3 remaining free agents the Blue Jays should sign and 2 they should avoid

2. Jorge Soler

In 2023, the Blue Jays front office went all-in on pitching and defense, and in some ways, the plan worked brilliantly. The Jays finished with the fourth lowest ERA in baseball, and by far the most defensive runs saved, winning the team Gold Glove.

And yet, despite this, they were only able to muster 89 wins behind an offense which fell to 11th in OPS, 16th in home runs, and 14th in runs scored, and too often felt helpless when the team fell behind by a run or two. (Surely, no Jays fan needs a reminder of the one run they put up over 18 innings while getting swept out of the playoffs.) Simply, it is unfathomable that the Jays would run it back in 2024 without adding some thump to the lineup.

Enter Jorge Soler. If there’s one thing the 6-foot-4 Cuban colossus of clout can do, it’s hit the ball over the fence. He put up 36 big flies in 2023, and since 2020, has averaged 34 per 162 games played, a number which does not even include his 48-homer season in 2019.

Really though, signing Soler would be more significant than just filling the Jays’ open DH spot with a proven masher the team so desperately needs. It would be a critical recognition of failure by the Blue Jays front office, a public admission, for perhaps the first time, that their proprietary algorithms are not infallible. If the Jays are to have success moving forward, this type of self-imposed reality check is something of a prerequisite.

Signing Soler won’t make up for dismantling the foundation of the most dynamic offense in baseball for the sake of run prevention, nor will it return José Berríos to the mound in the fourth inning of a win-or-go-home playoff game.

But it would be a good start.

3. Marcus Stroman

Speaking of the Jays front office recognizing their failures, is it really possible that they would sign Stroman after his acrimonious split with the team in 2019? Well, the longtime fan favorite was recently spotted in Toronto, adding fuel to the rumors that he may be on the precipice of making his triumphant return to ‘The 6.’

For newer Jays fans unfamiliar with Stroman, think of Chris Bassitt with swag. Yes, he is an old school workhorse, making at least 25 starts in six of the last seven (non-COVID) seasons, and pitching to an eminently solid 3.65 career ERA. But the reason the Jays should bring Stroman home is less about the numbers he so consistently churns out, and more about the second part of the equation, that unmistakable swag, the electric attitude he brings to any squad he suits up for.

After trading away Lourdes Gurriel and Teoscar Hernández, two pillars of team chemistry, and scrapping the beloved home run jacket in favor of a more buttoned-up corporate attitude in the clubhouse, the 2023 Jays too often felt like a team without a soul, a procession of slumped shoulders and resignation. Adding Stroman would breathe life into the team – seasoned fans might already be imagining him down in the barrio at the end of the bench on his off days – a valuable arm on the mound, yes, but more importantly, the ‘Stro Show’ in all its magnificence.

Two free agents the Blue Jays should avoid

1. Matt Chapman

If you’re a regular here at Jays Journal, then you may already be aware – there are few Matt Chapman backers as unabashedly vocal as I am. In truth, if the Jays were to resign Chappy, I would probably celebrate, then gleefully prepare for another year of astonishing defense at third alongside breathtaking highs and maddening lows at the plate.

So why then does Chapman appear here as a free agent the Jays should not sign? It’s not just that his contract could exceed $150M and stretch until the 30-year-old is closing in on his 40s. More than that, it’s about the Blue Jays themselves, and where the strength of the organization lies.

Down on the farm, the Jays’ most exciting blue chip hitting prospects – Orelvis Martinez and Addison Barger – have each spent the majority of their time on the left side of the infield. Since, barring something truly unforeseen, neither will be supplanting Bo Bichette as the Blue Jays’ starting shortstop, their most straightforward path to the big leagues most likely lies at third (or even second) base in the near future. Add to this that 2023 darling Davis “Babe” Schneider has spent time at third, and the simple fact is that re-signing Matt Chapman blocks the most intriguing young players in the organization from getting their shot.

If the choice is between signing Matt Chapman and signing nobody, Chappy is not the worst investment the Jays could make. But if the choice is between signing Chapman and signing an outfielder while letting the kids have a crack at third base in 2024, well, as much as it pains me to say, the latter is the way to go.

2. Justin Turner

“These guys are just like the Leafs,” is a common refrain every time the Jays fall flat on their face. Whether from self-deprecating fans of the Buds, or Leafs haters who cannot resist poking a long-festering wound, it’s hard not to automatically equate the failure of one Toronto team with the one who hasn’t gone all the way since the 1960s.

If there is one thing that stands out about the Leafs of recent times, aside from their playoff performances of course, it is their undying love for big names who are well past their prime – from Jumbo Joe to Wayne Simmonds, to Jason Spezza and Patrick Marleau, and beyond. For the Blue Jays, Justin Turner provides the opportunity to make the same kind of mistake.

It’s not that Turner is awful. In fact, he had a very solid 2023, putting up a slash line of .276/.345/.800 for the last place Red Sox. But look closer. Turner’s OPS+ has declined every single (full) season since 2018, while his exit velocity, hard hit %, and barrel % have cratered dramatically since 2020.

This is no longer the star who led the Dodgers to division title after division title all those years ago, his long hair flowing in the breeze as he chased batting titles and earned MVP votes. What’s left today is merely a player whose name far exceeds his performance.

To sign Turner after so narrowly missing out on the biggest names on the market would begin to border on dishonesty, a shiny name to dangle in front of fans who don’t realize the name isn’t so shiny anymore.

So, what do you think? Which free agents should the Blue Jays sign? And more importantly, which free agents will they sign? Let me know on the platform formerly known as Twitter – @WriteFieldDeep.