Toronto Blue Jays: Positions to Improve Post Lockout

For what seemed like an eternity, the MLB imposed a lockout of the players. This effectively cut off communication between organizations and their players. For the Blue Jays, this included a halt to any additions the club could make at the Major League level. No trades, claims, or signings could be made over the past 99 days.

With the lockout now over, Major League front offices can now reach out to players. This includes members of their own team and prospective players they wish to bring aboard. The next few weeks will bring an absolute fury of moves, as two months’ worth of transactions will have to be made over about a three-week period. While the Blue Jays currently possess one of the more talented rosters in the game, they aren’t a finished project. Toronto is expected to be heavily active in roster moves going forward. These additions start with the pitching staff.

A Starting Pitcher

The Blue Jays have four bonafide starting pitchers at this point in time. Jose Berrios, Kevin Gausman, Hyun Jin Ryu, and Alek Manoah comprise the rotation. It’s widely assumed that Ross Stripling is the front runner for that last spot, but there are a plethora of experienced arms left on the market. The more affordable, or more believable, options include names like Yusei Kikuchi, Michael Pineda, Tyler Anderson, and Garrett Richards. All of these arms have the skill and experience to be a valuable addition to the rotation, and all appear to be affordable options.

If you care to indulge in the more expensive options, a pair of All-Star calibre left-handers remain on the market as well. Clayton Kershaw and Carlos Rodon are both capable of being impact pitchers on the staff and would make fantastic additions to the team. While these players are sure to have plenty of suitors and will likely command dollar heavy contracts, there’s no denying they’d be good fits with the Jays.