Toronto Blue Jays luck out by not signing these players last off-season

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 28: Trevor Bauer #27 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches in the sixth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on June 28, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 28: Trevor Bauer #27 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches in the sixth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on June 28, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images) /
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Blue Jays
BOSTON, MA – AUGUST 12: Marwin Gonzalez #12 of the Boston Red Sox field a ground ball in the first inning of a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park on August 12, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /

Honourable Mentions

Below is a list of players that reportedly never received a contract offer from the Blue Jays but the club was reportedly interested in before they signed elsewhere.

Trevor Rosenthal – RHP

A career reliever, right-hander Trevor Rosenthal had a bounce-back 2020 campaign that saw him pitch to a 1.90 ERA between the Kansas City Royals and San Diego Padres. With his 2019 campaign being one to forget, Rosenthal sports a solid 3.36 ERA for his career through 373 outings with 490 strikeouts and 132 saves. The Blue Jays appeared interested in the reliever to help improve the bullpen but ultimately he would sign elsewhere.

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The Missouri product would go on to sign a one-year, $11 million dollar deal with the Oakland Athletics but will miss the entire 2021 season on the injured list with a torn hip labrum. He did not make an appearance for the Athletics this season.

Marwin Gonzalez – UTIL

While the reported interest in Marwin Gonzalez was not very high, the Blue Jays kicked the tires on the former Houston Astro and Minnesota Twin before he signed with the Boston Red Sox on a one-year deal worth $3 million dollars. Last season, Gonzalez slashed .211/.286/.320 and for his career owns a .256/.314/.403 line with 98 home runs, 389 RBI, and a .717 OPS.

The 2021 season has not been kind to the utility man, as he only mustered a .202 batting average and a .567 OPS through 242 at-bats before being designated for assignment and later released on August 16th by the Red Sox. The Astros would sign him to a minor league contract and he was called up to the big league roster yesterday.

Andrelton Simmons – SS

Known for his defensive ability at shortstop, Andrelton Simmons began his career with the Atlanta Braves before being traded to the Los Angeles Angels in the 2014/2015 off-season. In Los Angeles, Simmons found his bat and would slash .281/.328/.394 through 561 games with 36 home runs and a .722 OPS.

The Blue Jays checked in on Simmons most likely looking for a defensive upgrade, possibly prompting a potential move for Bo Bichette to either third or second base. The defensive wizard would sign with the Minnesota Twins on a one-year, $10.5 million dollar deal and has struggled at the plate, owning a .220/.284/.274 line with a .559 OPS through 404 at-bats. His fielding ability is still going strong, sporting an 11 bDRS at shortstop so far this season but that bat has fallen off since leaving California.

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The Blue Jays would decide to keep Bichette at shortstop and signed Marcus Semien to a one-year deal to play second base, and the rest is now history.