Offseason Roster Thread 2025-26

[thatoneguy]

Almost as if making the World Series is better than losing to the Yankees or something.

[max silver]

23 minutes ago, Jays24 said:

We went from being a joke after 2024 with Vladdy/Bo potentially leaving to being one of the best landing spots for players.  Team Shatkins, take a bow, yall deserve it for standing firm lol.  

Now lets hope we can take advantage and add some real difference makers this offseason.

I don't think the team was ever a "joke", especially not in the context of a single bad season largely caused by extenuating circumstances.

[Ball4Life]

What about Kwan instead of Tucker?

[max silver]

1 minute ago, Ball4Life said:

What about Kwan instead of Tucker?

That doesn't exactly feel like an apples to apples comparison. 

[Ball4Life]

16 minutes ago, max silver said:

That doesn't exactly feel like an apples to apples comparison. 

Agreed. Speaking strictly about outfielders. Kwan was worth a few wins last year and with 2 arb years left. What would a potential package be that Cleveland would consider?

From a payroll perspective, Kwan + Bichette is probably very doable vs Tucker + Bichette.

[max silver]

2 minutes ago, Ball4Life said:

Agreed. Speaking strictly about outfielders. Kwan was worth a few wins last year and with 2 arb years left. What would a potential package be that Cleveland would consider?

I kind of question whether a Kwan pickup would be worth the acquisition cost. Two of his last 3 seasons are approximately league average with the bat, and although he's experienced 2 far more successful seasons he's far from a sure thing.

[Jonn]

I don’t understand why Kwan is talked about like he’s a superstar. He had an .OPS barely over .600 in the second half of the Season.

[Olerud363.354]

5 minutes ago, max silver said:

I kind of question whether a Kwan pickup would be worth the acquisition cost. Two of his last 3 seasons are approximately league average with the bat,

Kwan and Nathan Lukes were pretty close 2025 in fWAR per plate appearance.  Kwan doesn't hit lefties too well, so despite the fact he is not platooned maybe he should be?  Like Davis Schneider might be better against lefties.

Kwan - a bit better hitter, a bit better defensively, 3 years younger

Lukes - a bit cheaper, more of an unknown.

Lukes/Schnedier - better than Kwan?

 

[Pendleton]

For a trade candidate bat I like Brendan Donovan. Lefty bat with a career .282/.361/.411 slashline (119 wRC+) who can move all over the diamond as needed. Perhaps the Cards can package him with JoJo Romero who would project as our best lefty RP. 

 

Inexpensive acquisitions in terms of salary, that could leave room for other major upgrades. 

[jmomcc]

19 minutes ago, Pendleton said:

For a trade candidate bat I like Brendan Donovan. Lefty bat with a career .282/.361/.411 slashline (119 wRC+) who can move all over the diamond as needed. Perhaps the Cards can package him with JoJo Romero who would project as our best lefty RP. 

 

Inexpensive acquisitions in terms of salary, that could leave room for other major upgrades. 

I was actually looking at statcast for guys who reminded me of lukes and clement (defensive versatility, plus square the ball up,  and don't whiff) and his name immediately stood up. Its such a useful type of player that i don't see them trading him. You need to identify these guys in triple a probably. 

[max silver]

22 minutes ago, Pendleton said:

For a trade candidate bat I like Brendan Donovan. Lefty bat with a career .282/.361/.411 slashline (119 wRC+) who can move all over the diamond as needed. Perhaps the Cards can package him with JoJo Romero who would project as our best lefty RP. 

 

Inexpensive acquisitions in terms of salary, that could leave room for other major upgrades. 

Donovan certainly fits the bill as a versatile player in the mold of the players the Blue Jays like to employ. I do question how clean of a fit he is as his best position appears to be 2nd base and if Bo is retained either Bo or Gimenez stands to receive the bulk of the playing time at 2nd base.

[jmomcc]

One thing i'd like them to try this offseason via trade probably is figure out next year's CF decision ahead of time. 

I don't like signing short stops and centre fielders in free agency and i don't think varsho ages well. I'd try now and at the deadline to identify a replacement. 

I'd also like to see clement get some reps there in spring training. See if he has the instincts to play there. He has the speed. He has great infield instincts. And he's under control for 3 more years. 

[Jays24]

1 hour ago, max silver said:

I don't think the team was ever a "joke", especially not in the context of a single bad season largely caused by extenuating circumstances.

