4 changes the Blue Jays must make immediately after 2024 debacle

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.