Potential World Series champion is a picture-perfect Blue Jays free agent target

With the World Series now underway, all eyes are on some of the biggest stars in the game — Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge and Juan Soto come to mind. As the top free agent this offseason, Soto will have extra eyes on him, including the Toronto Blue Jays front office, if you believe some of the recent rumors.

However, Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins should be keeping an eye on a slightly less sexy name. Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Blake Treinen isn’t a household name by any means but would be a welcome addition to a Toronto bullpen that will receive a desperately needed overall this winter, per MLB.com's Keegan Matheson. He'll be an unrestricted free agent at the conclusion of the World Series

Potential World Series champion Blake Treinen is a picture-perfect Blue Jays free agent target

Since debuting in 2014, Treinen has a career 2.78 ERA while pitching for the Washington Nationals, Oakland Athletics and the Dodgers. He missed most of 2022 and the entire 2023 season after shoulder surgery but bounced right back this year. After making his season debut in early May, the 36-year-old Treinen threw 46 2/3 innings in 50 appearances with a 1.93 ERA and 0.94 WHIP.

Those numbers would help the Blue Jays revamp the relief corps in 2025. Toronto relievers posted the second-highest ERA (4.82) and the seventh-highest WHIP (1.34) in the majors this past season. Treinen's .193 average against would definitely help improve the Blue Jays' fifth-worst .243 mark.

With a four-pitch mix, which heavily features a mid-90s sinker and an 84 mph wipeout sweeper, Treinen would add a strikeout presence to the bullpen that lacked swing and miss this season. He logged a 30.4 percent strikeout rate in 2024, while the Blue Jays' relievers collectively posted the second-worst mark at 20.7 percent.

Jim Bowden of The Athletic predicts that Treinen will receive a two-year, $17 million contract (subscription required) this winter. While his age might turn some people off, Treinen would bring an invaluable veteran presence and experience to a rebuilt bullpen. He has 80 career saves, including a 38-save season with the Athletics in 2018, and 103 career holds.

The former seventh-round pick also has plenty of postseason experience, with 35.2 playoff innings across six different runs. Treinen has been dominating this October, with a 2.70 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 10 innings, and doesn't shy away from the spotlight in big moments.

“There is peace about it,” Treinen said after picking up the win in Game 1 of the World Series on Friday, per Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times. “There is a peace when you go out and just let it be what it is. You can let the situation get big, or you can just try to live in it and enjoy it.”

If Atkins and president Mark Shapiro are serious about turning the Blue Jays back into contenders next season, Treinen is the type of reliever to sign to a short-term deal. Adding another experienced arm alongside Chad Green and, hopefully, a resurgent Jordan Romano and Erik Swanson to help lock down high-leverage late-inning situations will be crucial for a team for which every win will matter in the AL East.