Blue Jays Free Agency Tracker: Latest Signings, News, Rumours
In 2022, the Toronto Blue Jays made their return to the playoffs but were quickly defeated by the Seattle Mariners in just two games of the American League Wild Card Series.
While there were positives to be taken from the season, it was disappointing given the expectations that the club had in spring training.
Toronto’s roster has a lot of talent. However, the team still has a lot to do before they can be considered a serious contender in the World Series. Ross Atkins, the general manager of the Blue Jays, and the rest the Blue Jays front offices will have to make this happen by adding the right pieces to the core this winter.
We will keep you updated with all the latest news as it happens.
December 23,
Blue Jays land Varsho but give in to a lot
Two days before Christmas, the Blue Jays made quite a splash. acquiring Daulton Varsho from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Varsho provides Toronto with the left-handed impact bat it needs and is a great outfield defense. It was a high-cost move, as the Blue Jays returned top prospect Gabriel Moreno and veteran infielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. from Toronto to Arizona.
December 19
Conforto Blue Jays link
Michael Conforto, one of the most prominent outfielders on the market, is still available for free. The Blue Jays are interested in him. according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. Conforto was injured in the shoulder and missed 2022. He was only average in 2021 but had extremely productive seasons from 2017-20. Toronto is right to have him on their radar, considering his offensive upside as a lefty hitter.
December 14
Bassitt is not the final rotation?
Blue Jays could be ready to start spring training with a rotation that includes Alek Manoah and Jose Berrios, Chris Bassitt, Chris Bassitt, Yusei Kikuchi/Mitch White. But, they may not stop trying to improve this group. Johnny Cueto, an experienced right-hander, is on the team’s radar. according to Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith.
Cueto was a Chicago White Sox pitcher who made 25 starts in 2022 and posted a 3.35 ERA. The 36-year old was able to post impressive numbers, despite striking out just 5.8 batters every nine innings. The Rogers Centre All-Star two-time All-Star brings a lot of experience as well as a highly entertaining pitch delivery.
December 12
Toronto catchers draw “significant attention”
It has been reported that the Blue Jays may be looking for a catcher of MLB-calibre in offseason. Teams are still interested in Alejandro Kirk (Danny Jansen), Gabriel Moreno (Gabriel Moreno). according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Sean Murphy was traded from the Oakland Athletics the Atlanta Braves. This transaction provided another buffer on the market for catcher-needy clubs, so Blue Jays phones should ring a bit more now that there are no other options. Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi pegged Potential matches include the Arizona Diamondbacks (or Chicago Cubs), and the Cleveland Guardians (or Cleveland Guardians).
Blue Jays Add Bassitt
The Blue Jays have added stability to their starting rotation with the agreement to a three-year, $63 million deal Chris Bassitt. Bassitt was a pitching coach for the New York Mets from 2022 to 2022. He had a 3.42 ERA in 30 starts. Bassitt has been a consistent starter in the majors ever since 2015, posting a 3.45 ERA.
The 33-year-old will slide into the middle of the Blue Jays’ rotation behind co-aces Alek Manoah Kevin Gausman. Toronto’s staff also includes Jose Berrios, who will be looking for a bounce-back season after a rocky 2022 campaign. Yusei Kikuchi Mitch White There are still options available for the fifth-starter position.
December 10,
Jays get a lefty bat for the outfield
The Blue Jays addressed an outfield hole on Saturday by agreeing to a deal According to Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi, Kevin Kiermaier is a veteran.
Kiermaier, who had spent his whole career with the Tampa Bay Rays, was known as one of the most respected defensive outfielders in major league baseball. He is the proud recipient of three Gold Gloves, as well as the American League Platinum Glove (2015), which is an annual award to the best overall defender from each league.
As evidenced by his career batting line of.248/.308/.407, the 32-year old has not offered much offense. A hip injury limited him to 63 games. He hit.228 with an OPS of.649 in 2022.
December 8
Toronto to target Arizona outfielder
With the Cardinals no longer a realistic trade partner in a catcher-for-outfielder swap, the Blue Jays are one of roughly 10 teams calling the Arizona Diamondbacks for outfield help, according to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. Daulton Varsho and Jake McCarthy are the three Arizona players that are reportedly attracting interest.
December 7
A long-rumored trade partner moves in a new direction
Due to their need for a catcher after the retirement of Yadier Molina, the St. Louis Cardinals were linked with the Blue Jays for several months. The Cardinals have several young outfielders, including Dylan Carlson or Lars Nootbaar that could have been of interest for the Blue Jays. Although it would have been logical to trade one of Toronto’s three catchers in exchange for an outfielder this would not have been possible. St. Louis instead signed star backstop Willson Contras to a five-year, $87.5 million deal.
