3 Blue Jays reunions that need to be explored this offseason in free agency

The Toronto Blue Jays have plenty of work ahead of them in the upcoming months if they are to be contenders in 2025. Big swings must be taken in the trade and free agent markets and some familiar faces will be available. 

The organization is coming off a hugely disappointing season that saw them become sellers at the trade deadline and part with some fan favorites. Danny Jansen, Yimi Garcia, and Yusei Kiuchi were shipped out last summer and all three will be hitting the open market this offseason. Teoscar Hernández was traded to the Seattle Mariners following the 2022 season and is also a pending free agent. 

Any of these reunions are sensible and the beleaguered front office would be wise to pursue these players in hopes of achieving the vision of returning to relevance next spring. The trading of Jansen may have been the most painful transaction of a miserable year. He had been with the franchise for over a decade and was adored by his teammates and followers. General Manager Ross Atkins recently commented that upgrading the catcher position wouldn’t be an area of focus this winter, but going with Tyler Heineman as the primary backup is hardly a step toward contention.

Garcia was one of the most consistent bullpen members over the past three seasons but became expendable this summer with the team well out of the playoff race. The much-maligned bullpen needs as many quality arms as possible, so getting in touch with Garcia about a reunion makes a lot of sense. 

Following the ‘22 season, the front office decided a complete overhaul of the outfield was the best course of action, and Hernandez was moved to Seattle for Erik Swanson and Adam Macko. After regressing in his lone year playing in the Pacific Northwest, Hernandez signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers and has enjoyed one of his best seasons. Returning to Toronto would give the Blue Jays and their fans a shot in the arm.

Yimi Garcia

As last year’s disappointing season got closer to the trade deadline, it became abundantly clear that Yimi Garcia would be one of the most desirable trade targets on the market. The 34-year-old was amid the best season of his career and would be expected to yield a decent prospect in return. 

Sure enough, Garcia was dealt to the Seattle Mariners for the young outfielder Jonatan Clase. After going 3-0, with a 2.70 ERA, five saves, and 42 strikeouts with the Jays, Garcia didn’t enjoy the same success on the West Coast in a limited sample size, surrendering three home runs and six earned runs in just nine innings as the M’s fell short of the playoffs. 

The fashion in which the Dominican native finished the season shouldn’t deter the Blue Jays from getting in touch this winter. Upgrading the bullpen is an obvious need this offseason, and Garcia could be part of the late-inning, high-leverage group again, being counted on to get big outs. He’d join a bunch that will likely include closer Jordan Romano, Erik Swanson, Brendon Little, and possibly Chad Green and Ryan Yarbrough if they are retained, as the meat of a relief corps that needs a big bounceback season.

Bringing Garcia back would potentially give the Blue Jays a quartet of pitchers who have experience closing out games. The pending free agent struck out batters at a rate we hadn’t seen before last season. He averaged 12.6 K/9IP, which bested his previous career-high (11.4 in 2019) by a wide margin. Bringing back the majority of a bullpen that was a monumental disappointment won’t be a great look, but fans and teammates would welcome the embattled right-hander back with open arms. Returning to the Jays’ staff could be mutually beneficial considering his struggles with Seattle.

Teoscar Hernandez

After the Blue Jays' catastrophic collapse in Game 2 of the Wild-Card Series in 2022, the front office decided to dismantle the outfield and dealt away both Teoscar Hernandez and Lourdes Gurriel Jr.. Despite hitting two home runs in that game, Hernández was shipped to the Seattle Mariners and Gurriel was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks in a deal that brought back Daulton Varsho.

The trades may have improved Toronto’s bullpen and outfield defense, but it hurt their lineup and morale. Varsho has been a stud in both left and centerfield but hasn’t come close to matching the production Hernandez put up between 2018-2022. Swanson was a rock for the bullpen in 2023, then had the ramp-up to his season derailed by a family emergency and wasn’t the same pitcher last season.

Hernandez slumped in his lone season playing in Seattle but signed a one-year deal with the Dodgers and has been a catalyst for a team on the cusp of a championship. The 31-year-old hit .272 with a career-high 33 homers, 99 RBI, and a .840 OPS (137 OPS+) while making his second All-Star team. The former Astros prospect may never be a great outfielder, but possesses huge power, something this team needs desperately. He also has an outgoing, fun-loving personality that should help loosen up a team clubhouse that has appeared stiff in recent years.

In 2023, they won 89 games and returned to the postseason, but suffered through a significant power outage and didn’t seem to be having much fun. They were improved defensively, and the bullpen was solid, but they scored fewer runs and hit fewer home runs, and management seemed to take all the joy from the group, including the beloved home run jacket.

Last season, the jacket returned, but the team wasn’t up to snuff and regressed miserably. Bringing back Teo could go a long way towards turning the ship around.