2 Blue Jays players earn extra option years thanks to injury loophole

The Toronto Blue Jays have had some bad luck this offseason, from missing out on acquiring free agent slugger Juan Soto to whiffing on the likes of Willy Adames, Max Fried, and even old friend Yusei Kikuchi. Fortunately, it appears the team's luck could be changing, with two players — pitcher Hagen Danner and infielder Leo Jiménez — each receiving an extra option year ahead of the 2025 season.

Danner and Jiménez have been awarded the extra option year because of the large amount of time they've each missed throughout their minor league careers due to injury. Danner missed the majority of the 2022 season and parts of both 2023 and 2024 due to injury, and while Jiménez didn't miss an entire season, he was sidelined for the first half of 2021 and part of 2022.

Danner was selected as a catcher by the Blue Jays in the second round of the 2017 MLB Draft, but moved to the mound full-time in 2021. The 26-year-old has only ever made one appearance in the majors, having made his debut on August 11, 2023, and retiring just one batter before leaving the game due to an injury. He was credited for an 0.00 ERA in 0.1 innings for the brief outing and is yet to return to the big leagues.

Jiménez didn't make his debut in the majors until this season, accumulating a .229 batting average and .687 OPS with 4 home runs and 19 RBI in 179 at-bats (63 games). The 23-year-old, who signed with the Blue Jays as an international free agent in July 2017, spent the rest of the 2024 season with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, where he slashed .271/.416/.431 with 7 home runs and 23 RBI.

Had Danner and Jiménez not each received an extra option year for 2025, both would have had to make the 26-man roster out of spring training in March, or the Blue Jays would have been forced to designate them for assignment to send them to the minors. Instead, the Blue Jays now have a lot more flexibility heading into next season, and both players can be called up to help the major league roster as needed.

The Blue Jays still have a number of players in their system that are out of option years heading into 2025, including catcher Tyler Heineman and pitchers Tommy Nance and Zach Pop.