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3 things the Blue Jays need to do accomplish before Spring Training

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Pitchers and catchers are reporting in less than a week and the offseason is slowly tapering off. So far, the Toronto Blue Jays have done everything in their power to redeem themselves after the fallout of the Roki Sasaki pursuit by signing Jeff Hoffman, Yimi Garcia, Anthony Santander and Max Scherzer. On paper, the team is in better shape than the squad they put forth last year. 

But there are still some loose ends the team can tie up before the Spring Training begins when pitchers and catchers report next week.

Here are three things Toronto should tackle before then.

Free up the infield logjam

Believe it or not, the Blue Jays still have eight infielders on their roster:

  • Addison Barger
  • Bo Bichette
  • Ernie Clement
  • Andrés Giménez
  • Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
  • Leo Jiménez
  • Orelvis Martinez
  • Will Wagner

The fact of the matter is that Toronto can’t carry all of its infielders to the major league for the 2025 season and they will have to make tough decisions at least before the season begins in late March.

However, the team should address at least some of the infield glut issue ideally before Spring Training begins, as the club only has so many bench spots and room in triple-A to go around. This type of surplus can be used to tighten up other areas of the roster, whether that is more pitching depth or a power-first type of bat. The addition of Giménez shores up second base while shortstop could become a free spot next season if Bo Bichette leaves but for now, quite a few players are vying for spots. 

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If the rumours hold true, the Blue Jays are also eyeing to add third baseman Alex Bregman to the roster if he accepts their reported six-year offer. Bregman’s addition would complicate the infield situation more for Toronto and it will be forced to send down a few younger players to the minors or trade other talents to free up the space. Ernie Clement is the only one without an option in the group but he likely finds a spot on the roster in a utility role moving forward. 

Providing some clarity for this aspect of the roster will free up the Blue Jays to help fill the gaps in other areas of their rosters. 

Identify any other target free agents who could help the team 

The Blue Jays have successfully signed a few free agents who could help them to compete for the playoffs this offseason. They even brought back reliever Yimi García to the mix to fortify the bullpen along with former closer Jeff Hoffman from the Philadelphia Phillies. While the team ultimately failed to sign Roki Sasaki or Pete Alonso, there are still other free agents they could consider bringing before the spring training begins. 

Currently, Toronto is still exploring its options with star third baseman Alex Bregman but if the team fails in its bid, it should thoroughly evaluate other players to fortify the roster further. For example, Sportsnet producer Chris Black advocated signing catcher Yasmani Grandal to support Alejandro Kirk as a backup catcher.

There are always holes to fill and no roster will ever be perfect. The Blue Jays can always use another reliever or two while an additional power bat to take reps in the DH spot would be beneficial as well. As Spring Training draws near, veteran players might be willing to take minor league deals or contracts at a low salary hit, which adds to the depth and provides some competition for roster spots in a crucial year for the Jays. 

There’s no time for Toronto to be complacent, especially after such an underwhelming season. If they are serious about contending this year, they have no choice but to keep adding. 

Find ways to extend Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Even during the height of the winter, the Blue Jays couldn’t seem to move any needles on extending their star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. The rumour mill continues to churn on whether the two sides can find a middle ground but as of right now, he is still destined for free agency next winter. 

The situation has become much more complex now since the Dominican excelled in 2024 with a slash line of .323/.396/.544. Guerrero Jr. now has much more leverage after posting stellar numbers in the back half of the 2024 season, which means that it won’t be easy for Toronto to get a deal that they necessarily want in this extension talk. 

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Nevertheless, not extending the 25-year-old infielder will be a huge mistake for the Blue Jays in the long run.. There is definitely a high risk of this hypothetical extension aging poorly as years go by but no deal will ever be a slam dunk through and through for any teams. For a team that tends to stick to their valuations on contracts, the Jays continue to negotiate with their first baseman until his self-imposed deadline next week. 

It’s undeniable that Guerrero Jr. has been the face of the franchise for the past few years and still has the talent to exceed the expectations down the road. The Canadian-born slugger is only getting started and has many brighter years ahead of his career. Not recognizing this would be detrimental to Toronto’s future.

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