Blue Jays: 12 predictions for the upcoming year

J.P. Arencibia takes over for Gregg Zaun

This was the popular idea on Twitter after the news broke that Gregg Zaun was dismissed by Rogers Media, and it makes too much sense not to happen if you ask me.

J.P. Arencibia was a beloved player with the Blue Jays during his time in Toronto, and has maintained a great relationship with the fan base despite retiring a couple of years ago. He’s shown that he’s got the chops as an analyst in the past, and at just 31 years old, I’m sure he’s not considering himself “retired”.

More from Jays Journal

• Matt Chapman has been exactly what the Blue Jays needed
• Blue Jays: The goalposts are moving in the right direction
• Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays advance to the Championship Series
• Blue Jays: Comparisons for Alek Manoah’s Second Season
• Blue Jays: Adam Cimber, the unlikely decision King

This is the prediction that I’m the least confident in, but as a big fan of both the player and the man, I’d love to listen to Arencibia’s take on the game on my television set.

Tim Mayza becomes the go to Loogy

The Blue Jays lacked a truly effective left-hander out of the bullpen last year, even if Aaron Loup‘s numbers look decent on paper. I expect that to change in 2018 with the emergence of 25 year old, Tim Mayza.

We got a small sample size from the Pennsylvania native last season, and he flashed the promise that makes me believe he’ll be an effective bullpen arm. I’m not sure if he’ll make the roster out of spring training, but I do think he’ll solidify his place in the bullpen by the time the season is over.

Vlad Jr and Bo make a September debut

I’m not predicting that either Vladimir Guerrero Jr or Bo Bichette make a significant impact on the big league roster in 2018, but I do think they’ll earn a cup of coffee in September.

A lot will depend on if the Blue Jays are in the playoff race or not, but either way we could see the talented duo get a taste of the show. If the Blue Jays are out of contention, they could get a chance to show their stuff against big leaguers in the final weeks of the season. If the Jays are in the race, they could get called up to experience that atmosphere and gain valuable experience for the future.

Either way I expect we’ll see the two of them put on a big league uniform at some point in 2018, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they were both lineup regulars by 2019. The future is exciting.

Next: Blue Jays have a busy couple of months ahead

So there you have it, my 12 predictions for 2018. Feel free to make your own in the comments section, or tell me how ridiculously wrong I am with my thoughts here. A year from now we can all have a good laugh at my expense.