1 more Blue Jay could be on non-tender chopping block after three others have left

The Toronto Blue Jays have a looming decision to make when it comes to players on their 40-man roster who are due to receive salary boosts via arbitration this winter. They have already lost relief pitchers Ryan Burr, Nick Sandlin, and Dillon Tate, who elected free agency.

Tyler Heineman is projected to earn a salary of $1 million in 2026, and considering how well he played last season, he could represent the easiest decision of the offseason. 

1 more Blue Jay could be on non-tender chopping block after three others have left

Daulton Varsho, Eric Lauer, and Ernie Clement are “no-brainer” picks to be retained at higher salaries next season, and Heineman should be nearly as easy a call for the front office. The 34-year-old is coming off the best season of his career by a landslide, earning himself a substantial compensation increase that would still allow the team to concentrate assets on talent elsewhere on the diamond.

The switch-hitter got into 61 games with the Blue Jays last year, and hit a career-best .289, with eight doubles, three homers, 20 RBI, and a .777 OPS. He also threw out 16 of 53 would-be base stealers, a 30.2% success rate, which is much higher than the league average of 21.5.

He worked well with the pitching staff, was obviously loved by his teammates, and accepted his limited playing time without complaint. The Blue Jays have rewarded Alejandro Kirk with a five-year, $58 million extension that kicks in in 2026, so their alternate catcher must understand and accept his role. Heineman has done a wonderful job at that and deserves to be paid appropriately. 

One thing we know about the Blue Jays and their front office is that they like to explore every option, even when they have a good idea of what they want to do. Some of the free agent catchers that will be available are Christian Vazquez, Victor Caratini, and old friend Danny Jansen. All three of those players would command a higher salary than what Heineman is projected to earn next season.

The argument could be made that Heineman blew past his career averages last year, and it would be foolish to expect him to continue to keep up that level of play again. Based on the merit of his play last season, how well-liked he is by his teammates, and his relatively low price point, Heineman deserves the chance to show that he can do it again.