About a week ago, the Blue Jays looked like they were the entire league's laughing stock. They had not made a transaction in over a month. They had continually been runner-ups to high-prestige players like Corbin Burnes, Teoscar Hernandez, and Juan Soto. And to top it all off, reports were running rampant of a $100M+ gap in contract negotiations between themselves and their young star first baseman. Truth be told, this stain has not necessarily washed itself away, but things have lightened up very marginally with one move. However, there is still plenty of work to be done if the Jays want to even dream of being competitive in the AL East this season. Here are what this fan feels should be the top priorities for the team going into 2025 and beyond.
Lock up Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Bold take, right? Believe it or not, there was a point in time last season where it was rightfully questionable to offer an extension to Vladdy. After his monstrous 2021 campaign, where he finished 2nd in MVP voting (behind, you know, probably the greatest ever to play the game), Guerrero Jr had a pair of underwhelming seasons. While mashing for 48 HRs and 111 RBIs in 2021, with a .311/.401/.601 slashline for a 1.002 OPS and accruing a 6.7 WAR for the season, Guerrero proceeded to average 29 HRs, 95.5 RBIs, a .269/.342/.462 slash for an OPS of .803, and a WAR of 3.0 for the next two seasons. While no seasons to sneeze at whatsoever, and likely a career year for a plethora of hitters, that would not be a stat line demanding a star-level contract extension. 2024 ultimately became a “prove it” type of year for the 25-year-old. Fortunately for him, Vladdy not only stepped up to the task but frankly blew it out of the water. In 2024, Guerrero hit 30 HRs and 103 RBIs, slashing a .323/.396/.544 line for a .940 OPS and accruing 6.2 WAR, both his best since his 2021 campaign.
Unfortunately for the Jays, Guerrero was about the only thing that went right in 2024, making him not only stand out even more than usual, but appear as if he was stranded on an island, needing to be saved by more competitive teams. Guerrero has never been shy to admit on several occasions that he loves being a Blue Jay, and would be more than happy to stay with the team if they would have him. However, as the direction of the team becomes more and more uncertain and with the monster contracts being given out to young, superstar players these days, staying may come at a hefty price tag.
A report by Bob Nightengale seems to agree, as he reported that the Blue Jays and Guerrero were about $100M+ off in negotiations. The team offered a deal worth $340M, while Guerrero is currently looking more in the range of $450M. While this is likely how general negotiations can go, where two sides submit what they would like and eventually do their best to meet in the middle, the longer these negotiations take, the more they affect the whole team in a variety of ways. There were consistent rumblings that high-profile free agents, particularly Corbin Burnes, were hesitant to sign with the Blue Jays due to the uncertainty of the team’s future, as their best two players in Guerrero and Bichette were unsigned past 2025. Combine this uncertainty with the lack of high-end prospects coming up the system in Toronto, and it truly only leads to one conclusion: signing Guerrero to an extension should be the #1 priority above all for the Jays. It should be done promptly as well, as it was reported that Guerrero was giving the organization until Spring Training to negotiate and find common ground. Otherwise, he will be headed to free agency as he reportedly wishes not to negotiate mid-season.
In its entirety, whether or not Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is signed to an extension before Spring Training could completely change the outlook for the current offseason and 2025 season ahead for the Blue Jays, and if they truly do wish to be competitive this season, locking down Vladdy would solve a plethora of their problems and increase their chances in bringing in pieces to help that cause.
Continue to fix up the bullpen
Most Blue Jays fans feel that the main priority this offseason was for management to sign an extra bat to provide some depth in the lineup, and rightfully so. However, believe it or not, the bullpen was by far the most detrimental part of the team last season. Ranking 30th in WAR last season, the Blue Jays bullpen accrued -3.0 WAR. For context, the 29th-place Colorado Rockies (who notably play in a very non-pitching friendly environment) ended their season accruing 0.0 WAR. Quite a sizable gap between the 29th and 30th, which puts on a shining display of the work that needs to be done by management to improve for 2025. For a while, the confidence in these improvements sunk deep, as fan favorite and revered closer Jordan Romano was non-tendered early in the offseason. Management mainly cited concerns with his elbow that led to the non-tender but still hoped to retain him for a cheaper rate. Unfortunately, the Philadelphia Phillies were more than willing to bring in Romano for the same rate the Jays were not.