Jays was a finalist for Jansen
Kenley Jansen eventually signed a two year deal with the Boston Red Sox. The Blue Jays, however, were reportedly considered finalist for the veteran closer. per David Vassegh of SportsNet LA.
The Toronto interest in Jansen’s is interesting considering that the right-hander has been a ninth-inning weapon for the past decade. While the Blue Jays seem to be set for closer after Jordan Romano’s All-Star season and possibly were open to moving Jansen into a high-leverage spot, regardless of whether he plays in the ninth or ninth inning,
December 6
Boras weighs into Blue Jays
Scott Boras, the baseball agent extraordinaire, met with Sportsnet’s Hazel Mae & Ben Nicholson Smith to discuss the fact that the team is now more focused on offensive pitchers than pitchers. Boras confirmed that the Jays are interested in outfielders Brandon Nimmo and Joey Gallo. Cody Bellinger was already on their radar. landed with the Chicago Cubs.
Brantley, would you like to try again?
The Blue Jays were very close to signing Michael Brantley, a veteran outfielder, in 2021. some reports It was even called a done deal at that time. Brantley signed a two year deal with the Houston Astros. However, he now finds himself on the open market and the Blue Jays have begun to pursue him. per Nicholson-Smith.
Brantley, who turns 36 in the next season, was only able 64 games due to a shoulder injury. He isn’t a power hitter, but he still manages to hit for a good.300 average and can take walks as a lefty hitter. He is not sure how much outfield he will be able to play, but he could fill in for a designated hitter. Brantley is not likely to be a long-term commitee due to his injury history and age.
Blue Jays are interested in Masataka Yoshida, a Japanese outfielder
The Jays are one of a number of teams The MLB announced on Wednesday that Masataka Yoshida (a star Japanese outfielder) would be posted to the site. The lefty scored 21 runs and had 89 RBIs with the Orix Buffaloes, NPB’s last season.
Yoshida has until January 20th to sign a contract with an MLB team. He is expected to earn over $20 million in salary.
December 5
Reynolds sweepstakes involves Blue Jays
Bryan Reynolds, Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder, reacted last week to the offseason by asking for a trade. According to Jon Morosi, the Blue Jays were deemed a “team you should watch” in the sweepstakes. Reynolds, a switch-hitter, would help the Blue Jays improve their offensive balance. Toronto will be bidding against many teams. Morosi believes that Reynolds would be available if the Jays included one of Orelvis Martinez or Ricky Tiedemann, two highly-regarded prospects.
The 27-year old hit.262 and had a.807 OPS. He also scored 27 runs in 145 games. This was his lowest season. He will be under team control until the 2025 campaign.
Jays have lefty starters on the table
Update: Heaney is reportedly joining the Texas Rangers
Toronto has two holes in its 2023 starting lineup. Ross Stripling is currently an unrestricted agent, and neither Yusei Kakuchi nor Mitch White have shown enough to merit a spot next season. Andrew Heaney, a southpaw from the club, was offered to fill one. according to Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith. The Blue Jays are reported to be one of the 10 teams who have expressed an interest in the 31-year old.
Heaney enjoyed a terrific — albeit injury-shortened — 2022 campaign for the Los Angeles Dodgers, posting a 3.10 ERA and 13.6 K/9 rate in 16 games. Jays would be cautious in signing him since his record prior to last season was not great, but he still has high ceiling potential if he is healthy.
Toronto was “engaged” with Verlander up to the end
Justin Verlander was the winner signing an enormous contract While the New York Mets won Monday’s game, it sounds like the Blue Jays remained in the hunt right up until the last hour. Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi reports Toronto “remains engaged” with Verlander, an ace right-hander, as late Sunday as possible. Nicholson Smith said he heard Verlander was interested in a multi-year deal with the Blue Jays.
Blue Jays missed out on Gibson — again
The Blue Jays didn’t miss Verlander, but they also missed Kyle Gibson, the new Baltimore Orioles pitcher. per Nicholson-Smith. Gibson was previously a target for Toronto in 2019, before he signed with Texas Rangers.
In 2022, the Philadelphia Phillies’ 35-year-old pitcher had a 5.05 ERA with 31 starts.
