Offseason Roster Thread 2025-26

[John_Havok]

22 minutes ago, DonJays said:

Fair enough. I should have said the “most at fault.” Homeruns happen. Multiple baserunning errors on routine play should not 

The is never a singular play in any baseball game that says "that is why we lost". That's both the beauty and ugly truth of baseball. 

[glory]

50-24 (+26)

That was the Jays run differential if you added up all the scores at the time Hoffman entered the game in the post season. 

He had exactly 3 high leverage situations with the Jays leading (by 3 runs or less) or the game tied. He did well in 2 of them (ALCS Game 7 and WS Game 3), but failed in Game 7 of the WS. Beyond that, the rest of his appearances were almost entirely low leverage. I'm not suggesting that's good or bad, just the reality of his appearances. The Jays were probably much better off without having to count on him in higher leverage spots as often. 

You can't put all the blame on anyone. Bad luck happens, bad calls happen, and "game of inches" stuff happens. With that said, giving up a HR to Miguel Rojas in that spot is insane. Imagine if the roles were reversed and Sasaki/Yamamoto/Snell/whoever gave up a game tying HR to IKF or Straw. IKF has like a 30 wRC+ against LHP, so imagine if Snell gave up a bomb to him in the 9th. That's going to sting more than anything else. The Jays used their best pinch runner in the previous inning (Straw) so IKF was all they had to pinch run for Bo. Can't really do much there. Hoffman giving up a HR to a dude who'd have trouble hitting a HR against RHP if the ball was being underhanded to him all season is a different story. 

TLDR; get a closer to replace Hoffman in 2026. 

[Governator]

Hoffman was just fine in the postseason, more reliable than he was all year, in fact I don't think we could have asked for a better performance from him. He's not the reason we lost the WS.

I think some of the blame is just from frustration. That said, having another option next year would be nice, when Hoffman struggles it's scary times.  Hopefully Garcia comes back strong next year, would be a solid addition.

[Hipfan]

There were so many weird things that happened to the Jays in the WS; the Bichette DP when he thought Varsho walked, Clement's game 6 hit that got stuck in the wall that would have tied the game, Hoffman giving up a HR in the bottom of the 9th of game 7, to Vladdy just missing a game tying HR by inches. So many little things that went against the Jays.

I really believe they should have won the series, but hats off to the Dodgers (especially Yamamoto), they grinded their way to the championship. I really hope for a rematch next year!

Also, the regular season is going to be a slog after the playoff run they just had. I'm both super interested and completely uninterested in what happens. I only care about the playoffs and desperately want the Jays to win it all this time; feels like they were robbed. But I also know this is baseball and the fairytale team we had last season might be gone for good; kind of sad, but I'm holding out hope that the awesome chemistry they had, coupled with a solid addition or two, will take them over the top next year.

[Spanky__99]

Is IKF even on the PS roster if Bo was healthy? I doubt it.

[DonJays]

2 minutes ago, Spanky__99 said:

Is IKF even on the PS roster if Bo was healthy? I doubt it.

Blows my mind that people defend this loser. At least Mattingly called out IKF. Hard to say really: the org loves him for some reason that I’ll never understand 

[Governator]

Everyone blames IKF as well and understandably so, but I don't think I've heard anyone mention coach Carlos not making him take a bigger lead when he wasn't being held tight...  It's a shared team loss. 

[John_Havok]

20 minutes ago, Governator said:

Everyone blames IKF as well and understandably so, but I don't think I've heard anyone mention coach Carlos not making him take a bigger lead when he wasn't being held tight...  It's a shared team loss. 

i dunno, it's in the past so .. pointing fingers is just stupid at this point. It happened. it sucks. get over it. 

Spring Training starts in 81 days, 10 hours, and 28 minutes. 

[DonJays]

20 minutes ago, Governator said:

Everyone blames IKF as well and understandably so, but I don't think I've heard anyone mention coach Carlos not making him take a bigger lead when he wasn't being held tight...  It's a shared team loss. 

