This story was excerpted from Keegan Matheson’s Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
TORONTO — It’s time for the MLB offseason to get its second wind.
The Blue Jays have plenty of work left to do, and while so many of the big names have already flown off the board — too many of them landing in the AL East — there’s still time for this organization to set a different tone for the 2025 season. George Springer’s club-record six-year, $150 million deal was signed in mid-January of 2021, and the trade market is still wide open.
For now, the usual excitement of the season to come feels like it’s been replaced by a level of trepidation from the fan base, and understandably so. Last season never got off the ground, ending in a 74-88 record with few positives to carry over into the winter. Yes, the Blue Jays have reached the postseason in three of the last five years and fallen painfully short in one other (2021), but they still don’t have a postseason win with this core.
With Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette entering their final year of club control before free agency, that young core may not be long for Toronto. The expensive veteran additions the Blue Jays added around them are coming up on the ends of their contracts, too, from Chris Bassitt to Kevin Gausman, Springer and others.
The new year always brings a level of optimism, with the records reset to 0-0 and clubs rolling into camp in mid-February full of hope, but the Blue Jays will need to earn that excitement in early 2025. Here’s a look ahead to the new year:
One free agent who would be a perfect fit
Players who fit the Blue Jays keep flying off the board, but Anthony Santander remains. The Blue Jays know Santander well from his days with the Orioles — perhaps too well, after some of his performance against them — and he profiles well to fit their lineup. While Teoscar Hernández was beloved in Toronto, Santander has always felt like a cleaner fit for what Ross Atkins is chasing due to the 30-year-old outfielder’s ability to hit left-handed, as well as his better contact rates to pair with his power. The term Santander seeks will be a bigger challenge than the overall money here for the Blue Jays, but they clearly need a power bat to put on either side of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and those options are beginning to run thin in free agency.
One player poised for a breakout year
It feels like the Blue Jays are going to need to find ways to get Will Wagner into the lineup. Even with a crowded infield, Wagner represents a level of offensive upside this club needs. Wagner hit .305 with a .788 OPS over 24 games down the stretch, all while dealing with a nagging knee issue he eventually had cleaned up with a scope in late September. Consider Wagner to be in a similar place to where Ernie Clement was last Spring Training. It looks crowded around him, but he could easily find his way into full-time reps. The organization is extremely high on Wagner.
