4 Blue Jays who could be the difference between success and failure in 2024

The general consensus is that the Blue Jays underperformed last year, resulting in a disappointing and limp effort during the Wild Card Series in Minnesota. And yet it speaks volumes about the talent and potential on the team, that they still managed to reach 89 regular season wins which, by the way, was just one less than the World Series champion Rangers.

For many, this offseason has already been declared a failure as a result of missing out on Shohei Ohtani. If there was ever an ultimate example of second-best being totally and utterly irrelevant, this is definitely in the running.

Certainly the Blue Jays haven't helped their cause with the players they have signed so far. For the record, this is in no way a dig at Kevin Kiermaier; it's more about just adding Isiah Kiner-Falefa as the only new signing to date.

General manager Ross Atkins is of the opinion the roster the Blue Jays have right now, is more than capable of competing for the World Series. Along these lines, here is a look at four players who could make all the difference when it comes to being genuine contenders:

Cavan Biggio

Cavan Biggio is an interesting candidate to have on here, or maybe more to the point a polarizing one. In one respect he does have the potential to be an integral part of the roster, but this is compromised by being far too inconsistent and unpredictable.

Consider that during his first season in the Majors, Biggio showed that he belonged as he went on the play 100 games. With 14 homers, 48 RBI and 71 walks at the plate, combined with reliable play at second base, he finished fifth in AL Rookie of the Year voting.

The following season, the 28-year-old continued to blossom despite the complications caused by COVID-19, as he produced a .250/.375/.432 slash line, .807 OPS and 122 OPS+. The stage seemed set for him to enjoy a long and successful career in Toronto.

Unfortunately for everyone concerned Biggio failed to build on his early momentum, as he struggled during the following two seasons, highlighted by an inept 2022 when he had career lows pretty much across the board. And then we come to last year, which might have best encapsulated all that is good and bad about his time in the Majors to date.

At one point the Houton, Texas native seemed to be doing his best to play himself off the roster. As we came towards the end of May, he had a truly awful .127/.191/.238 slash line and .429 OPS.

Then something just changed, as if Biggio was able to flip a switch, and he finally began to show the promise he'd displayed during his first two seasons with the Blue Jays. A hot bat at the back end of May and during June saw him hit at a .274 rate in 24 games, providing plenty on encoragement for all concerned.

However, it was then a case of the 2013 29th round draft pick reverting back to his frustrating 'best' in July and most of August, to again have critics questioning his long-term future in Toronto. Then came September/October and, in the words of Jays Journal's Eric Treuden, he went on an absolute tear.

Biggio batted .277 and produced a .781 OPS, as he recorded 14 RBI and 18 walks. As a result he finished the season with a .235 batting average, nine home runs and 40 RBI, which were all notable for being the second-best of his five years in the Majors.

Of course the end of season statistics on their own may not seem that impressive -- and they're not -- but the way Biggio's stat line jumped up from early on in the season, is what has people sitting up and taking notice. If he can discover that consistency which has alluded him for the majority of his career thus far, he can go a long way towards boosting the Blue Jays' lineup and making it more potent.

Daulton Varsho

Daulton Varsho exceeded expectations during his first season in Toronto with the Blue Jays. However, this was specific to his defensive play rather than overall.

Varsho led all players with 29 Defensive Runs Saved, which in turn helped the Blue Jays also lead the way in this category as a team. He ranked second with a 2.8 dWAR and only had one error all season, as the most consistent and durable defensive player in the game.

The same cannot be sad for the 27-year-old's exploits at the plate, where he disappointed all season. He produced a .220/.285/.389 slash line, .674 OPS and 85 OPS+.

The thing is though, that Varsho is actually capable of being a decent offensive presence. Consider that a season earlier in Arizona, he hit 27 home runs and 74 RBI.

In this respect, the 2017 second round draft pick did still rank tied-third on the Blue Jays in homers and fifth in RBI, although this does also allude to the team underperforming offensively as a whole. Regardless, if he can hit more like he did in 2022 (and 2021) with the Diamondbacks, it would greatly help the team.

Another reason the Blue Jays need to see better production from Varsho, is that he can do damage once he's on base. He's a strong runner, who is also good at stealing bases. (He was also first in the AL in bunts last season, which is something to utilize in contributing towards getting him on base more in the first place.)

As per Jays Journal's Ethan Miller, the Blue Jays were so eager/desperate to bring Varsho's bat to life, he was moved all around the lineup. In fact, he was the only player on the team to see at least one at-bat in every position in the order.

Not helping the Marshfield, Wisconsin native is the success of Lourdes Gurriel Jr., who was traded to Arizona in exchange for him (along with Gabriel Moreno). Similarly playing in left field when he wasn't the DH, Gurriel was superior offensively and named to his first All-Star Game.

In one respect, Varsho will likely never be one of the most feared bats in the Blue Jays lineup, but he can still be extremely productive if he gets into a rhythm. If he combines this with continuing to produce at the same level defensively, he will be one of the best overall players on the team.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

We appreciate that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was one of the Blue Jays' better bats in 2023. In this respect, he led the team in home runs, RBI and OBP.

However, the reality is that Guerrero has regressed offensively since his MVP-quality campaign in 2021. As a result, there has been some concern that rather than that season representing the start of a truly special career, it is instead a one-off, never to be repeated year.

As much as this line of thinking is understandable, it's too soon to give up on the three-time All-Star. He's still the same player capable of living up to his potential as a generational superstar at the plate.

The Blue Jays underperformed offensively as a collective last season, with Guerrero in many ways being the poster boy for this underwhelming production. If he can get back somewhere close to his 2021 form, the lineup is going to be a lot more dangerous for opposing pitchers to contend with.

Of course, while it's clear how much the 24-year-old is capable of, the question remains as to if he will every live up to his true potential? The Blue Jays and their fans want to believe he will, especially when you consider how young he still is.

In this respect, Guerrero will surely be motivated to still prove people right (or wrong depending on their perspective). If nothing else, at least he has the added incentive of wanting to earn a big payday, with him currently set to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2025 season.

The 2021 Silver Slugger has stated his preference is to remain in Toronto long-term. However, he also still has to prove to the organisation that he's deserving of a lucrative extension offer from the Blue Jays.

Perhaps providing further motivation for Guerrero, is that the Blue Jays had at one point been reportedly fielding calls for his services. As much as this doesn't necessarily mean Atkins and company want to move him, he's yet to prove himself as being indispensable.

From his perspective, Guerrero seems to be taking things more seriously, with him hitting the gym since the 2023 season finished and looking fitter than ever. He is arguably the number one key to the Blue Jays being better this year, but it's a case of going out there and actually showing what he is truly capable of.