The Toronto Blue Jays didn’t quite sell as many pundits expected at the trade deadline. At 53-60, the last-place Jays were believed to be ready to pack it in for this season.
But that’s not quite what the club did. In fact, the organization is trying to do something arguably tougher. The deadline moves suggest the Blue Jays are looking to retool on the fly. And that’s a very fine needle to thread.
Contending teams having down seasons generally try to recalibrate without going through the rigors of tearing things down and building back up.
Doing so would have implied really blowing the roster up and starting over. But the organization doesn’t surmise that’s necessary. And looking at the trades, it seems the Jays are thinking ahead.
The most glaring move was the Kevin Gausman trade. Gausman is an impending free agent. As such, it made sense for Toronto to move him. While it doesn’t preclude that the Jays might bring him back in free agency, the acquisition of Jose Soriano implies that Gausman really wasn’t in the plans beyond this season.
Make no mistake. Soriano is no replacement for Gausman, at least not now. But down the line, if Soriano can actually improve his numbers on an arguably better ballclub like the Blue Jays, the move might look like an upgrade.
But there’s still a long way to go.
Blue Jays Getting Younger, Shedding Payroll
On the whole, the overall plan points towards the Blue Jays getting younger, especially in the outfield, while looking to shed payroll. That was another reason behind the Daulton Varsho trade. While Varsho remains a superb defensive outfielder, he is 30. And, he is also an impending free agent.
With that in mind, the Blue Jays might be looking to trim some contracts as they look to free up money to make a run at free agents this winter.
Given the team’s situation, however, which pieces could Toronto attract this offseason? Assuming the Blue Jays don’t make the postseason, they’ll have to go back to the drawing board and rethink most of the rotation, a fair chunk of the bullpen, and the outfield.
That’s a tall order, all of which the club will need to figure out in short order.
One Contract Weighing Heavily on Organization
All told, there’s one massive contract weighing heavily on the organization: Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. Vladdy’s first season following his $500-million extension has been nothing short of disappointing. For a player making $40 million this season, six home runs and 44 RBIs just isn’t cutting it.
Almost immediately, the deal has aged poorly. While Guerrero Jr. is still 27, questions will remain about his contract’s viability. Assuming this season is pretty much a write-off, Guerrero Jr. will need to come back in 2027 and prove this season was just an aberration.
If Vladdy can’t come back next season, Blue Jays fans may question the organization’s judgment in paying Guerrero Jr. so much when that cash could have been used in other areas.
Ultimately, this season is still salvageable. The Jays would have to go on a run, but a playoff spot is still within reach. And if the team can get hot at the right time, they might just be able to do some damage in the fall.
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