Blue Jays: New veterans bringing a fresh identity to the Jays

When the Toronto Blue Jays front office set out to reshape the roster this offseason, they had a definite plan in mind. Ross Atkins and Mark Shapiro must have seen that their young superstars had taken the team, as constructed, as far as they could.

With a finite window of World Series contention, they wanted to give the young core the supporting cast to realize the championship potential. Along with improving the outfield defense and balancing the lineup with left-handed bats, both glaring needs, Atkins and company gave the team's identity a makeover.

After adding Whit Merrifield at the trade deadline, the team went on an offseason shopping spree for veteran pieces that would drastically alter the demeanor of the club. Almost overnight, the front office transformed the team's identity with the additions of Kevin Kiermaier, Brandon Belt and Chris Bassitt now providing veteran experience to complement the young talent.

Whit Merrifield is embracing his veteran role

In a move that foreshadowed the offseason roster shakeup, the first step of the makeover came with the deadline acquisition of Whit Merrifield from the Royals. While he played a vital role in the late-season push to clinch the top Wild Card spot, he was the newcomer to a tightly-knit group.

At 34, Merrifield enters 2023 as one of the oldest players on the roster and a veteran voice of leadership.

In his first camp with the Blue Jays, he is embracing the role of the wise veteran who can mentor younger teammates and still contribute on the field, as MLB.com's J. Scott Butherus reports.

The seven-year veteran's acceptance of his position on this young team hasn't gone unnoticed by manager John Schneider.

"Whit's awesome in the clubhouse, a veteran leadership presence," Schneider told Butherus. "He's a guy that has been through the grind and understands that he is gonna be a little different this year."

Despite his age, Merrifield still has the tools to contribute to a contending team, not just cheerlead from the dugout. This spring, he is hitting .333 with a .980 OPS, a home run, four doubles and seven RBI.

He has also shown a willingness to run again. While he has been caught in three of his five steal attempts, he still has base stealing speed; he ranked in the 84th percentile in Sprint Speed last season.

As he enters the second act of his career, Merrifield's defensive versatility and offensive skillset, combined with his new veteran mindset, will help him make an impact both on the field and in the clubhouse this season.

Next: What can a healthy Kevin Kiermaier contribute to the Blue Jays?

Now fully healthy, Kevin Kiermaier knows his role

When the Blue Jays announced the signing of Kevin Kiermaier, many fans were left wondering why they would sign the long-time rival who seemed to be on the decline and was coming off season-ending hip surgery last year.

The 10-year veteran feels he still has more to offer and knows what it takes to win, having been to the postseason four separate times with the Rays.

While Kiermaier "leads with non-stop energy" according to Ethan Diamandas of Yahoo!, he also understands the culture that the front office is attempting to build. He understands that winning championships requires not just talent but "talented players who care."

It's a great privilege to play for such a great organization and for a country. No other team in the big leagues can say that. I'm thrilled. I can't wait to show everybody what I bring to the table and what I offer. I promise you, I'll care more than anybody in that clubhouse. I'll do whatever it takes to win. I want to pop a bunch of champagne.

Now that the 32-year-old center fielder is fully healthy he knows what he can bring to the table on the field. Per MLB.com's Keegan Matheson, Kiermaier understands his role. Hitting at the bottom of the lineup, his job is to get on base, cause havoc and set the table for the top-of-the-order.

So far, so good for Kiermaier, who is slashing a healthy .400/.438/.567 through 12 games with three doubles, a triple and five RBI.

The three-time Gold Glover is also focused on regaining his place as a premier center fielder and has looked good early on.

He's leading a vaunted outfield defense, with Daulton Varsho and fellow veteran George Springer by his side and has already put his stamp on the new-look outfield.

David Singh of Sportsnet reports that Kiermaier has introduced a new outfield communication method. Kiermaier told Singh that he "figures his 'unorthodox' method will flourish with the Blue Jays' talented alignment."

At the plate, in the field or behind the scenes, Kiermaier has found a leadership role with his new club and will find multiple ways to contribute to the team's success this season.

Next: Brandon Belt brings World Series clout to the Blue Jays.

Chris Bassitt is already influencing the pitching staff

After signing a three-year deal with the Blue Jays, Chris Bassitt is penciled in as the number four starter and will help solidify one of the deepest rotations in the majors. That's not all he brings to his new club, however.

As the Toronto Sun's Rob Longley reports, the veteran right-hander didn't take long to impress his new teammates. Bassitt has "been a constant presence at bullpen sessions and starts by his fellow pitchers, soaking up everything he can about those he'll be going to battle alongside."

Fellow veteran starter Kevin Gausman understands how much influence veteran players can have and thinks Bassitt has already made an impression on the other pitchers.

"When you bring in a veteran guy like that, everybody can look and see how it's supposed to be done and it just raises everybody's expectations," Gausman told Longley.

On the mound, Bassitt brings a new wrinkle to the rotation with the variety of pitches he throws. With eight pitches now in his arsenal, his rotation mates are excited to have him on the staff.

"Having a guy like Bassitt, whoever is the day after him is going to have a lot of fun because he throws 10 different pitches and can really mess guys up," Gausman told Longley. "I've been on a lot of staffs where guys have pretty similar stuff and it's just like teams could figure out a plan of attack. In a four-game series, you don't know what you're going to get from us."

The former All-Star also brings a competitive edge to the Blue Jays, having played alongside Max Scherzer, one of the fiercest competitors in the game. Bassitt is using that experience and looking to help his pitching peers gain an advantage wherever they can.

As previously discussed, the 34-year-old recently spoke with Rob Friedman ("The Pitching Ninja") and discussed pushing the envelope and gaining a competitive advantage with the new pitch clock rules.

"Being around Max for a year and us knowing this was all coming, we had a lot of talks over how we'd use this. He's pushing the envelope early," Bassitt told Friedman.

While the starters each have their own unique style, adding Bassitt's fresh, veteran influence and competitive spirit to the mix gives the rotation a new identity and the other pitchers a new perspective to lean on and learn from.