Five High-Value Players the Blue Jays Could Target

The Toronto Blue Jays have been linked to several of the high-profile free agents still available.

While there is an obvious fit with players like Kris Bryant or Jose Ramirez, there are also plenty of other teams interested. The market may also move them towards other, cheaper options.

Here are some players the club could look at that could prove to have tremendous value.

Blue Jays Value Picks: Brad Miller, 1F/OF

After recording fewer than 300 total at-bats between the 2019 and 2020 seasons, Miller made the most of his part-time role in Philadelphia last year. He hit 20 home runs in just 377 at-bats, his second-highest in a season and the fifth year in double figures. Miller is mostly a first base/designated hitter at this point in his career but the team didn’t really have a backup first baseman/DH after trading away Rowdy Tellez last season.

Donovan Solano, 2B

Solano has blossomed as a late-bloomer for the Giants over the last three seasons. He’s hit .330, .326, and .280 in those three years over 712 at-bats with 14 homers and 45 doubles. He’s played the bulk of his time in the field at second base but is also capable of filling in at shortstop or third base in a pinch as well.

Matt Duffy, 3B

Matt Duffy’s main problem has been staying on the field. He played in 97 games last season and just 46 in 2019. When he’s healthy, Duffy is a proven hitter (.283 career average), decent defender (1.7 career dWAR), and a gamer. He’s more of a doubles guy than a home run hitter, but his game could play well at Rogers Centre and he also has positional versatility.

Danny Duffy, SP

Duffy is just the kind of pitcher who could really round out the Blue Jays starting rotation. Although he was limited to just 12 starts in 2021, Duffy looked as good as ever, going 4-3 with a 2.51 ERA in 61 innings. He features a five-pitch mix that includes a four-seam fastball, slider, changeup, curveball, and sinker.

Tommy Hunter, RP

The Jays may be able to get Hunter on the cheap after the 35-year-old pitched just eight innings in 2021. If he has much left, the big right-hander could add some depth and experience to the bullpen. He’s been in the bigs since 2008, has 56 career wins, and is closing in on 900 innings pitched.

Adding a superstar would be great, of course, but adding one or more from this selection could prove to be helpful. It could also allow the team to allocate resources to other areas of need. Will they add two guys with the same last name in one offseason? Probably not. But they are both genuine fits and it would be funny.