Blue Jays Opening Day roster prediction 1.0

With pitchers and catchers due to report next week, the roster crunch will soon be getting underway. With many decisions still to be made, and the possibilities of more players to be acquired, let’s try and predict what the opening day roster could look like come March 30th in St. Louis.

It’s worth noting the apparent, but not overly necessary needs for this roster. A successful offseason has seen additions to the rotation, the creation of a deep bullpen, the recreation of their outfield, and the acquiring of left-handed bats. Still, minor needs could include more left-handed options out of the bullpen, a right-handed hitting outfielder, another starting pitcher, and further utility options for the bench. 

Starting Rotation (5)

1. Alek Manoah

An All-Star, a Cy Young finalist, a home-grown talent, and the ace of this staff, we're all ready for another year of Alek Manoah. With several statistical outlets projecting a down year for him due to his method of inducing soft contact, watching Manoah go out and prove the doubters wrong will be something to watch in 2023.

2. Kevin Gausman

After a stellar first season in Toronto, Gausman comes into the season with the opposite of Manoah’s case in terms of projected stats. He had historically bad luck last year, as there was a discrepancy of over a whole run between his ERA and FIP. His 2.38 FIP led the AL last year.

3. Chris Bassitt

Looking to stay consistent, Bassitt’s joining of this rotation makes it one of the strongest in the entire American League. The first year of a three-year deal, I look forward to watching Bassitt shove this season, and hope he’ll be a calming force every fifth day.

4. José Berríos

The opposite of Bassitt last year, Berríos was anything but consistent. This is in stark contrast to the rest of his career, as his time with the Twins was extremely consistent. 2023 will be a big year for him, as he will go out to prove who he truly is after signing that large extension with the Jays after the 2021 season.

5. Yusei Kikuchi

After a very disappointing and confusing 2022 campaign, Kikuchi will have a lot to prove in the upcoming season. It's highly likely that he’s given the fifth rotation spot come Opening Day, but with other pitchers capable of filling this role both in the bullpen and minors, he'll have a short leash.

Bullpen (8)

Closer: Jordan Romano

Coming off his first All-Star selection, Romano will open the season as the closer for the Jays and look to continue his dominance from last year.

Setup: Erik Swanson

The biggest piece coming back for Teoscar Hernández, Swanson is looking to build off of a breakout season last year. He will be relied on to pitch high leverage innings for the Jays this year, and hopefully we see another productive year in a much improved Jays bullpen. He also negates the need for another lefty in the pen, as his splits show left-handed hitters struggle against him more than righties.

Setup: Anthony Bass

After coming (back) over midseason last year, Bass will look to have another solid season in the latter half of his career. The former Wayne State product is coming off a 2.7 WAR season between the Marlins and Jays.

Setup: Yimi García

A quietly very good season last year, García should continue to be given high leverage innings this season. A steady presence in the bullpen, there's reason to believe he will continue to put up solid performances for the Jays in the coming season.

Middle relief: Tim Mayza

The lone lefty projected to make the team, his splits are more dramatic than initially expected. A .504 OPS against lefties compared to an .818 clip against righties, Mayza will be an asset against left-handed hitters in 2023.

Middle relief: Adam Cimber

The unsung hero of the bullpen, Cimber just goes out there and does his job. Eclipsing 70 innings each of the last two years, he continues to be one of the more dependable relievers the Jays have seen in their franchise's history.

Middle relief: Nate Pearson

A somewhat bold pick, Pearson will impress during Spring Training en route to breaking camp with the team. Let's say he does enough to take Trevor Richards’ spot for 2023. The sky's the limit for Pearson, at least as a reliever. A fastball in the upper 90s and a wipeout slider, paired with an impressive showing in the Winter League, look for big things from him this year.

Long relief: Mitch White

It'll be interesting to see Mitch White this year, working with a clean slate and more comfortability from starting his season with the Blue Jays. Since Kikuchi starts off in the rotation, White will take the bulk innings out of the Blue Jays bullpen and will be the club's sixth starter.

Outfield (3)

Left field: Daulton Varsho

An important figure to watch on the Jays this year, Varsho represents a big shift in the Jays from last year to this year. A fantastic fielder and a left-handed hitter with pop, Varsho’s 2023 will be in the spotlight.

Center field: Kevin Kiermaier

A longtime thorn in the Blue Jays’ side, Kiermaier has a similar outlook to that of Varsho. Kiermaier brings a dynamic presence to the Jays roster, as the club will be looking for health and continued dominance defensively in the centre.

Right field: George Springer

Another year, another spring of just hoping for a healthy season from Springer. Electric and game changing when healthy, he is a threat on both sides of the ball. A full season in right field will be an interesting storyline as well, as there’s the possibility that his workload could be better managed with this new outfield flexibility.

Bench (3)

Infield: Santiago Espinal

After an eventful season that saw ups, downs, hot-streaks and even an All-Star selection, Espinal is forecasted to have more of a reserve role for 2023. Expect him to cover players' days off across the infield, and possibly get priority on starts against lefties.

Infield/outfield: Cavan Biggio

After another down season for Biggio, his role for 2023 is up in the air. Capable of playing second, first, and the corner outfield, his versatility and approach at the plate gives him impact player potential. However, expectations for his 2023 season are unclear. It wouldn't be a complete shock if Biggio is involved in a trade during the spring in an effort to bring in a fourth outfielder. However, as of now, he'll be there in St. Louis on Opening Day.

Infield/outfield: Otto López

After a successful season overall, I expect López to be given a shot at a role on the Blue Jays bench. Shown to be a competent fielder at short, second, and the outfield, his versatility could be an asset down the stretch. In addition to this flexibility, his is ability to hit lefties could be an asset as well, as he hit to a stellar .381 average against lefties in Triple-A last year.