Toronto Blue Jays choose your own adventure- Option 3.2

If you’re here and you haven’t started at the beginning, then this is probably going to be pretty confusing for you. Click here and have some fun playing along as the Blue Jays General Manager.

As the GM of the Blue Jays, you’ve decided to forego a long-term deal to bring back a veteran star, and you’re keeping the options open this winter. For all of the other alternative timelines I’ve provided with this Choose Your Own Adventure series today, I think this one may be the most realistic.

Robbie Ray and Marcus Semien might be gone, but at least you’ve shored up the rotation with some solid depth by signing Jon Gray and bringing back Steven Matz. It also leaves you with enough money to make some other moves, and fortunately you have the cards to play to pull off an impact trade. And pull off some magic you did.

You managed to strengthen the bullpen in a big way by signing Kendall Graveman to a three-year, 27 million dollar contract. Graveman started his career in the Blue Jays organization, and after a few years of trying to make his way as a starter he’s converted into a very effective reliever. He was a lockdown closer for the Mariners last season before they traded him to Houston in a surprise deal, and he served well in an 8th inning role for the Astros. That should give Charlie Montoyo the flexibility to use Romano and Graveman however he sees fit, and really improve the late inning crew.

You still need an infielder though, and since this is all for fun anyway, you will be handsomely rewarded for choosing this path. This time you pull off a blockbuster trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks by sending Cavan Biggio, Jordan Groshans, and Alejandro Kirk the other way in order to acquire a versatile superstar in Ketel Marte. The 27 year old has three years of contract control remaining, and will take over for Biggio as the projected second baseman, which locks Santiago Espinal in as the starter at third.

You may not have been able to keep Robbie Ray or find an ace-level replacement, but you’ve done very well here when you add up all of the decisions made. Marte is a star and he’s still under contract control for three years, and you have the same three years with Graveman as well. A lot can happen, but I’d say you’ve built a legitimate contender here. Pat yourself on the back, Mr./Ms./Mx. General Manager.