General Blue Jays Discussion Thread (2025)

[Jonn]

8 minutes ago, max silver said:

Why would you assume this is a phantom IL stint? It was mentioned that Berrios has been dealing with this for awhile and his stuff is down to a large degree in recent months compared to the start of the season. 

I am only assuming that because he didn't look happy to be in the Bullpen or coming out of the Bullpen. If he is actually injured thats fine but I think the relationship took a big hit when they took him out of the rotation.

[Jonn]

3 minutes ago, glory said:

It is suspicious timing right before a bullpen game putting a pitcher they won't use again on the IL for a fresh arm, but if it's a legit elbow injury, then might actually be a good thing as weird as that is to say. As mentioned above, Berrios' velo and stuff has declined badly this season, and there's no chance in hell that he's opting out of 2/48 after next season, so if an injury is causing the red flags in his profile then at least there's hope for some kind of turnaround. If he was healthy and the same guy with just diminished stuff and velocity, then it would be 3 more years of Tanner Roark on a big money contract. 

This is also my thought. Its the first thing I thought of as well. Not him legit being hurt but needing to get another arm on the roster for a "Bullpen day". He didn't look very hurt last night. His feelings looked hurt but he didn't look hurt physically. 

If him pitching injured because he always wants to take the ball every 5 days and this actually gets him healthy agian for next Season everyone here would be ecstatic. I just don't personally think thats the case.

[HomeRunHomer]

If it's not a new injury/phantom injury it doesn't make a lot sense that he was left in the rotation while Lauer was demoted.

[Brownie19]

1 hour ago, Jonn said:

Berrios with a phantom IL stint. Think that’s the end of his Blue Jays career. His body language last night was very telling. It will likely result in the Jays eating a lot of money to send him elsewhere.

I sat behind the bullpen the other night and I thought Berrios looked like someone had shot his dog.  He generally look miserable.  

My gut says there might be something minor wrong with his elbow (bone spurs).  If they needed him to pitch, he'd pitch through it, but they don't, so off to the IL he goes...

Wouldn't be surprised to see him get some type of clean up arthroscopic surgery on the elbow his offseason.  Hopefully it allows him to rebound next year.

[Masterbather]

43 minutes ago, Jonn said:

I am only assuming that because he didn't look happy to be in the Bullpen or coming out of the Bullpen. If he is actually injured thats fine but I think the relationship took a big hit when they took him out of the rotation.

Didn't Schneider and the trainer start coming to the mound while he was pitching yesterday and he sent them back? 

Or did I imagine that? Yesterday is a bit of a blur for me. 

 

 

[Stangstag]

I personally think France also had a phantom DL stint. Some shady stuff happening here these last couple weeks and hopefully it hasn’t ruined the team mojo

[jaysblue]

Crazy how one month ago, this rotation looked amazing and had the problem of having too many good starters for only 5 spots.

Now with Bassitt and Berrios on the IL, Scherzer s***ing the bed and Lauer back in a BP role now, this rotation is on thin ice. Looks like the Jays will have to ride on Bieber, Gausman and Yesavage the rest of the way. 

[Laika]

1 hour ago, jaysblue said:

Crazy how one month ago, this rotation looked amazing and had the problem of having too many good starters for only 5 spots.

Now with Bassitt and Berrios on the IL, Scherzer s***ing the bed and Lauer back in a BP role now, this rotation is on thin ice. Looks like the Jays will have to ride on Bieber, Gausman and Yesavage the rest of the way. 

Yeah but other than Scherzer none of these guys were likely playoff contributors 

[Masterbather]

2 hours ago, jaysblue said:

Crazy how one month ago, this rotation looked amazing and had the problem of having too many good starters for only 5 spots.

Now with Bassitt and Berrios on the IL, Scherzer s***ing the bed and Lauer back in a BP role now, this rotation is on thin ice. Looks like the Jays will have to ride on Bieber, Gausman and Yesavage the rest of the way. 

At no point did I feel we had anything confident beyond Kevin and Shane. Berrios was at the bottom of the list, Scherzer was too much of a home run risk. Bassitt was  up and down and his road numbers are terrible.

There was never a clear number three for the playoffs. 

There still isn't. 

If we end up in the wild card. Assuming Gausman pitches 162, I think games two and three would feature bullpen games with a lot of Lauer and Yesavage in each. 