From there, it has been up to management to try and reinvent the arm barn in different ways. Bringing back an old and reliable friend in Yimi Garcia for two years does not hurt in the slightest. Adding Nick Sandlin in a deal with the Guardians helps as well, as he could be a serviceable sixth or seventh-inning arm. The big kahuna was their most recent transaction: a 3-year deal with elite reliever Jeff Hoffman. A former Jays prospect himself, Hoffman’s tenure in Philadelphia as a reliever helped him find his footing in the big leagues. In his 2 seasons as a Phillie, he posted consecutive ERAs below 2.5, 50 or more innings pitched and 65 or more strikeouts. In 2024 specifically, he took a bump in innings pitched from 52.1 in ‘23 to 66.1. This progress, along with the recent success of pitchers like Seth Lugo, had many eyeing Hoffman as a potential starting pitcher for them in the future. However, as it ended up, the Blue Jays nabbed Hoffman and plan to use him primarily as a reliever in 2025.
Yet, in typical Blue Jays fashion, nothing is ever without its complications. Shortly after his signing was announced, it was reported that the Orioles and Hoffman had a deal in place, and a poor physical citing his shoulder was what kept Hoffman from a 3-year, $40M deal. However, it was later reported that despite the initial flagging, the Orioles still wanted to offer Hoffman a contract, just at a lesser rate. Recently, it was also reported that the Atlanta Braves recently passed on a 5-year deal with Hoffman as well, citing the same physical flags. While in a vacuum, this could be very concerning for a team that has been bitten by players with poor physicals before (Kirby Yates in 2021 for example), but perhaps those teams were less comfortable using him as a starter for that rate and term with such physical concerns. Regardless, even if the physicals rear their ugly head for Hoffman as a Blue Jay, this was a deal they had to sign. If Hoffman continues to be his recently elite self, it completely changes the outlook for the Blue Jays bullpen in 2025. A bullpen lineup of Chad Green, Yimi Garcia, and Jeff Hoffman for the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings would be miles better than their 2024 rendition.
The follow-up question then becomes: what else now? The reliever-free agent market has moved relatively slowly, and many great options remain available. The crown jewels of them all would likely be Tanner Scott or Carlos Estevez, but perhaps they would demand a price tag that the Jays feel would be unnecessary given the acquisition of Hoffman. More cost-efficient options could be found in the likes of Kyle Finnegan, David Robertson, Jose Leclerc, or Dylan Floro. More closer-oriented options come in the form of the aforementioned Kirby Yates, as well as Kenley Jansen. However, Yates is very much a high-risk, high-reward option, and Jansen may be on the last legs of his career. More than likely, Jays fans are in for names that they never knew existed as some key additions, but I doubt they will much care as long as they perform well.
Find some power-heavy bats to complement the lineup
This is the factor that fans have the most focus on in Toronto. General Manager Ross Atkins’ dedication to defense and pitching in the past two seasons came at the cost of the home run launching identity the Blue Jays had been well regarded for in years past. Ever since some controversial trades, such as acquiring Daulton Varsho in exchange for Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Gabriel Moreno, the Jays have only played in 2 playoff games, scoring only 1 run combined. Fans are nearly frothing at the mouth for someone who can launch baseballs out of the ballpark consistently, not named Guerrero Jr. While past bets on free-agent hitters have not necessarily worked out poorly in recent years, that is exactly what they have been. Bets. In 2025, the Blue Jays require a sure thing in a powerful bat that can protect Guerrero Jr. and Bichette. While defense may win championships, you cannot win a title without any offense either. Perhaps after two seasons of lackluster offensive performances, this offseason would be the one where the front office would sacrifice some defense for some offensive production, right?
Wrong. Well, at least in their first move of the offseason. Acquiring shortstop/second baseman Andres Gimenez from the Cleveland Guardians is a move that had fans worrying that management was simply tripling down on their defense-first approach. While Gimenez is one of, if not, the best defensive middle infielder in baseball, his offensive output in the past couple of seasons has been significantly below league average. His only season with an OPS+ above 101 was his monster breakout campaign in 2022 with a 141. Since then, it has been a staggering drop off, with a 96 OPS+ in 2023, followed by an 82 in 2024. To make matters worse, one of the Blue Jays’ more entertaining hitters in 2024, Spencer Horwitz, was going the other way in the trade. While over time, this trade began to make more and more sense for the Jays from a long-term standpoint, it will still hurt more and more if nothing is done to fill in the offensive gaps that players like Gimenez will more than likely create in the lineup.
