The Blue Jays had certainly one of baseball’s worst bullpens in 2024, as accidents and under-performance wreaked havoc on what was a strong aid corps as not too long ago because the 2023 marketing campaign. Toronto’s steps to overtake the pen have so far been extra targeted 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 aid arms, as Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith and Shi Davidi report that the Jays “have proven some stage 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 also be one of many many groups concerned about Jonathan Loaisiga.
Davidi and BNS word that the Guardians have proven some curiosity in a few of Toronto’s minor league prospects, resulting in some hypothesis that the Jays might look to usher in native product Josh Naylor, who’s recognized to be accessible 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 aid 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 word, the Jays have not often invested a lot in aid pitching throughout Atkins’ tenure, and a lot of the relievers listed would doubtless be accessible on shorter-term offers. Turning to MLBTR’s rating of the offseason’s prime 50 free brokers, Estevez (twenty second, projected for three-year, $27MM contract), Minter (thirty fourth, two years/$16MM), and Kittredge (fortieth, two years/$14MM) had been the one ones to make the listing.
Going past their standard consolation zone to signal Estevez would possibly replicate the Blue Jays’ larger want for bullpen assist, as non-tendering Romano left an enormous emptiness within the nearer’s position. Chad Inexperienced appears to be like 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 probably 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 one more sturdy efficiency in posting a 3.29 ERA and 27 saves over 54 2/3 innings with the Crimson Sox in 2024.
Sewald had seemingly established himself as a strong nearer with the Mariners after which the Diamondbacks, and even obtained off to a scorching begin in 2024 earlier than operating into accidents and a really tough stretch that price him his ninth-inning position in Arizona. Higher well being and a change of surroundings might very effectively spark a return to type for Sewald, making him maybe a little bit of an underrated candidate for groups in want of saves.
