2024-25 MLB Offseason Recap: Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays finished last in the AL East last season, marking the first time in the decade Toronto failed to finish above .500. With a pivotal 2025 ahead, the Blue Jays were relatively active this winter. Toronto added several former All-Stars, including a slick fielder, a high-end power bat, and a future Hall of Famer on a low-risk deal.

Notable Additions

• RP Yimi Garcia (0.5 bWAR in 2024, 0.7 bWAR in 2024)
• 2B Andres Gimenez (4.0. bWAR)
• RP Jeff Hoffman (2.0 bWAR)
• RP Nick Sandlin (-0.1 bWAR)
• OF Anthony Santander (2.9 bWAR)
• SP Max Scherzer (0.4 bWAR)

After a sluggish 2024 as far as the Jays’ offense was concerned, Toronto beefed up their lineup with corner outfielder Anthony Santander. Santander, on a five-year deal, was in the top three of MLB among primary outfielders in home runs from 2022-24. He offers not just run production potential but also protection for Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Aside from Santander, the Jays also picked up Andres Gimenez in a trade with the Guardians. Cleveland dumped off Gimenez’s contract, one that will see most of the money off the extension he signed in 2023 dolled out over the next few seasons. The former All-Star can get on base and is a former Gold Glover who can play stellar defense.

Gimenez wasn’t the only notable Guardian picked up by Toronto, as the team also acquired Myles Straw via a separate salary dump trade. Straw’s bat has kept him from being a regular and realistically, the only reason why Toronto got him was to pick up international money for Roki Sasaki, also part of the deal.

Sasaki, however, did not sign with the Jays.

Toronto did get a notable starter, in future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer. Scherzer only made nine starts last season and despite thumb problems in spring, looked good overall in Grapefruit League action.

Notable Losses

• RP Genesis Cabrera (-0.1 bWAR)
• 1B/2B Spencer Horwitz (1.2 bWAR)
• RP Jordan Romano (0.3 bWAR)

Toronto did most of the heavy lifting last summer. The Blue Jays offloaded Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Yusei Kikuchi, Danny Jansen, and Justin Turner to fill up a farm system that’s become depleted over the years. Kikuchi, Jansen, and Turner would have been free agents after 2025.

However, the Jays did lose some notable pieces this winter.

One was Spencer Horwitz, involved in the Gimenez deal. Horwitz fit in nicely last season with the Jays, injecting some offensive punch with his short swing and his ability to work counts. However, Gimenez is more of a natural middle infielder.

Horwitz was flipped to the Pirates in a separate deal.

Toronto decided to non-tender Jordan Romano, the team’s former closer who missed most of last season. The Jays replaced Romano with Jeff Hoffman, originally drafted by the Blue Jays as a starter a decade ago.

What to Expect in 2025

Given the injuries across the AL East, the Blue Jays have a window to make it back to October this season. Bo Bichette is healthy heading into Opening Day, while Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has every incentive to perform well in his contract year (Bo’s a pending free agent, as well).

And with a beefed-up rotation, Toronto should be at least better than in 2024, a year that saw Toronto win just 74 games.