If we make the DS and beyond, you get Bassitt back as your 4, but the bullpen game may still be your number 3.

The bottom line is I think bullpen game might be our number 3 throughout the playoffs.

[jaysblue]

8 hours ago, Laika said:

Yeah but other than Scherzer none of these guys were likely playoff contributors 

For the WC and DS, three starters is fine. You probably need 4 for the CS and WS. 

Scherzer and Bassitt likely were going to be the guys who were going to contribute as a the #3 and #4 starters. Yesavage is now thrown into that role and who knows what you're going to get. As much as I love the upside, he'll only have 3 MLB starts entering the Postseason. Teams never seeing him before live in the batters box could be an advantage however, we'll see. 

Will be interesting to see how the Jays line up their rotation after Gausman and Bieber. Definitely see them going with a BP game like they did last night possibly in a Game 3 of the ALDS. 

[jaysblue]

7 hours ago, Masterbather said:

At no point did I feel we had anything confident beyond Kevin and Shane. Berrios was at the bottom of the list, Scherzer was too much of a home run risk. Bassitt was  up and down and his road numbers are terrible.

There was never a clear number three for the playoffs. 

There still isn't. 

If we end up in the wild card. Assuming Gausman pitches 162, I think games two and three would feature bullpen games with a lot of Lauer and Yesavage in each. 

If we make the DS and beyond, you get Bassitt back as your 4, but the bullpen game may still be your number 3.

The bottom line is I think bullpen game might be our number 3 throughout the playoffs.

Yeah I think they roll with a BP game as their No. 3 option in a series over Yesavage starting. They had success last night which was nice to see. 

Bassitt had been pitching better as of late. If you start him at home, don't have an issue with him. Prefer him over Scherzer and Berrios. We'll see what happens.

Wonder what they tell Scherzer or if they still plan to keep him in the rotation but on a very short leash. 

Would roll with Gausman, Bieber and the BP for the first three games in the ALDS. 

[Brownie19]

I certainly think using an opener and then Lauer (like last night) should be on the table for the playoffs in a 7 game series.  Although it looks like it's all smoke and mirrors - Lauer just continues to perform in almost any role we use him in.  

[mphenhef]

16 hours ago, Jonn said:

I am only assuming that because he didn't look happy to be in the Bullpen or coming out of the Bullpen. If he is actually injured thats fine but I think the relationship took a big hit when they took him out of the rotation.

Hopefully it declines enough that he doesn't exercise his option after next year.  I can't see any way that happens though.

[polar bear]

On 9/25/2025 at 11:13 AM, Jimcanuck said:

Luck is balancing out, too bad its now

Luck is an non existing factor.

[Terminator]

4 hours ago, Brownie19 said:

I certainly think using an opener and then Lauer (like last night) should be on the table for the playoffs in a 7 game series.  Although it looks like it's all smoke and mirrors - Lauer just continues to perform in almost any role we use him in.  

A Varland-Lauer duo seems like it could be effective.

Righty throwing 100 mph followed by a soft tossing lefty.

[Laika]

Ally Anthopoulos claims Ally Manoah 

He should fit in well with Bryce Elder, Walker Buehler, and Erick Fedde in their 2026 rotation

[Omar]

On 9/23/2025 at 6:40 PM, Omar said:

AA waiting for Manoah's outright release from the Jays...

 

so predictable...

 

[Jonn]

I still don't understand why Manoah needed to DFA'd when you have guys like Justin Bruihl, Lazaro Estrada, Easton Lucas, Adam Macko, Easton Lucas, Robinson Pina, and Dillon Tate who are all dog s*** and nothing occupying roster spaces

[Laika]

7 minutes ago, Jonn said:

I still don't understand why Manoah needed to DFA'd when you have guys like Justin Bruihl, Lazaro Estrada, Easton Lucas, Adam Macko, Easton Lucas, Robinson Pina, and Dillon Tate who are all dog s*** and nothing occupying roster spaces

He has worse stuff than them and costs more and is less of a "trooper" and less likely to be on a playoff roster even in a nightmare (team bus accident) scenario. 

Like the thought process was probably something like... Ross: "okay, if half of the pitchers get septic hemorrhoids the night before the ALCS and we have to call up SIX pitchers from the 40 man roster, which SIX make it?"

And the analyst said "Bruihl, Estrada, Lucas, Macko, Pina, and Tate" so they cut the odd man out. 

