6 reasons fans should watch the Blue Jays closely in 2024

Blue Jays contention window closing?

With team superstars Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette set to become unrestricted free agents at the end of next year, neither has receive an extension from the club. At the same time, there have been many other young stars in the league that have been already locked up long-term such as Bobby Witt Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., and Julio Rodríguez to name a few, with the teams betting on their future potential and sustained impact.

Perhaps both Guerrero and Bichette are waiting to see what direction the Jays are heading in the coming years before they make their decision. If that is the case, 2024 becomes an important year that may determine the future outlook for both superstars and the team as a whole. If the Jays continue their progressive success from the past few seasons, there is a good chance they will want to be together in the same winning culture going forward. However, if the team takes an unexpected step backwards, the dynamic duo could seriously reconsider whether they are in a place that can sustain winning and success, or whether they need to look for that elsewhere. As a result, keep a close eye on how the Jays do this season, as the outcome could have a seismic effect on the faces of the franchise and the Jays’ contention window going forward.

Veteran presence like never before

When the Jays began their current rise to contending status back in 2020 following their rebuild, their roster consisted mainly of a new wave of young players with the odd veteran presence in the lineup. In the past few years, they have added the likes of George Springer, Kevin Gausman, Marcus Semien, Kevin Kiermaier, Chris Bassitt, Brandon Belt and others to help bring in some experience and leadership to help balance out the ballclub. However, in 2024, the Jays have taken it to another level like never before by adding 39-year-old and 15-year veteran Justin Turner, along with 40-year-old and 17-year veteran Joey Votto into the mix. 

The Jays are betting on the fact that they still have something left in the tank to help lead the team to success. For Turner, he brings with him his massive 86-game playoff experience, along with playoff MVP honours and a World Series ring to provide a heavy-winning influence on the team. On the other hand, Votto has led the league in walks and on-base percentage on multiple occasions, along with being a six-time All-Star and former NL MVP, so he can lead by example in terms of proper plate discipline and hitting for the team. So as they look for one more last hurrah before calling it a career, can they potentially be the difference makers to take the Jays over the top? We will soon find out.