It happened again. The Toronto Blue Jays pursued a marquee free agent, were among the finalists, then didn’t get him. This time it was Japanese righty Roki Sasaki, who went to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Something similar happened with Corbin Burnes, Max Fried, Clay Holmes, Juan Soto, Gleyber Torres earlier this offseason. Last offseason it was Shohei Ohtani, the most absurd miss of all given the misguided tracking of a private jet from Southern California to Toronto.
“We’re really fortunate to have the support that we have (from ownership),” GM Ross Atkins said after missing out on Soto last month. “To be in the biggest market — the market of players, I’m speaking to — and have this fantastic city and country and team that players are attracted to. The interest has been authentic. It’s been genuine. We feel fortunate that that’s the case. We’ll continue to think about ways to make our team better.”
The Sasaki miss comes with a real cost. The Blue Jays absorbed $11 million owed to Myles Straw to get an additional $2 million in international bonus pool money from from the Cleveland Guardians, which they then offered to Sasaki. He still said no. It was a desperation move — the Dodgers made their bonus pool trades after Sasaki said yes — by a desperate team. In the grand scheme of things, spending $11 million over two years on a fifth outfielder won’t be prohibitive, but it was a bad misfire by Atkins & Co.
Despite all their “we trieds,” the Blue Jays have actually gotten a few players this offseason. Most notably, they traded for Gold Glove second baseman Andrés Giménez and signed late-inning relievers Yimi García and Jeff Hoffman to reinforce a bullpen that was among MLB’s worst in 2024. Those are solid enough moves that will make the Blue Jays better. Better enough to go from 74 wins in 2024 to the postseason in 2025? I’m skeptical, though it’s not impossible in the watered down American League.
The fan base is disappointed at best and enraged at worst. The Blue Jays had a disappointing 2024, they haven’t won a postseason game since 2016 despite several recent trips, and their two homegrown stars (Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.) are both a year away from free agency. You needn’t try hard to see how the Blue Jays could be forced to enter a rebuild in a few months, perhaps with a new GM. The Blue Jays need a hot stove win. Atkins needs a hot stove win.
It will take more than a few free agent signings and shrewd trades to win back the fan base, but it would be a good start. Bring in a few new players, win some games early in the season, and the vibes will shift. Here are four things the Blue Jays can do to salvage their offseason and put themselves in better position to contend for a postseason berth in 2025.
1. Extend Vlad Jr.
It will almost certainly cost more than the Blue Jays are comfortable with. Last month, Guerrero said on the Spanish-language Abriendo El Podcast that the Blue Jays offered him a $340 million extension that was “not even close to what we are looking for.” That was before Soto’s $765 million contract moved the salary bar up for star players too. Guerrero is not Soto, but he is a soon-to-be 26-year-old coming off a tremendous season, and he has a lot of leverage. Vlad Jr. knows the Blue Jays have been unable to land top free agents, and as the homegrown franchise player, he carries extra appeal. Guerrero is young enough that, even if the Blue Jays have to rebuild after 2025, he’ll still be in his prime when they’re ready to contend again. The number, whatever it ends up being ($500 million?), will make the Blue Jays uncomfortable. At this point though, what choice do they have?
2. Sign Alonso or Santander
You could put Alex Bregman in this group too, though agent Scott Boras recently indicated Bregman is still seeking a long-term contract, according to The Athletic. Pete Alonso and Anthony Santander have both expressed a willingness to take a shorter term deal recently. If you can keep things short-term for a free agent in his 30s, do that. The Blue Jays have an opening at DH — Will Wagner’s a nice player, but come on — plus Alonso could share first base time with Vlad Jr., and Santander could always give them innings in the outfield. Both would upgrade the lineup considerably and give the Blue Jays a much-needed power bat. Did you know Toronto ranked 26th in homers in 2024? Giménez and a full season of Joey Loperfido ain’t fixing that.
3. Sign Flaherty too
Toronto’s rotation includes aging Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassitt, innings-eater José Berríos, the intriguing Bowden Francis, then a question mark. It could be Yariel Rodríguez or Jake Bloss. It won’t be Alek Manoah or erstwhile top prospect Ricky Tiedemann, both of whom are on the mend from Tommy John surgery. Similar to Alonso and Santander, Jack Flaherty is said to be open to a short-term contract. He’s also arguably the best free-agent starter available. It’s either Flaherty or native Canadian Nick Pivetta, who rejected the qualifying offer. Flaherty is not tied to draft-pick compensation. Pivetta is.
The Blue Jays would be wise to pursue a short-term deal with Flaherty to bolster their rotation, as long as they can meet his financial demands. Additionally, reaching out to the Padres about acquiring Arraez and Cease could be a strategic move, especially considering San Diego’s payroll concerns. While Arraez may not be a perfect fit for the Blue Jays’ roster, exploring trade options for both players at a reduced cost could prove beneficial.
As spring training approaches, the Blue Jays should focus on short-term contracts to improve their team for the 2025 season. Securing players like Alonso, Santander, Flaherty, Arraez, and Cease could elevate Toronto’s competitiveness and provide flexibility for potential mid-season trades. Despite potential payroll challenges, investing in key players and extending Guerrero’s contract should be top priorities to solidify the team’s future success. By making strategic moves and addressing roster needs, the Blue Jays can position themselves as strong contenders in the upcoming season. sentence: Please rewrite the following sentence.