4 areas where the Blue Jays need to invest the most in this winter

What areas do the Jays need to upgrade to return to their winning ways?

Toronto Blue Jays v Colorado Rockies
Toronto Blue Jays v Colorado Rockies | Dustin Bradford/GettyImages
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Bullpen (again and again and again)

Without a question the greatest weakness of the Jays from the 2024 season had been the abysmal performance of their bullpen. Their relief corps currently rank near the bottom of league across various major pitching categories including ERA (4.76 - 28th), WHIP (1.33 - 22nd), strikeouts (485 - 29th) and home runs given up (89 - 30th).

The usually-reliable studs in Jordan Romano, Erik Swanson, Tim Mayza and Trevor Richards all had seasons worth forgetting, while the bulk of the rest of the group had endured some on-and-off struggles over the course of the season. Even the infallible Chad Green has also been shaky in recent weeks, with practically only deadline acquisition Ryan Yarbrough being the most dependable arm out of the bullpen right now. As a result, the Jays will need big bounce back seasons from their main core, along with undergoing a huge makeover for the remaining relief corps pieces to bring them back to respectable levels.

Fortunately, this year’s free agent market is loaded with relievers, including some bonafide closers. With the uncertainty of Romano’s rebound next season, added to Green’s recent struggles, it would be wise for the Jays to invest in relief options that are capable of closing games if needed. Among some of the top options include Paul Sewald and Carlos Estévez. Veterans Kenley Jansen, Aroldis Chapman and Craig Kimbrel are also available, but their steady decline in recent years no longer make them as reliable. Other solid relief options that could perform well in high leverage situations include Tanner Scott and Brent Suter.

However, if the Jays wanted to take a flyer on a proven veteran, Kirby Yates would fit the bill. Despite being aged 37, Yates put together his best season since 2019 by going 7-2 with 31 saves, along with an outstanding 1.21 ERA, 0.84 WHIP with a whopping 84 strikeouts in just 59.2 innings pitched in 59 appearances with the Texas Rangers this year. His first go-around with the Jays didn’t go well when his season ended before it started with Tommy John surgery back in 2021. Perhaps a second chance with the club would work wonders this time around.

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