The 2025 season is Chad Green’s final year under contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.
This is Blue Jays Nation’s annual 40-man Roster Review, where we look at the players on the Blue Jays’ 40-man roster. We’ll look at how the player performed in 2024, his season projections for the 2025 season, and any storylines heading into this coming season. In this article, we’ll look at Chad Green.
Knowing that Green was recovering from Tommy John surgery, the Blue Jays signed the right-handed pitcher to a very confusing contract before the start of the 2023 season. The former Yankee pitcher returned in September 2023, posting a 5.25 ERA and a 2.67 FIP in 12 innings pitched, with a 30.8 K% and a 7.7 BB% as the Blue Jays went on to make the postseason that season.
In the end, the Blue Jays exercised their two-year, $21 million option, or $10.5 million a season. There was an option for a fourth year, but the Jays didn’t take that one.
Last season, Green authored a 3.21 ERA and a 3.80 FIP in 53.1 innings pitched, while his K% dropped to 21.9% with a solid 6.7 BB%. After Yimi García was traded before the trade deadline, Green served as the team’s defacto closer where he picked up 17 saves and three blown saves.
Diving deeper into his season, Green had a 1.61 ERA and a 4.04 FIP in 44.2 innings pitched, with a 23.1 K% and a 6.5 BB%. Before the trade deadline, Green’s name came up in trade rumours, with the Jays ultimately not deciding to trade him in an attempt to contend in 2025. It was a rough September for Green though, as he had an 11.42 ERA and a 5.59 FIP in 8.2 innings pitched, with a 17.1 K% and a 7.3 BB%.
Sticking with the numbers, Steamer predicts that Green will have a 4.05 ERA and a 4.13 FIP in 66 innings pitched, with a 23.2 K% and a 7.2 BB% next season. Similarly, OOPSY projects the 33-year-old righty to have a 4.00 ERA and a 4.21 FIP, with a 22.7 K% and a 7.9 BB%.
So where does Green fit in the Blue Jays’ bullpen in 2025? Well, he isn’t projected to close, as the Jays signed Jeff Hoffman for that. They also re-signed Yimi García, who had success with the Blue Jays last season as the rest of the bullpen went up in flames and he was traded to the Seattle Mariners. It looks as if the Jays may be interested in another high-leverage reliever, as they were in on Tanner Scott and reportedly have an interest in Carlos Estévez.
If they’re able to sign Estévez or another high-leverage reliever, it would push either Green or García into medium-leverage, which is not a bad place for either of them given their ability to get outs.
As always, you can follow me on Bluesky @ryleydelaney.bsky.social.