The coach deserves blame as well. But he didn’t tell IKF to not get a secondary lead or hesitate when the ball left varhos bat. He also didn’t tell him to slide. Let alone feet first lol

[GoBlue41]

18 minutes ago, Governator said:

Everyone blames IKF as well and understandably so, but I don't think I've heard anyone mention coach Carlos not making him take a bigger lead when he wasn't being held tight...  It's a shared team loss. 

Ii don't think Smith is gonna throw that ball down to third with the World Series on the line. I don't care how good he is or how many times they did it in the regular season. The other thing you need to protect against is the line drive to short or third in that instance. Considering Varsho was up, the chances of that happening were slim. I think the only thing the short lead was helping to prevent was maybe the line drive hit right back to pitcher. At that point, the percentages have to be small enough that you risk a bigger lead because of all the positive things that could happen for doing so. I'm sure I'm way off and I'm gonna get skewered for this take, but it is what it is, 

[DonJays]

9 minutes ago, GoBlue41 said:

Ii don't think Smith is gonna throw that ball down to third with the World Series on the line. I don't care how good he is or how many times they did it in the regular season. The other thing you need to protect against is the line drive to short or third in that instance. Considering Varsho was up, the chances of that happening were slim. I think the only thing the short lead was helping to prevent was maybe the line drive hit right back to pitcher. At that point, the percentages have to be small enough that you risk a bigger lead because of all the positive things that could happen for doing so. I'm sure I'm way off and I'm gonna get skewered for this take, but it is what it is, 

Absolutely accurate. Varsho never lines the ball to 3rd

[The_DH]

Let's face it, if we go back to early spring training, nobody truly expected we would be on the edge of a game 7 WS win.  We did way better than expected.  Let's just add some good pitching, re-sign Bo upgrade the offense and maybe a baserunning coach and we can do it.  The value of this year's experience will go a long way.  That and robo umping may keep teams like the Dodgers at bay.

[glory]

Impossible to know what would have happened, but a scenario where the Pirates don't release IKF and the Jays simply go with Leo Jimenez in September/October is a bigger 'what if' for me than Game 7. This team gave IKF 40 (!) post season plate appearances where he had a wRC+ of 7 (!!). If Jimenez was on the bench instead then they never would have played him and probably (kicking and screaming) would have put DS at 2B most of those games and maybe he runs into 1 or 2. It was absolutely infuriating to look forward to a playoff game but also cringe at the same time anticipating seeing IKF's name in the lineup. 

So while the Hoffman HR to Rojas destroyed a part of me, I'm perfectly fine with any IKF slander. 

[G-Snarls]

26 minutes ago, DonJays said:

Absolutely accurate. Varsho never lines the ball to 3rd

Well, not often anyway 

 

[Olerud363.354]

3 hours ago, glory said:

With that said, giving up a HR to Miguel Rojas in that spot is insane. Imagine if the roles were reversed and Sasaki/Yamamoto/Snell/whoever gave up a game tying HR to IKF or Straw. IKF has like a 30 wRC+ against LHP

Exactly.  Hoffman gave up an insane number of homers in 2025.  His numbers for a closer were awful.  The logic that 'his previous 10 innings were good so give him a break here' isn't quite right, especially since few of those innings were in leverage. 

Some reasons Jays lost game 7 were Hoffman, lack of reliable setup man, relatively weak hitter for a 2 hitter, weak hitting bench options who were subbed late in game, and 2 of their 3 best hitters were injured.  Those are the reasons.  Even with all that they were an inch a way from winning that game. 

No team perfect and it's game of wack-a-mole.  You could address all this get 2 great relievers and hit Tucker second, and better hitters on the bench then lose a fluke early round series anyway....

 

[Olerud363.354]

1 hour ago, glory said:

This team gave IKF 40 (!) post season plate appearances where he had a wRC+ of 7 (!!)

IKF also made an error that led to an un-earned run in game 3 ALDS.  He makes that play more than likely that whole game is different, with Bieber having a chill first, may not get in trouble a couple innings later in that game...  the bullpen is more rested going into ALCS, win one of the games early in the series, bullpen and starters more rested going in to WS.  Literally it all is IKFs fault.  Jays win World Series in 6 without him, but maybe have less revenue (2 less home playoff games if win ALCS in 6 and WS in 6).

