5 former Blue Jays we would love to see return in free agency

As the Toronto Blue Jays get set to engage in big action in free agency to address their various needs this offseason, what better way to do so than to potentially bring back former players that could significantly help with the job. On one hand, they would likely relish having a second go-around with the team with hopes of establishing more success this time around. On the other hand, after gaining valuable experience at success and winning other teams, they would now have the opportunity to be even more impactful with the Jays than ever before.

As a result, let’s take a closer look at five attractive options in free agency that the Blue Jays should seriously consider in having a reunion with. If Toronto can somehow manage to end up with at least one returnee from this group, it would already be a win for the organization and their fanbase.

LHP Yusei Kikuchi

Already a fan and team favourite during his time with Toronto, Yusei Kikuchi is a prime candidate that the club should bring home once again this winter. Despite having his ups and downs during his first tenure with the Jays, Kikuchi had proven more in his recent years that when he was on his game, he could actually pitch like one of the best in the league.

More importantly, following his trade to the Houston Astros at the trade deadline last season, the Astros appeared to have helped Kikuchi make the right adjustments to pitch even more effectively as a result. In his 10 starts with his new club down the stretch, Kikuchi went 5-1 with a stellar 2.70 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, along with just 14 walks and 76 strikeouts in just 60 innings pitched. Filled with confidence, he dominated opposing teams’ hitters by holding them to three runs or less in nine of those 10 starts in the process. Despite the small sample size, it was by far his best numbers he had put up for any team in his MLB career.

Earlier this year, the Jays’ starting pitchers have emphasized that they cherished the bond and tight-knit group that they had formed playing together. Alek Manoah had even gone as far as suggesting that Kikuchi to go get the Jays some prospects at the deadline and then come back to help make the team better. With free agency now in full flight, now be the time to make that supposedly that half-hearted quip into a reality.

RHP Jeff Hoffman

Originally a first-round pick (9th overall) by Toronto back in the 2014 MLB Draft, Jeff Hoffman never got his chance to shine with the Jays after he became a key piece in a 2015 blockbuster trade with the Colorado Rockies. With the Jays desperate in making the postseason for the first time in over two decades, GM Alex Anthopoulos went big by acquiring star shortstop Troy Tuluwitzki and reliever LaTroy Hawkins from the Rockies. In return, Toronto had to give up the promising right-hander, along with Jose Reyes, and prospects Miguel Castro and Jesus Tinoco.

Hoffman would go on to struggle for the bulk of his tenure with the Rockies as he compiled a dismal 10-16 record with a 6.40 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, along with 107 walks and 197 strikeouts in 230 2/3 innings of work over 68 appearances (including 38 starts). Things began to turn around for Hoffman and his career after joining the Cincinnati Reds in a trade ahead of the 2021 season. The Reds focussed on using him as a reliever and promising results began to show during his second year with the team, posting a solid 3.83 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 44 2/3 innings pitched. However, he still had some issues with the command of his pitches, averaging close to a 12% walk rate.

But Hoffman’s career officially took off after signing a minor-league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies at the start of the 2023 season. After being selected to the major league roster in early May that year, he has never looked back since. In his two seasons with the Phillies, Hoffman amassed elite numbers across the board, registering an 8-5 record with a 2.28 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, together with a whopping 158 strikeouts in just 118 2/3 innings pitched over 122 appearances. More significantly, he has finally harnessed his command, reducing his walk rate down to a minuscule 6% this past season. Hoffman had also demonstrated the ability to close out ballgames with 10 saves in 2024. In doing so, he is now one of the best relievers in the league.

Therefore, with the uncertainty surrounding Jordan Romano for the 2025 season, along with Hoffman being injury-free for pretty much the past couple of seasons, Hoffman could become the ideal shutdown reliever for the Jays’ back end of the bullpen. Moreover, he can even end up taking over the closer’s role if need be, depending on how the Romano situation pans out.

