The Blue Jays have little interest in rebuilding after this 12 months’s final place end. Toronto made that clear by solely dealing leases or position gamers (i.e. Isiah Kiner-Falefa) on the deadline. As a part of that renewed effort to contend, normal supervisor Ross Atkins shot down the potential for a Bo Bichette commerce.
Requested by MLB Community’s Jon Morosi how he’d reply to inquiries from different groups on Bichette, Atkins replied that it’d be “a simple no” on the Jays’ finish (X hyperlink). The GM has downplayed the potential for shifting his shortstop or infield mate Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on a number of events in latest months.
It’s a logical stance for the group. Whereas Bichette is coming into the ultimate 12 months of his contract, a commerce this winter could be promoting on the low level of his worth. The 2-time All-Star is coming off a horrible season. He hit .225/.277/.322 over 336 plate appearances. Bichette had three injured listing stints and underwent postseason surgical procedure to handle a fractured proper center finger. The Jays will hope for a return to the shape he confirmed between 2019-23, when he was among the many greatest shortstops in baseball.
Bichette is below contract for $16.5MM subsequent 12 months. It’s the ultimate season of the three-year deal that he signed to purchase out his arbitration window. A rebound would place him to money in as a free agent when he enters his age-28 marketing campaign. He and Guerrero are each on monitor totally free company subsequent winter. It seems to be extremely unlikely the Jays will preserve each gamers for the long run.
As they attempt to flip issues round in 2025, the Jays will pencil Bichette again in at shortstop. They’ll have to make different strikes to enhance after a 74-88 displaying. Upgrading a bullpen that ranked twenty ninth in MLB with a 4.82 ERA is the obvious goal space. Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith writes that the Jays are additionally going to be concerned within the beginning pitching market.
Toronto initiatives for a beginning 5 of Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, José Berríos, Bowden Francis and Yariel Rodríguez. Proper-hander Jake Bloss, acquired from the Astros within the Yusei Kikuchi deadline deal, may be the highest depth choice. It’s not a nasty group, however Rodríguez and Francis haven’t pitched full seasons as starters. Including a extra established starter might have a trickle-down influence on the ’pen, as Rodríguez labored in each capacities and will excel in a multi-inning reduction position if the Jays added to their rotation.
On the place participant aspect, the outfield stands as the largest query. Toronto doesn’t have a transparent starter in left area. George Springer is penciled in as the highest choice in proper area, however he’s coming off a middling 12 months at age 35. Daulton Varsho is ticketed for the lion’s share of enjoying time in heart area. They’ll most likely want a short-term stopgap with Varsho recovering from September rotator cuff surgical procedure. Atkins informed MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian and Keegan Matheson (X hyperlink) that the Jays don’t anticipate Varsho to be prepared for Opening Day, although it doesn’t sound as if he ought to be sidelined too far into the season.
Atkins indicated the Jays aren’t prone to make a giant transfer behind the plate, telling Bastian and Matheson that including a catcher is “not a precedence” (X hyperlink). Toronto is about to offer the majority of enjoying time to Alejandro Kirk. They reacquired Tyler Heineman by way of late-season waiver declare to function Kirk’s backup.
It does appear they’re open to including at both second or third base, nonetheless. Nicholson-Smith studies that the Jays have proven early curiosity within the prime free agent second baseman, Gleyber Torres. The Yankees allowed Torres to hit the market with out a qualifying provide, so a signing group is not going to forfeit draft compensation. There’s a variety of free agent outcomes for Torres, who hits free company coming off a relative down 12 months. Most of that may be traced to a dismal April, as he hit effectively from Might onward and continued to provide throughout New York’s pennant run. He has a case for 3 or doubtlessly 4 years going into his age-28 season, however the infielder might want a shorter-term association to get again to free company after a greater total stroll 12 months.
Toronto has a group of inner second base choices, none of whom has a ton of MLB expertise. Will Wagner might be the interior favourite after impressing in 24 video games to shut his rookie season. Leo Jiménez, Davis Schneider and Ernie Clement might additionally vie for taking part in time. Torres brings a better flooring than that group. Atkins and his workers will weigh whether or not they wish to allocate important assets to the keystone once they have so many different areas to handle over the subsequent few weeks.
