3 offseason moves that hurt the Blue Jays the most heading into 2024

Every offseason, there are teams deemed as both winners and losers. It's based on the additions made to improve the current roster of every ballclub, while not losing too much value from players leaving. In a recent post from The Athletic (subscription required), the Blue Jays were ranked as one of the weakest offseasons in the league, being given a D grade. There's just been a negative energy surrounding the Jays all winter, being criticized for the moves that were made, but also the moves that fans believe should have been made. There won't be a universal agreement about how the Jays have done thus far, but there were certainly higher expectations, after another meek playoff exit in 2023.

It's true the Jays have had a quiet offseason, however there are still some encouraging players who have been added, like re-signing Kevin Kiermaier, coming off a terrific season for the Jays last year. There's also Yariel Rodriguez, who could be a steal, who can be put in a starting or relief role (most likely both) throughout his contract. That being said, what decisions made by the front office will have the biggest repercussions? There are some specific players worth mentioning that have been directly correlated to the Blue Jays in the past months, and the outcome with all 3 can reflect poorly on how the Jay's resources were allocated. It may be too early to know just how the Jays will perform in 2024, but these are the moves that felt most the damaging.

Not signing Shohei Ohtani

Let's rip the band-aid off quick. Shohei Ohtani is the most talented player in baseball to hit the market, and unsurprisingly, his free agency was heavily followed by both MLB front offices, and the entirety of baseball media. When the Blue Jays were rumoured to be one of the biggest suitors for Ohtani, every Jays fan was completely tuned in. Ohtani was the power hitter they'd desperately needed, while also being a top of the line starter who would slot into the Jays rotation in 2025, giving them a formidable starting pitching staff for the the long-term future.

After hearing a report of Ohtani heading to Toronto on a plane, it felt too good to be true. That's exactly what it ended up being, as the report was false and Ohtani promptly signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers for $700M shortly after. That saga set the bar for the Jays' offseason to come, as what could possibly top being a finalist for Shohei Ohtani?

It's hard enough to not acquire the player, but the feeling is much more devastating, when it appeared to be so close, just to miss out entirely. This near-miss will linger around the Blue Jays for a long time, and every time Ohtani hits a majestic shot out of the park, Jays fans won't be able to help imagining what might have been. There is a solace in Ohtani signing in the National League, staying as far away from the Blue Jays as possible, but there's simply no easy way to forget about how the entire situation played out.

Overpaying Isiah Kiner-Falefa

It's not a bad idea to acquire depth for the major league roster, and Kiner-Falefa is exactly that depth player. He can play around the infield and outfield, be a pinch runner, and is only 28-years old. It becomes more questionable when realizing that the team already has Santiago Espinal, who is virtually the same type of player. So if IKF is not particularly a bench player, that makes him the Jays' primary 3B option. Matt Chapman certainly went through highs and lows in 2023 for the Jays, but even at Chapman's lowest, he would provide more offensive upside than Kiner-Falefa, while staying a plus defender at the hot corner.

All of that could be forgiven, and it would be simple enough to just make Kiner-Falefa the team's main utilityman, which the roster could use. The true confusion of it all lies in the contract. The Jays gave Kiner-Falefa an AAV of $7.5M over two seasons, and as the offseason went on, other infielders with similar skills began to sign contracts at a fraction of the price. Tim Anderson, Amed Rosario, and Gio Urshela all signed one year deals, with the total price for all three combined being $8M. Those infielders combined to just half a million more than Kiner-Falefa, and that's not even mentioning the extra year he was given. It became very evident that there were significantly cheaper options for infielders, but the Jays acted too aggressive early on, leaving them with one of the more puzzling signings this offseason.