LHP Matthew Boyd

Similar to Hoffman above, Matthew Boyd also became part of a trade deadline blockbuster package in 2015. This time, it helped brought David Price to the Jays to significantly bolster their rotation down the stretch. In the deal, the Jays had sent Boyd, along with Daniel Norris and Jairo Labourt to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for the former Cy Young winner. However, unlike Hoffman, at least Boyd had the chance to make his debut with Toronto prior to being dealt. However, in two forgettable starts, he compiled an 0-2 record with a 14.85 ERA, 2.40 WHIP, giving up 11 earned runs on 15 hits including five home runs in just 6 2/3 innings of work.

Boyd would go on to spend the next seven years in the Tigers’ organization following the trade as a part of their starting rotation. He would amass a 37-60 record while struggle immensely to maintain an ERA below four during that time frame until his final season in 2021. From there on out, injuries began to take a toll on Boyd, as various ailments ultimately limited him to just 10 relief appearances with the Seattle Mariners in 2022 and 15 starts in his second stint with the Tigers in 2023. If things couldn’t get any worse, he would end up undergoing Tommy John surgery in June of 2023, keeping him out of action right through more than half of the 2024 MLB season. During that time, he also became a free agent as Detroit decided to not retain him while he recovered from his surgery.

Surprisingly, the Cleveland Guardians took a chance on Boyd by signing him to a major-league contract in June of 2024. That turned out to be a brilliant move in the end as Boyd eventually returned to action in August. In doing so, he was a rock for the Guardians down the stretch in helping them secure a spot in the postseason. He posted a solid 2-2 record with a 2.72 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, while striking out 46 in just 39 2/3 innings of work over eight starts. More importantly, he showed no signs of ill-effects from his recovery from major elbow surgery. Boyd continued his dominance in the postseason when he compiled a stellar 0.77 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, yielding just one run with 14 strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings pitched over three playoff starts for the Guardians.

With hopes that he has officially put his injury woes behind him, at just age 33, Boyd would be a valuable back end of the rotation/sixth starter depth option for the Jays. Given that his salary last season was just $740,000, Toronto should be able to grab this potential low-risk, high-reward pitching stud at a fair value this free agency season.

RHP Yimi García

When the Jays endured their mighty struggles with their bullpen in 2024, one of the key relievers that maintained their consistency and reliability through it all was Yimi García. With practically almost every other regular putting up unfathomable numbers, García kept his composure and actually put down the strongest performance of his three-year tenure with the Jays. In 29 relief appearances, he amassed a strong 3-0 record with a 2.70 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, while giving up just nine runs and eight walks all season along with 42 strikeouts in just 30 innings pitched.

Knowing that García will be a free agent following the conclusion of the 2024 season so that they could have the chance to get him back later, the Jays turned him into a valuable asset at the trade deadline. He was used to acquire top outfield prospect Jonatan Clase along with catcher Jacob Sharp from the Seattle Mariners. Clase ended up having a strong finish in the organization following the trade, including making his Jays’ debut prior to the conclusion of the 2024 season. On the other hand, García struggled in his tenure with the Mariners. It was later learned that he was hampered by elbow inflammation that eventually ended his season, with his last appearance being on August 19.

Assuming that the injury to García isn’t too serious and that he will be fully recovered by the time training camp opens, he will be the prime candidate to help the Jays resurrect their battered bullpen and bring it back to relevance once again. After all, García had compiled some of the best numbers of his career in a Jays’ uniform, posting a 10-9 record with a 3.44 ERA, 119 ERA+, 1.08 WHIP, together with just 39 walks and a whopping 179 strikeouts in just 157 innings of work over 163 appearances. More importantly, he was perhaps one of the team’s best setup man with 52 holds, along with performing admirably as a makeshift closer whenever he was called upon as well.

With the Jays likely to have a huge overhaul of their relief corps for 2025, it would serve the team better if they have a trusted, respected veteran who had been through it all with the team to help anchor the group,. As a result, García would be that perfect choice to take on such a role for the team.