Toronto Blue Jays: Free agent market is sizzling, who’s left for the Jays?

With MLB’s 2022 Winter Meetings in San Diego this week, the number of free agent signings has reached a frenzied pace. As of this writing, 44 free agents have already signed deals worth a combined $1.9 billion so far this offseason, headlined by monster deals for Yankees OF and AL MVP Aaron Judge (nine years, $360 million), new Phillies SS Trea Turner (11 years, $300 million), and new Texas ace Jacob deGrom (five years, $185 million). That figure doesn’t include the reported five-year, $90 million guaranteed deal that Japanese star OF Masataka Yoshida apparently agreed to on Wednesday. The average free agent contract so far has been for 2.4 years and $44 million total value.

The Toronto Blue Jays have so far been unlucky in their free agent pursuits, highlighted by starter Kyle Gibson passing up the same one-year, $10 million offer made by Toronto to sign instead with the Baltimore Orioles. The Jays have also been mentioned in relation to starters Justin Verlander, Andrew Heaney and Jameson Taillon, as well as reliever Kenley Jansen and CF Cody Bellinger, who have all signed with other teams. All of their other AL East peers have been active this week signing and trading for players.

So Which Players Are Still Available to Improve the Jays?

Left-Handed Hitting Outfielders

The need for a power-hitting left-handed bat to balance out the Jays lineup has been clearly defined as necessary to improve this club’s postseason chances following the Teoscar Hernández trade last month. A number of LHH OFs have agreed to deals already, including the above mentioned Masataka Yoshida, Joc Pederson, who accepted the San Francisco Giants $19.65 million qualifying offer (QO), and Cody Bellinger, who signed a one year, $17.5 million deal with the Chicago Cubs.

Remaining LHH free agent options in CF include Brandon Nimmo and Kevin Kiermaier. Should the Jays decide to keep George Springer in CF instead of moving him to right to reduce the wear and tear on his body, they could also look at left-handed hitters Joey Gallo or Michael Conforto in RF. Trading Lourdes Gurriel Jr. in a package for starting pitching or a CF like the switch-hitting Bryan Reynolds or Dalton Varsho might make sense if they were were able to sign one of Michael Brantley or Andrew Benintendi for LF, But those trades would both be costly in terms of the likely drain on an already bottom third ranked farm system.

Further, with the St. Louis Cardinals signing free agent catcher Willson Contreras to a five year, $87.5 million contract, it appears less likely that the Cards might be a trade destination for one of the Blue Jays three catchers. One of Danny Jansen, Alejandro Kirk or Gabriel Moreno in a deal for switch-hitting OF Dylan Carlson or LHH RF Lars Nootbaar looked good on paper, but now seems less likely.

Starting Pitchers

Of course there are many outstanding questions when it comes to what the Jays have identified as a clear offseason priority. With each starter that signs elsewhere, it appears more and more likely that the Jays are, in fact, payroll constrained. Didn’t the lack of a QO to Ross Stripling last month, as well as what now apppears to be the salary dumping trade of star RF Teoscar Hernández confirm that already?

Lots of free agent starters are off the board already. The only potential free agent rotation adds left who could potentially improve the Blue Jays rotation include Carlos Rodón, the lone ace who’s still unsigned, the posted Japanese ace Kodai Senga, as well as Chris Bassitt, Nathan Eovaldi, Sean Manaea, Michael Wacha, Noah Syndergaard, Rich Hill, Corey Kluber, Michael Lorenzen, Jordan Lyles, plus former Blue Jay Ross Stripling. Note: The Mets are rumoured to be interested in Stripling as well.

Are General Manager Ross Atkins and team president Mark Shapiro really happy going in to 2023 with Yusei Kikuchi and Mitch White as their fourth and fifth starting rotation options? Isn’t this a team with serious World Series aspirations? It’s unlikely that injured starter Hyun Jin Ryu will be able to contribute until late next season (if at all) coming off of UCL surgery in June this year. Other internal options like Nate Pearson, Julian Merryweather, Trent Thornton, Thomas Hatch and Anthony Kay have all left Jays fans wanting more.

And remember that the MLB ready starting pitching depth in the weak Jays’ farm system is limited to 20-year-old Ricky Tiedemann, who’s only had a cup of coffee with 11 innings pitched at Double-A. Another top prospect, Yosver Zulueta, is an oft injured - but hard throwing - righty, was selected to the Futures Game in July and can stay at 96-97mph as a starter. However, his heavy fastball and mid-80s slider combo might work better in high leverage relief, where he can hit 100mph. Top 2022 draft pick Brandon Barriera is only 18, and 22-year-old Hayden Juenger is more of a traditional multi-inning reliever.