Twins have called Blue Jays catchers
Three catchers of MLB-caliber are on the Blue Jays’ roster: Alejandro Kirk (Alejandro Jansen), Gabriel Moreno (Danny Jansen), and the Minnesota Twins have reached out to see if one of them could be traded, Darren Wolfson from SKOR North Radio reports. in his latest podcast. According to reports, the Twins also reached out to Atlanta Braves and Oakland Athletics to inquire about their backstops.
After the Jose Berrios trade in 2021, Toronto and Minnesota will be familiar with each other.
November 21
Blue Jays to play for former MVP?
Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports that Toronto is interested in Cody Bellinger, the 2019 National League MVP. This comes after Bellinger was not offered by the Los Angeles Dodgers last Wednesday. It is unclear if the Blue Jays are just doing their due diligence or if there is serious interest.
Scott Boras is Bellinger’s agent. He claims that his client has already been offered multi-year contracts However, he would prefer to sign an one-year contract to build his value before he cashes in next winter.
Bellinger’s production has been on the decline in recent years. He saw his production drop to.210/.265/.389 by 2022. Although he fills a niche in the outfield and is left-handed, it would be a risk for Toronto to sign him.
November 16
Teoscar Hernandez sold to Mariners
Toronto sold Teoscar Hernandez, a star outfielder, to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for Erik Swanson and Adam Macko, a relief pitcher. Swanson had a record of 3-2 with a 1.68 ERA over 53.2 innings in Seattle in 2022. Macko had 38 strikeouts at High A.
Jays are interested in Nimmo
Morosi reports that the Jays are interested IN Brandon Nimmo, a free agent.
Nimmo, 29 years old, hit 16 home runs and had 64 RBIs. He slashed.274/.367/.433 over 151 games in 2022 with the New York Mets. Nimmo will be able to fill in at center field, which will allow George Springer move into the right-field spot left vacant by Hernandez.
November 15
Jays tweak with 40-man roster
On Tuesday, the Blue Jays added four potential players to their 40 man roster. However, they chose to protect pitcher Yosverzulueta as well as infielders Addison Barger Spencer Horwitz, Spencer Horwitz, and Orelvis Martnez from the Rule 5 Draft. Outfielders Raimel Tapia, Bradley Zimmer, and pitcher Foster Griffin were designated for assignment in order to make room on their roster.
November 11
Heaney’s Jays are back in action
Andrew Heaney was an interest in the Blue Jays last offseason, before he finally signed with Los Angeles Dodgers. According to Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-SmithToronto is a potential suitor for Heaney this year, as he has a 3.10 ERA in 14 of his 2022 starts. Heaney was able to strike out more than 35 percent of the batters he faced last year and would make a good fit for the middle of Blue Jays’s rotation.
November 8
Suarez on Blue Jays’ radar
Update: Suarez re-signed with Padres on five-year, $46 million contract
Robert Suarez, who opted to leave his San Diego Padres deal, is one of the most intriguing names in the relief marketplace. Nicholson Smith says that Toronto has the right-hander, who is hard to throw, on its radar. In 2022, the Blue Jays had no late-inning swing and miss relievers beyond closer Jordan Romano. Suarez’s strikeout rate was 31.9 percent with a 2.27 ERA.
Is there a reunion with Stripling?
Ross Stripling had a great 2022 season and helped keep the Blue Jays’ rotation in place after Hyun Jin Ryu was injured. The 32-year-old is unlikely to have a better chance of securing a contract for a longer term, so it’s uncertain if the Blue Jays will make such a commitment. According to Nicholson Smith, the two sides have been in contact as they look into their options. This is a situation that you should be keeping an eye on.
Blue Jays in search of a catcher to trade?
The Blue Jays are no secret that they have an embarrassing amount of wealth behind the plate. At this point, Danny Jansen, Alejandro Kirk and Gabriel Moreno are all starting-calibre catchers. Morosi reports that rival executives believe the Jays will use that depth in order to fix other areas on the roster.
Morosi also speculated The interest of Willson Contreras star free agent backstop Toronto could lead to Toronto and Detroit Tigers becoming trade partners. Perhaps the Tigers will sign that player and move their focus northward to send a replacement to the Blue Jays.
Blue Jays take on Senga
Atkins spoke at the GM meetings and said that the Blue Jays had a “strong relationship” with Japanese pitching legend Kodai Senga. Atkins anticipates being in touch with Senga’s camp when free agency opens. The right-hander would make sense to Toronto on paper. Senga dominated Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball in 2022, recording a 1.94 ERA over 144 innings.
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