[Jonn]

50 minutes ago, Laika said:

He has worse stuff than them and costs more and is less of a "trooper" and less likely to be on a playoff roster even in a nightmare (team bus accident) scenario. 

Like the thought process was probably something like... Ross: "okay, if half of the pitchers get septic hemorrhoids the night before the ALCS and we have to call up SIX pitchers from the 40 man roster, which SIX make it?"

And the analyst said "Bruihl, Estrada, Lucas, Macko, Pina, and Tate" so they cut the odd man out. 

I guess if they genuinely feel he will never recapture his stuff or specifically his slider because he never really threw that hard but atleast he threw it for strikes that's fine. But his age combined with his size. And just recovering from a major surgery. I would have atleast liked to have seen him get one more chance. None of those guys I listed had a chance to be a Starter. Manoah if healthy is probably in the Braves rotation next year.

[Spanky__99]

Septic hemorrhoid's, lmao

[bronson44]

5 minutes ago, Spanky__99 said:

Septic hemorrhoid's, lmao

New fear unlocked

[G-Snarls]

1 hour ago, Omar said:

so predictable...

 

LOL

Of course 

[Jays24]

Please don't let Manoah be this era's Chris Carpenter.  The fact he was claimed on waivers does show he does have some believers and could have been traded for value instead of given away for free.  

[Omar]

26 minutes ago, Jays24 said:

Please don't let Manoah be this era's Chris Carpenter.  The fact he was claimed on waivers does show he does have some believers and could have been traded for value instead of given away for free.  

AA is throwing darts at a wall hoping something sticks. All it costs is money and time. 

[keggy]

Obviously not gonna happen this year, but Anthopoulos sure loves to remind us, doesn't he?

[Stangstag]

2 minutes ago, keggy said:

Obviously not gonna happen this year, but Anthopoulos sure loves to remind us, doesn't he?

Im like 80% sure he specifically claimed Manoah just in hopes he might turn it around just so he could stick it to the Jays brass.

[Jayzfan79]

These guys are killing me....a week ago it was basically a sure thing lol.

[max silver]

11 hours ago, Jays24 said:

Please don't let Manoah be this era's Chris Carpenter.  The fact he was claimed on waivers does show he does have some believers and could have been traded for value instead of given away for free.  

Manoah is averaging 90 MPH with awful command. I have a really hard time seeing how there would be a team interested in trading for a player like this, and if they did it would be absolutely nothing of value coming back in return. I don't think there's a lot of worry about this being a Chris Carpenter situation barring a dramatic improvement to his stuff and command.

[Olerud363.354]

Kind of funny how this team is the complete opposite of the 2021 team.

2021 team 8 games below expectations, this team 6 games above. 

2021 team was seemingly full of generational stars with MVP near triple crown level Vlad, a 45 homer 2nd basemen, a fast 6 bbrefWAR Bo,  peak Teoscar Hernandez and prime George Springer.

2025 team has Eric Hosmer level Vlad, Ernie Clement as the second basemen,  a slow Bo with broken knees that can no longer play, peak Nathan Lukes, and past-prime George Springer but somehow rejuvinated back 5 years to prime.

2025 team had Cy Young winner Robbie Ray, 10kper 9 Alec Manoah, Jose Berrios sitting at 95.

2025 team has just released Alec Manoah, disabled Jose Berrios, but I guess hoping Trey Yesavage is 2021 Alec Manoah.   

2021 Jordan Romano had exactly 1/2 the ERA and 1/2 the homeruns compared to Jeff Hoffman.    

Yet last Saturday of the season 2021 Jays had one improbable path to a 5 game playoff series, they needed to win out, needed help from the Nationals or Rays, then would have needed to win a tie breaker, then a wild card game.  This year they already have a 3 game series locked and multiple paths to a 5 game series. 

Playoffs are mostly luck but one thing I do think is you don't know exactly how good a team was until the next season.  Like what if Yesavage is really good, Beiber is recovered from TJ,  Hoffman hasn't really lost it,  Santander is still good,  Vlad's power hasn't really disappeared, Barger is getting better, Fluharty is good, etc.  Don't know any of that for sure until next year.  So it's like the opposite of 2021.  2021 team wasn't good as good as we thought as many players looked a bit better than they were long term.   2025 team could be better than at first glance depending on long term true talent levels.