogue in case a fit existed. ESPN reported that Toronto also showed interest in Madson before he signed with the Oakland Athletics. If nothing else those overtures reflect some interest in established free agent arms.

Even after a busy 24-hour period, there are plenty of capable arms available on the open market. Right-handers Shawn Kelley, Matt Albers, Joe Blanton and Tyler Clippard remain unsigned while left-handers Tony Sipp and Antonio Bastardo are available.

That’s not to say they’ll be bargains (realistically, teams rarely find bargains on Day 1 of the winter meetings). Given the cost of pitching so far this winter and the frenzied atmosphere of the meetings, it’d be a surprise to see any of the top remaining free agents sign at a discount this week. That usually changes by January, when remaining free agents have to take what’s out there. Until then, bargains will be harder to find, though not impossible.

If there’s one segment of the market likely to be more affordable it’s the group of players who became free agents at last week’s non-tender deadline. Steve Cishek, Neftali Feliz and Greg Holland are among more experienced bullpen castoffs, and are worth a look if healthy.

Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins said he expects to keep tabs on free agent relievers, and trades are another avenue worth exploring. One way or another, the Blue Jays need more relief pitching, preferably a mix of established arms and pitchers with minor-league options remaining.

“You can just never have enough,” Atkins said at his introduction in Toronto.

Especially not when just one of Toronto’s starters, knuckleballer R.A. Dickey, has a 200-inning season to his name. This isn’t the year to hope the bullpen figures itself out, but that doesn’t mean the Blue Jays had to set the market on relief arms.

The real challenge remains the same: add multiple capable relievers by opening day.