The Blue Jays had one in every of baseball’s worst bullpens in 2024, as accidents and under-performance wreaked havoc on what was a stable reduction corps as not too long ago because the 2023 marketing campaign. Toronto’s steps to overtake the pen have so far been extra centered on subtraction than addition, because the Jays have parted methods with the likes of former nearer Jordan Romano, Genesis Cabrera, and Dillon Tate.
Whereas the Juan Soto pursuit has dominated the Jays-related headlines this winter, the membership has been actively linked to many gamers, as has been the usual working process for Ross Atkins throughout his time as Toronto’s GM. This consists of a number of reduction arms, as Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith and Shi Davidi report that the Jays “have proven some degree of curiosity” in Carlos Estevez, Kenley Jansen, Andrew Kittredge, Chris Martin, Phil Maton, A.J. Minter, and Paul Sewald. ESPN’s Jorge Castillo provides that Toronto can be one of many many groups concerned about Jonathan Loaisiga.
Davidi and BNS notice that the Guardians have proven some curiosity in a few of Toronto’s minor league prospects, resulting in some hypothesis that the Jays may look to herald native product Josh Naylor, who is understood to be obtainable in commerce talks. Speculatively, the Toronto/Cleveland connection may additionally be associated to the Blue Jays’ bullpen search, because the Guards are very deep in reduction pitching.
The sheer quantity of names into account isn’t actually all that uncommon, contemplating how most groups take a broad view of the ever-shifting bullpen market. As Davidi and Nicholson-Smith notice, the Jays have not often invested a lot in reduction pitching throughout Atkins’ tenure, and many of the relievers listed would probably be obtainable on shorter-term offers. Turning to MLBTR’s rating of the offseason’s high 50 free brokers, Estevez (twenty second, projected for three-year, $27MM contract), Minter (thirty fourth, two years/$16MM), and Kittredge (fortieth, two years/$14MM) have been the one ones to make the checklist.
Going past their standard consolation zone to signal Estevez would possibly mirror the Blue Jays’ better want for bullpen assist, as non-tendering Romano left a giant emptiness within the nearer’s function. Chad Inexperienced appears like the favourite for saves in the mean time, however signing Estevez would push Inexperienced again to a setup job and create a clearer bullpen hierarchy.
Jansen, in fact, is way and away essentially the most established nearer of the group, with 447 saves over his standout 15-year profession. Although Jansen is getting into his age-37 season, he’s coming off yet one more sturdy efficiency in posting a 3.29 ERA and 27 saves over 54 2/3 innings with the Pink Sox in 2024.
Sewald had seemingly established himself as a stable nearer with the Mariners after which the Diamondbacks, and even received off to a scorching begin in 2024 earlier than operating into accidents and a really tough stretch that price him his ninth-inning function in Arizona. Higher well being and a change of surroundings may very nicely spark a return to type for Sewald, making him maybe a little bit of an underrated candidate for groups in want of saves.
