4 changes the Blue Jays must make immediately after 2024 debacle

After a disappointing 2024 MLB season, the Toronto Blue Jays were destined to embark in an offseason facing a wholesale of changes on the agenda. Jays general manager Ross Atkins may be safe for now as he was recently confirmed to be returning for the 2025 season. However, other action has already begun with the dismissal of various personnel at the management level, including hitting coach Guillermo Martinez, field coordinator Gil Kim and bullpen coach Jeff Ware, along with the re-assignments of assistant pitching coach David Howell and offensive coordinator Don Mattingly.

The Jays will not stop right there, as many more moves need to be made in the coming months if they intend to get back to their winning ways. As a result, let’s a take a look at four changes that the Jays need to make immediately to rectify the debacle of a season that they had in 2024.

Time to take George Springer out of the leadoff spot

Star outfielder George Springer may have made a name for himself for being an elite leadoff hitter for almost the past decade in MLB. However, it has now come the time that he may need to move on from that role going forward.

That is because in 2024, Springer had actually put together his worst season in the role since he was moved into that spot permanently by the Houston Astros during 2016. He batted a dismal .214 with a .640 OPS, along with just 50 runs scored, 13 doubles, 12 home runs, 33 RBI and 14 stolen over 101 games played in the leadoff spot. Those numbers were a far cry from his usual standards that he had produced year in and year out.

With obvious signs of regression occurring for the 35-year-old veteran, it should be about time that the Jays move on from Springer in the position and try out a more traditional leadoff hitter that could be more effective at getting on base and generating runs. At the same time, Springer can still be productive in driving in runs, so moving him further down the lineup could potentially work wonders. As a result, it could present a win-win situation for the Jays going forward if Springer is willing to take one for the team.

Complete bullpen overhaul is a must

Going into the 2024 season, one of the things that the Jays had the least worries about was the state of their bullpen. Led by closer Jordan Romano and company, Toronto’s relief corps actually ranked among the league’s best in 2023, sitting third in saves, fourth in losses and WHIP, eighth in ERA, and 11th in opponents batting average. With the bulk of the bullpen core remaining intact for this year, the Jays were expecting more of the same from their competent group.

Unfortunately, 2024 turned out to be a complete disaster for practically the entire unit. Befell by injuries and inconsistency, the Jays’ bullpen ultimately became their weakest link over the course of the season. The usually dependable and trusted arms in Romano, Erik Swanson, Trevor Richards, Tim Mayza and even Chad Green later in the season all fell apart, while returnees Nate Pearson, Zach Pop and Genesis Cabrera to some extent didn’t help the cause either. On top of that, when the Jays needed bullpen reinforcements along the way, the makeshift replacements didn’t fare any better. The lone bright spots were perhaps just Yimi García, who was traded at the deadline, and Ryan Yarbrough, who now heads into free agency.

As a result, a massive overhaul of the Jays’ bullpen is an absolute necessity in order to get them back on track. That is because there’s no guarantee that Romano, Swanson, Green and those that remain will regain their prior dominant form for 2025. In addition, having an abundance of pitching depth will be key, as we all witnessed their immense struggles this past season whenever the Jays needed more arms. This drastic change should start the moment free agency season commences, with plenty of viable options available this offseason in the market to help solve their problems.

Sign Vladdy to an extension and make him the face of the franchise

For a while, there was a strong debate as to who was the face of the Jays’ franchise. Was it Bichette or Vladimir Guerrero Jr.? After all, Guerrero displayed a gradual decline in his overall numbers since his MVP-calibre season in 2021, whereas Bichette had been a consistent top hitter in the league throughout that same time. In doing so, it appeared as though that honour was tilting in favour of Bichette. Consequently, many felt that the Jays should focus on discussing an extension with the star shortstop as their priority.

However, a tumultuous 2024 season for both Bichette and Guerrero has significantly altered the landscape in Jays’ land. Bichette had perhaps his worst ever season in his MLB career, posting an abysmal .225 average, .598 OPS, with 29 runs scored, 4 home runs and 31 RBI in 81 games played. He was also plagued by injuries over the course of the season, which may have played a role in his underwhelming performance. 

On the other hand, after struggling mightily in the first month of 2024, Guerrero bounced back in a huge way for the rest of the season, often carrying the team on his shoulders in the process. In the end, he performed once again as the superstar that many were expecting of him, compiling a strong .323 average, .940 OPS, 98 runs scored, 44 doubles, 30 home runs, 103 RBI while falling just one hit short of 200 on the season. There was no doubt that prime Vladdy was back.

With Bichette being surrounded by trade talks and rumors of potentially moving on from the club throughout the summer, Guerrero had adamantlyreconfirmed that he wanted to stay and win with the Jays. As a result, the Jays must act now and make Guerrero the priority for a long-term extension instead of Bichette if their goal is to win. On top of that, for someone as determined and dedicated to the organization as Guerrero, Jays’ management should annoint him the face of the franchise going forward for good to help lead the team to success.