3 players who could be x-factors for the Blue Jays in 2025

It seems clear that the Blue Jays would like to put their disappointing 2024 season behind them. They spent most of the offseason working toward that by making some key signings as well pulling off a a surprising trade.

But in order for Toronto to have any success at winning, they'll need players from up and down their roster to step up and provide a much-needed boost.

With that, here's a look at three players who could be x-factors on Toronto's path to redemption in 2025.

3 players who could x-factors for the Blue Jays in 2025

Yimi García

While the Jays' bullpen had disastrous season in 2024, García was one of the rare bright spots. In fact, the 34-year-old veteran put together some of his best numbers ever for his career. García compiled a 3-0 record, 2.70 ERA, 0.80 WHIP and gave up just nine earned runs with eight walks and a whopping 42 strikeouts in 30 innings with Toronto last season.

And while García may not have worked out for the Mariners after the Jays dealt him to Seattle at the trade deadline in 2024, the Mariners’ pain is now the Jays’ gain after he returned to Toronto via free agency on a two-year, $15 million contract. García has a career 3.44 ERA with 179 strikeouts in 157 career innings with the Blue Jays.

He's already recorded one win and a hold to go along with two strikeouts in two scoreless innings this spring. Now that he is back in a place that makes him comfortable, look for García — not Jeff Hoffman or Chad Green — to being the relief corp back to relevance in 2025.

Daulton Varsho

Ever since the Jays dealt away their top prospect Gabriel Moreno and fan favorite Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Varsho more than two years ago, Blue Jays fans have been waiting for Varsho to become a legitimate difference maker for the team. There’s no doubt that he's one of the best defenders in all of baseball, but he still needs to prove more at the plate for Toronto to get a full return in value.

Well, this is the year where the 28-year-old outfielder will finally break out at the plate and help take the Jays to the next level.

With Kevin Kiermaier gone after two seasons with the club, Varsho is now the the Jays’ defensive general in the outfield and the mainstay in centerfield. That tightned focus should hopefully enable him to focus on his production at the plate after he put together some good at-bats toward the end of last season.

Varsho had one of his strongest hitting stretches as a member of the Blue Jays last August when he posted a solid .281 batting average and scored 18 runs to go along with four doubles, four home runs and 10 RBI in 26 games. If it hadn’t been for his season-ending shoulder injury in September, he could had a strong finish to his 2024 campaign.

Varsho underwent rotator cuff surgery in the offseason that could potentially keep him out for Opening Day, but he's had a strong start to the spring as a designated hitter. He's gone 2-for-5 with two runs scored, two home runs and three RBI in two games. Look for the newly-determined Varsho to be a huge difference maker for Jays this season.

Max Scherzer 

When the Blue Jays signed Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young winner, to a one-year deal in free agency this offseason, it produced both excitement and mixed reactions within the fanbase.

Being able to bring in one of the best pitchers in baseball during the past two decades definitely sounds like a win-now move. But there was also a segment of the fanbase that had some doubts considering that Scherzer is 40 and is coming off an injury-plagued season.

However, we shouldn't doubt the eight-time All-Star. After all, Scherzer is just one year removed from his solid 2023 campaign in which he posted a 13-6 record, 3.77 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 174 strikeouts in 152 2/3 innings of work while helping the Texas Rangers capture their first World Series title in franchise history.

In fact, Scherzer is also a proven force in the postseason with a 3.78 ERA, 1.15 WHIP with 171 strikeouts in 143 innings over 30 playoff games.

More importantly, Scherzer is off to a tremendous start this spring. Scherzer has looked like his vintage self through two starts, as he's given up just two earned run with eight strikeouts in just 5 2/3 innings of work.

Scherzer looks like he’s out to prove that he can be depended upon as a front end starter for 2025. So look to the veteran right-hander to provide massive value to this year's Blue Jays team and easily surpass the five wins that Yusei Kikuchi and Yariel Rodríguez provided out the rotation last year. Just don't ask him about the new Automatic Ball-Strike system.