3 reasons why the Blue Jays are already being considered as "offseason winners"

We aren’t even halfway through the MLB offseason, and Toronto Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins has already made it one to remember. With decisive moves and clear intent among a window that's been opened for a few years now, the Blue Jays have positioned themselves early as one of baseball’s offseason winners, directly competing with a dark horse American East team for the top spot, the Baltimore Orioles.

Why the Blue Jays’ free agent moves are being taken seriously

In a recent Jon Heyman article, the Blue Jays were ranked as this offseason’s second-place winners thus far, behind the Orioles. The Orioles claimed the top spot by signing Pete Alonso to a five-year deal, bringing in a 264-home-run slugger capable of instantly sparking an entire lineup.

Baltimore continued their strong offseason, by bringing in some new relief corps arms, signing Ryan Helsley and Andrew Kittredge, along with starter Shane Baz. Although the O's have made a major splash while shaking up an already strong division, the Blue Jays have equally chipped away at this years offseason, in a big way.

The Blue Jays made their first major splash by signing Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210 million contract, a move that set off a wave of activity across the league. The signing instantly bolsters the Blue Jays rotation, as he joins a staff which includes Kevin Gausman, José Berrios (who's status on the roster is still in the air), Shane Bieber, another new signing in Cody Ponce, and Trey Yesavage.

Cease, who's 215 strikeouts were sixth-best among starting pitchers across the league, fits perfectly as the tone-setter at the top the Blue Jays’ rotation. Pairing him with Gausman gives Toronto a formidable one-two combination heading into next season, and looking ahead, Cease and Yesavage provide a heavy foundation for the future once Gausman and Bieber are set to hit free agency after 2026 season.

Just a week after the biggest free-agent signing in Blue Jays history, Atkins continued to flex his muscles, this time with an off-the-radar signing, snagging Korean star Cody Ponce at $30M over three years. Ponce's 2025 in the KBO was as dominant as they come, bringing home the MVP while posting a record of 17-1 with a 1.89 ERA.

The 6-foot-6 right-hander last appeared in the big leagues with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2021, making 15 outings and posting a 7.04 ERA across 38.1 innings. While his Major League stint ended on a brutal note, the Blue Jays are betting on a significant rebound, a belief that’s completely justified when you consider what he managed to do in 2025.

Atkins continued, adding Chase Lee from the Detroit Tigers, who will be fighting for a bullpen spot in Spring Training, along with an established submarine reliever in Tyler Rogers ($37M over 3 years). Rogers, along with Cease, pointed to the Blue Jays winning the AL pennant as main contributors to their decisions to sign.

“When the American League champs give you a phone call you kind of perk up and get excited about that, a team that was really close to winning the World Series. That right there is a great start,” Rogers told reporters during a zoom call.

Being labeled an “offseason winner” in December doesn’t guarantee anything in October, but it does prove to fans and players that they are serious about making another deep run. With the offseason still unfolding and top-tier talent still available, Toronto isn’t finished, as they have been consistently linked to the No. 1 free agent, Kyle Tucker, and they’re considering either Bo Bichette or Alex Bregman as well, per Heyman.