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.

Danny Jansen

Danny Jansen was drafted by the Blue Jays in 2013, and after steadily making his way through the minor leagues, made his major league debut late in the 2018 season. The 29-year-old has displayed a strong power swing and sound defensive mechanics throughout his career. 

The tandem he formed with Alejandro Kirk has been a productive one with each receiving ample playing time and being able to serve as an option as a designated hitter occasionally too. Kirk struggled at the onset of this past season while Jansen was on the IL, hitting just .200 with a .513 OPS in his first 15 games last season while playing the lion’s share of the games behind the plate. It was a different story during the final two months as Kirk hit .269 with three homers, 26 RBI, and a .739 OPS following the Jansen trade.

That’s the kind of production expected from the 25-year-old as he has become the unquestioned leader of that position group. Jansen was such a model of consistency during his lengthy  Blue Jays career that it has been hard seeing him in another team’s jersey. It is even harder to imagine that the brain trust is comfortable replacing him with veteran journeyman Tyler Heineman. 

Jansen played nearly 500 games in his Jays’ career and hit .222 with 71 home runs, 214 RBI, and a .733 OPS. His best offensive season was in 2022 when the former 16th-round pick hit .260 with 15 homers, 44 RBI, and a .855 OPS (142 OPS+). Jansen has worked hard on his defense throughout his career, but his catch-stealing rate has decreased to 13.5 % over the last two seasons with the base size increase. It’s nearly impossible to envision Heinenman giving the Blue Jays the kind of production that Jansen has been able to provide, especially when it comes to power and leadership. The Jansen-Kirk combo has worked well, running it back would be a great idea. 

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.