3 creative moves Blue Jays could still make to sneakily improve their 2025 roster

From big name free agents to deals involving big stars the Toronto Blue Jays have been trying to play in the upper end of the market this winter with, so far, no real tangible areas of success. They’ve bolstered their bullpen and brought in a second baseman in Andres Giminez who is a former Platinum Glove winner, but a long way from a Silver Slugger and isn't likely to move the needle much overall.  

There are quite a few moves that just seem obvious for the Blue Jays to make, such as signing Anthony Santander to bring some much-needed power to the middle of their order. But what are some moves that might be ‘under the radar?’ Moves that might not have been as widely speculated across the industry but would improve the floor of this roster.

Here are three creative moves the Blue Jays could still make to sneakily improve the roster.

The Blue Jays need to add their rotation via the trade market

The Blue Jays are looking to add to their rotation as indicated by their failed pursuit of Corbin Burnes and their current pursuit of Roki Sasaki. They’ve also been linked to former Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Jack Flaherty.

If the Jays can’t land a big name free agent for their rotation, they could look to the trade market and reacquaint themselves with a familiar team whom they’ve pried some arms from in the past.

The St. Louis Cardinals have been active in talks in moving two pitchers off their roster as they look to cut their payroll. Those two pitchers are starter Sonny Gray and reliever Ryan Helsley and both arms have a lot of merit as targets for Toronto.

Gray signed a three-year deal with the Cardinals last offseason and will make $25 million this season, $35 million next year, in his age 36 season, and has a club option for $30 million in 2027.

The Cardinals are also looking to shed payroll and moving Gray would take a significant amount of money off the books for this season and next.

Gray has steadily been one of the best arms in the game since 2019. His BB/9 numbers have decreased every year since then (outside of 2020) and he continues to find ways to get guys out. He was one of only three pitchers to strike out 30% of the batters he faced in 2024, and he has a 44.4% whiff rate on his sweeper which he has started to mix in more often into his arsenal.   

He led the league in FIP and HR/9 in 2023 with a 2.83 and 0.4 mark in those categories respectively, finishing second in the Cy Young Award voting in his second year in Minnesota. Last year, he reached 200 strikeouts for the second time in his career with 203 in 166.1 innings pitched.

The Cardinals and the Blue Jays have made some deals in the not to distant past. At the 2023 deadline the Blue Jays added relievers Jordan Hicks and Genesis Cabrera in separate deals with the Cardinals, while sending St. Louis two pitchers and a catcher in those trades.

If the Cardinals are open to moving Gray and looking to get money off the books, the Blue Jays should get creative and offer them a package that centres around Chris Bassitt and one of their infield prospects such as a Leo Jimenez or Addison Barger.

Bassitt has been rumoured to be a trade piece for the Blue Jays this offseason and while he will be making $22 million this season (just $3 million less than Gray) he is a free agent after this year. The Cardinals can take him on for the season and possibly move him at the deadline for more assets or ride it out and see his contract come off their books at the end of 2025.

So how would trading one pitcher for another help them fill a hole in their rotation? That’s where Ryan Helsley comes in. Helsley is scheduled to make $8.2 million this season. Combined with Gray’s salary that would get $11 million off their payroll - if they take on all of Bassitt’s contract.

Helsley, would be another reliable late inning option for the Blue Jays. Even after adding Jeff Hoffman, especially if there is now injury concern around the reliever, and the Blue Jays can never have too many back-end options to close out tight games.

Considering they haven’t added any power to their lineup, runs may still come at a premium for Toronto in 2025 and Helsley would be one more guy that Manager John Schneider can go to in those close-run situations late in the game.  

Adding Helsley, who’s been rumoured to be of interest to Toronto, would also allow the Blue Jays to go with Yariel Rodriguez as a starter, instead of a bullpen arm.