With 92 wins and a playoff start, the Blue Jays’ offseason wishes for 2022 had been addressed smartly, however what about the Blue Jays’ offseason wishes for 2023?
After all, Toronto suffered a irritating playoff defeat to the Mariners and continues to return up a little bit brief in the AL East, no longer profitable a department crown since 2015. That must result in a hectic offseason for the Blue Jays, as they are attempting to reload for any other postseason run in 2023.
Blue Jays offseason wishes 2022
The record of Blue Jays’ offseason wishes for 2022 wasn’t in particular brief. The Jays added a number of key items to counterpoint their younger core. They aren’t precisely ranging from scratch, however there may be nonetheless a lot to be finished to get Toronto to a championship degree.
But who’re the Blue Jays’ upcoming unfastened brokers who may want to be re-signed and who may the Blue Jays’ unfastened company goals be as they are attempting to make stronger their roster from outdoor of the group?
Let’s check out the maximum urgent Blue Jays’ offseason wishes for 2023.
Another frontline starter
Even if the Blue Jays hadn’t blown an enormous lead in Game 2 of the Wild Card Round towards the Mariners, Toronto’s hopes for the remainder of the playoffs had been moderately dim. The largest reason why for that could be a loss of beginning pitching intensity.
Beyond Alek Manoah and Kevin Gausman, the Blue Jays had been missing dependable choices in their rotation. With Ross Stripling hitting the free-agent marketplace this iciness, the want to make stronger the rotation will develop even larger for the Blue Jays.
The excellent information is that Manoah and Gausman will go back to headline Toronto’s rotation in 2023. However, Jose Berrios struggled all through maximum of the season, going 12-7 with a 5.23 ERA in 32 begins.
Yusei Kikuchi wasn’t a lot better, going 6-7 with a 5.19 ERA in 2022. The Blue Jays clearly be expecting higher out of Berrios, who may have a bounce-back yr in 2023. But Toronto can not input the offseason anticipating that to occur.
The Blue Jays can even’t think that Hyun Jin Ryu will go back from Tommy John surgical procedure all over the 2d part of 2023 and supply an instantaneous spice up to their rotation. If the Blue Jays need to be a bonafide championship contender subsequent yr, they want to upload a high quality starter to pitch in the back of Manoah and Gausman whilst hoping to get extra out of Berrios, Kikuchi, and Ryu.
Rebuild the bullpen
Among the Blue Jays’ offseason wishes for 2022 used to be to construct a reliable bullpen. With Toronto simplest having the Thirteenth-best bullpen ERA in the majors, that obviously didn’t occur. The Blue Jays had been in a position to avoid wasting face a little bit by way of buying and selling for Zach Pop and Anthony Bass at the industry closing date. But Toronto’s bullpen didn’t ship in the playoffs, changing into the scapegoat in that Game 2 loss to the Mariners.
That approach the Blue Jays want to spend the iciness attempting once more to construct a bullpen that may be constant over 162 video games and likewise arise large in October.
It’s no longer all dangerous information with Jordan Romano, David Phelps, and Adam Cimber all posting an ERA underneath 3.00 this previous season. Tim Mayza and Yimi Garcia additionally had cast seasons in 2022 and might be construction blocks for the Toronto bullpen subsequent yr.
However, Phelps is getting old and Bass is a unfastened agent, hurting a few of Toronto’s bullpen intensity. More importantly, the Blue Jays may use one or two extra relievers who’ve confirmed themselves in high-leverage scenarios.
Despite Romano hanging in combination his 2d directly spectacular marketing campaign as a better, making an investment in a extra skilled nearer or top-notch setup guy may make the Blue Jays a extra ambitious workforce after they achieve the postseason.
Lock up younger stars
Clearly, maximum of Toronto’s wishes this iciness will revolve round pitching, as the Blue Jays have a robust core of younger place avid gamers. But the time has come for the Blue Jays to begin signing the ones avid gamers to long-term offers that transcend their arbitration years.
This has transform a rising pattern in baseball and the Blue Jays want to leap on the bandwagon.
Young stars like Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, and Teoscar Hernandez might be unfastened brokers faster moderately than later. Third baseman Matt Chapman can also be a unfastened agent following the 2023 season.
Obviously, Toronto can’t signal each and every younger participant to a long-term deal, so the Blue Jays should prioritize and make some onerous choices. The excellent information is that avid gamers like Guerrero and Bichette were given to the large leagues at one of these younger age that there’s much less chance in giving them a profitable, long-term contract. Yet, the time has come to begin appearing them the cash and ensuring their long term is in Toronto.
Left-handed bat
If there’s something Toronto’s potent lineup is lacking, it’s a large bat from the left aspect. Outside of Cavan Biggio, who’s coming off a deficient season, and part-time outfielders Raimel Tapia and Bradley Zimmer, the Blue Jays don’t be offering a lot from the left aspect of the plate.
While it’s no longer the largest drawback in the international or an enormous precedence, the Blue Jays may use a little bit extra steadiness.
For example, a left-hand-hitting first baseman may platoon with Guerrero, permitting Toronto’s superb slugger to spend extra time at the DH spot. It may additionally get advantages the Blue Jays to discover a left-hand hitter with some pop who may spend time serving as a DH.
The Blue Jays may additionally search for a left-hand-hitting nook outfielder who will also be extra productive than Tapia and Zimmer had been this previous season, giving them extra choices from the left aspect when dealing with high quality right-handed pitching.