Maligned Blue Jays trade no one understood finally gets deserved praise from MLB

When the Blue Jays acquired Myles Straw on Jan. 17 from the Cleveland Guardians, it was a trade that got all of baseball talking — just in a bit of a unique way.

Along with acquiring Straw and the $13.8 million he was owed on his contract, the Blue Jays also got $2 million in international bonus pool space to aid in their pursuit of Roki Sasaki.

And while the Blue Jays didn't end up getting Sasaki, they still had Straw. And, through nearly a month of the 2025 MLB season, the Blue Jays' acquisition of Straw is beginning to look like one of the most shrewd moves of the offseason.

Maligned Blue Jays trade no one understood finally gets deserved praise from MLB

While he is known for his defensive abilities (he won a Gold Glove with Cleveland in 2022) his offense is beginning to come around.

Straw is hitting .297 through 18 games this year with a home run, three RBI and two stolen bases.

His defense has often overshadowed by his lack of power at the plate, but Straw has turned that around lately while also showcasing his speed.

His offensive contributions are even more impressive when you consider how he fared in season's prior. Straw posted an OPS+ in the 60s in 2022 and '23 (his last two seasons with Cleveland) and hit just .229 across 997 at-bats). He's been a pleasant surprise this year, as he has an on-base percentage of .350 OBP and a slugging of .432

That strong production helped him earn an inclusion on MLB.com's new list highlighting the best new addition on every team, where he beat out marquee signings like Jeff Hoffman and Anthony Santander,

"Acquired in a deal that was all about adding international bonus pool space as the Blue Jays chased Roki Sasaki, Blue Jays fans had an awkward introduction to Straw after that pursuit fell flat. That’s not Straw’s fault, though, and all he’s done since camp opened is impress those around him, likely earning a role on this team even after Daulton Varsho (shoulder) returns soon," MLB.com's Keegan Matheson wrote.

He's been a key part of the bottom of the lineup's resurgence, and he's also manned center field well. that's been productive. He's not qualified for the Baseball Savant leaderboard, but he'd be in the top percentiles in chase rate, whiff rate and squared-up rate.

While that plate discipline has likely helped him be more productive at the plate, vibes seem to also be playing a part.

"I'm having the most fun I probably had in my career," Straw told Sportsnet's David Singh. "I'm happy to be here no matter what, whether I'm playing or not. I look forward to helping the team win that day and it's just fun. It's fun to be around these guys every day,"

Like Matheson wrote, Straw's strong showing to the season likely means that he's earned a spot on the roster even when Varsho makes his return.

The 30-year-old is giving the Blue Jays something to smile about, and has likely played himself into the team's plans for the rest of 2025.