The Blue Jays had considered one of baseball’s worst bullpens in 2024, as accidents and under-performance wreaked havoc on what was a strong 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 contains a number of reduction 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 eager 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 is thought to be accessible in commerce talks. Speculatively, the Toronto/Cleveland connection may also 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 word, the Jays have not often invested a lot in reduction pitching throughout Atkins’ tenure, and a lot of the relievers listed would seemingly 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 checklist.
Going past their standard consolation zone to signal Estevez may replicate the Blue Jays’ better want for bullpen assist, as non-tendering Romano left a giant emptiness within the nearer’s function. Chad Inexperienced seems like the favourite for saves in the meanwhile, 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 coming into his age-37 season, he’s coming off yet one more robust 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 received off to a scorching begin in 2024 earlier than working into accidents and a really tough stretch that value him his ninth-inning function 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.