The key difference between this offseason and the last is that it appears management is making a concerted effort to bring in complementary power bats. While Juan Soto was always going to be a pipe dream, there was significant traction in talks with Teoscar Hernandez before opting to return to the Dodgers. As of the writing of this article, the perfect piece of the puzzle would be outfielder Anthony Santander. A switch-hitting key cog in a lineup coming off of a career-high 44 HRs and 102 RBIs, Santander would give the Jays great balance in their lineup, while also restoring that offensive bomb-launching identity as a powerhouse threat. As of recent, it was heard that the Jays had made a 4-year, $90M offer to the Venezuelan, but nothing has come of that as of yet. If Santander ends up elsewhere, there is the mystery factor of Pete Alonso. The Polar Bear has always had a knack for hitting home runs, but whether it's been underwhelming performances in other areas of his offensive repertoire or just a difference in valuations, Alonso remains available on the free agent market. Some would wonder if perhaps a conditional one or two-year deal, similar to the ones Blake Snell and Matt Chapman received last year from the Giants, could be in play. While it may be a bit of a game of Twister to find where everyone would fit positionally, Alonso would no doubt help the Blue Jays in the power-related categories at the very least. Alex Bregman also appears to be an available option, but it feels as if his agent Scott Boras is unwilling to budge for anything less than a $200M, multi-year deal. If Bregman ends up in the same camp as Alonso, I am sure the Jays would have no issues with offering him a short-term deal, but likely nothing more than that.
In the grand scheme of things, the Jays can receive a lot of internal offensive help with a bounce-back season from Bo Bichette and breakout campaigns from Will Wagner, Orelvis Martinez, and Addison Barger. However, as mentioned previously, why leave it to chance? Find someone who is known to launch baseballs consistently, and ensure yourself at least some guarantee of offensive improvement.
Find a suitable low-end starting pitcher to complement a well-off rotation
At the time of writing this article, the Blue Jays were named one of the finalists by young superstar pitcher Roki Sasaki, along with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres. Obviously, that would be a monumental acquisition if Toronto were to pull it off. However, if this free agent pursuit were to end up like the previous ones, perhaps what would fit the Jays best is someone who could steady the middle of the rotation instead. While the starting pitching market has not been slow by any means, there are available options that could complement the Blue Jays’ rotation well.
One name that most are surprised is still available is Jack Flaherty. After struggling the past couple of seasons, Flaherty found his form in Detroit for the Tigers in 2024. In 106.2 IP, Flaherty threw to a 2.95 ERA, a 0.956 WHIP, and 11.2 K/9. If he had stayed in Detroit for the remainder of the season, he would have been on pace to maintain these metrics, making them towards the best of his career. Once he was dealt to the Dodgers at the trade deadline, the shine of this bounce-back season wore off a tad, posting a 3.58 ERA, 1.283 WHIP, and 9.9 K/9 in 55.1 IP. While not performing the best, Flaherty was still a key part in helping the Dodgers to their World Series victory. However, it is likely this down stretch that has a lot of teams hesitant to add him with his requested term and money. It was reported that Flaherty mentioned he would be willing to take a shorter-term deal, and that is where the Blue Jays could pounce on some value. With the lack of long-term commitment involved, and with the magic that pitching coach Pete Walker has shown he can work with struggling pitchers, there is not a bad reason I have heard to at least consider bringing him aboard.
Well, perhaps one reason could be money-related. If the front office would prefer to be more shrewd in their signings for starting pitchers, many available options could still fit the bill. Two of which the Jays are already connected to. British Columbia native Nick Pivetta has been a cult favorite of Jays fans for a couple of seasons. His versatility as both a productive option as a starter and a reliever/opener makes him a good fit for what the pitching staff needs. Sure, his ERA numbers do not explode off the charts, but this was a pitcher who was offered the qualifying offer by his former team, the Boston Red Sox. There is value in the role Pivetta can play. If the Jays are looking for a more traditional option, Jose Quintana is a name they have been connected to as well. The 35-year-old is no stranger to moving around the league, having played for 7 different teams throughout his career. While not the flashiest of options, Quintana is a steadying presence in a rotation. When his New York Mets opened the season without their ace in Kodai Senga, Quintana filled in admirably as an opening-day starter and provided quality innings in the postseason on their way to their NLCS run. That kind of presence and consistency could pair up well with what the Blue Jays need for their rotation. Chris Bassitt has been a reliant inning eater in his time in Toronto, and Quintana could bring more of that same consistency and reliance going into 2025.
In short, the starting rotation should be the least of the Blue Jays’ worries, but that still does not mean that it should not be addressed. In the past couple of seasons, the lack of depth in the rotation ended up biting them down the line. If more options can be available for the Jays the further they get into the season, the better off they will be to navigate it into, ideally, a postseason series.
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