I think its more of this happening with the farm system being ranked low and not sure what yo expect from so many of our guys.  Then you add Vlad/Bo going into their walk year, there was definitely a lot of concern.  

Anyways, kudos to everyone involved turning things around.  I wanna pull a 2014 Spurs and get revenge by winning it all the next season. 

[bronson44]

[Jonn]

3 hours ago, L54 said:

Perfect. We want the DAWGS from Japan and not the guys riding coat tails 

He’s a lot more intense and firey than most Japanese pitchers. He even mocked Trevor Bauer’s sword celebration in the game he faced him earlier this Season. I watched that game live. He struck out 17 batters in that game,

[Eat My Shatkins]

Is Imai going to get a similar contract to Yamamoto? Or is he going to come in cheaper?

Is he comparable to Yamamoto talent wise?

[Stangstag]

16 minutes ago, Jonn said:

He’s a lot more intense and firey than most Japanese pitchers. He even mocked Trevor Bauer’s sword celebration in the game he faced him earlier this Season. I watched that game live. He struck out 17 batters in that game,

Oh so that’s why you keep shouting his name from the rooftops lol

[mphenhef]

3 hours ago, Pendleton said:

Only lone wolf weirdos or massive ego main character types would watch our playoff atmosphere and clubhouse cohesion and not want to be apart of something like that. 

So Bryce Harper?

[Stangstag]

3 minutes ago, Eat My Shatkins said:

Is Imai going to get a similar contract to Yamamoto? Or is he going to come in cheaper?

Is he comparable to Yamamoto talent wise?

Shouldn’t come anywhere close to Yama’s contract. 

[SeranthonySantander]

38 minutes ago, Eat My Shatkins said:

Is Imai going to get a similar contract to Yamamoto? Or is he going to come in cheaper?

Is he comparable to Yamamoto talent wise?

Ippei is getting under 200m.  He’s not as good as the other guy the dodgers have.

its always a gamble with these guys.  They are small (think this guy is same size as Yamamoto) and there are always concerns they won’t match up well with MLB hitters so it’s probably not a risk most teams can afford to take, other than the top 10 payrolls 

[glory]

I'm not a big JS fan by any means, but he was robbed on this one. 

[SeranthonySantander]

Guardians have 2 players gambling on pitches.

Get down 15 games to the tigers and make up 16 games because the tigers completely fall off.  Maybe don’t go down 15 games in the first place?

Fair enough 

[EnglishJay]

Nonsensical 

[Stangstag]

Jays were snubbed for every award this season lol

[Wake n bake]

14 minutes ago, glory said:

I'm not a big JS fan by any means, but he was robbed on this one. 

I was just saying this to my wife, the man gets his team to first mid season, keeps it, wins AL east, destroys the Yankees, goes into Seattle down 0-2 rallies back to move on and brings his team within 2 outs of a World Series win against fkn dodgers and he gets second to the guy who took advantage of Detroit s***ing the bed for a few games and got knocked out in the wildcard by Detroit, 

 

unreal 

[Brownie19]

11 minutes ago, Stangstag said:

Jays were snubbed for every award this season lol

100% they were - over and over.  Embarrassing.

[Olerud363.354]

3 hours ago, thatoneguy said:

Almost as if making the World Series is better than losing to the Yankees or something.

And losing to the Dodgers the way they did is better than losing 4-1 in a ho-hum World Series.

Practically speaking the 2 extra games in Toronto and insane TV rating probably made 5 million over  a 5 game boring World Series.  Also made it appear as Toronto was about as good as LA...

[Olerud363.354]

2 minutes ago, Brownie19 said:

100% they were - over and over.  Embarrassing.

Apparently Rosie D. of Toronto Star voted for Voight... why?  Why do any of these people vote for 87 win negative run differential manager that benefited from a crazy Tigers slump?  

[SeranthonySantander]

14 minutes ago, Wake n bake said:

I was just saying this to my wife, the man gets his team to first mid season, keeps it, wins AL east, destroys the Yankees, goes into Seattle down 0-2 rallies back to move on and brings his team within 2 outs of a World Series win against fkn dodgers and he gets second to the guy who took advantage of Detroit s***ing the bed for a few games and got knocked out in the wildcard by Detroit, 

 

unreal 

This was all voted on before playoffs 

[Jonn]

I'm more annoyed with the gold gloves. I don't know Ernie is nominated for 2 and doesn't get either. How does that even make sense. Kirk also deserved to not only win the Catcher Gold Glove but you could make the case for the Platinum.