IKF made a bit of a baserunning error in game 3 WS too.

No one is perfect but does get me thinking what if it's Leo Giminez, or even Cavan Biggio in that spot.  Every else stays the same Cavan Biggio is a foot further ahead in the 9th inning of game 7....

Obviously maybe Biggio, or Giminez or who-ever does something else dumb and everything bufferfly different 

[Spanky__99]

On 11/3/2025 at 3:38 PM, Stangstag said:

Here’s a better, less damning angle of the IKF leadoff. He’s actually the same distance as Muncy.

 

 

On 11/5/2025 at 11:36 PM, Stangstag said:

Just saw a podcast vid with Pierzynski and Max Muncy, Max says IKF’s lead was fine. He also talked about how him and Will Smith discussed (during the pitching change) a possible back pick on IKF there if he got too far off the bag.

So boom I was right about the possibility of a back pick. It was probably in the scouting report and factored in to IKF’s leadoff

The lead was fine... baseball 101 to not get doubled up or picked off with 1 down, it's just unfortunate, lets move on.

I knew someone post that angle, thanks Stag!

[Jays24]

Damn... I came to this thread for some hopeful signings... instead im getting reminded of something im not recovered from yet :(

[hanton]

IKF again. lol

[Omar]

2 hours ago, Jays24 said:

Damn... I came to this thread for some hopeful signings... instead im getting reminded of something im not recovered from yet :(

Why are we reopening old wounds? No more WS talk please.   Let it go. Time to move on.  Shove off.  Zip it.  Don't dredge up the past.  Turn the page.  Look forward.  

[dineke]

4 hours ago, Olerud363.354 said:

IKF also made an error that led to an un-earned run in game 3 ALDS.  He makes that play more than likely that whole game is different, with Bieber having a chill first, may not get in trouble a couple innings later in that game...  the bullpen is more rested going into ALCS, win one of the games early in the series, bullpen and starters more rested going in to WS.  Literally it all is IKFs fault.  Jays win World Series in 6 without him, but maybe have less revenue (2 less home playoff games if win ALCS in 6 and WS in 6).

IKF made a bit of a baserunning error in game 3 WS too.

No one is perfect but does get me thinking what if it's Leo Giminez, or even Cavan Biggio in that spot.  Every else stays the same Cavan Biggio is a foot further ahead in the 9th inning of game 7....

Obviously maybe Biggio, or Giminez or who-ever does something else dumb and everything bufferfly different 

Maybe with Biggio or Gimenez they don't get a hit against the mariners in game 7 like IKF did and they get eliminated in the alcs. 

[Olerud363.354]

24 minutes ago, dineke said:

Maybe with Biggio or Gimenez they don't get a hit against the mariners in game 7 like IKF did and they get eliminated in the alcs. 

Absolutely.  In reality every single thing would be different.   However you are right, IKF was 5 for 15 in the ALCS with a hit just in front of Springers homer.   Hypothetically if every other event was the same (which it wouldn't be but I digress) then replacing IKF with Biggio in that ALCS they probably lose.  Replacing IKF with Biggio in the World Series they probably win.

Going forward all you can do is try to maximize the run differential and fix some of the little things on the margins (the IKF role would ideally be a better baserunner). 

 

[John_Havok]

2 hours ago, Olerud363.354 said:

Absolutely.  In reality every single thing would be different.   However you are right, IKF was 5 for 15 in the ALCS with a hit just in front of Springers homer.   Hypothetically if every other event was the same (which it wouldn't be but I digress) then replacing IKF with Biggio in that ALCS they probably lose.  Replacing IKF with Biggio in the World Series they probably win.

Going forward all you can do is try to maximize the run differential and fix some of the little things on the margins (the IKF role would ideally be a better baserunner). 

 

Its truly weird how some FOs just watch on to cerain low-ceiling/marginal players and fall over themselves to keep bringing them back over and over. 

AA had Chavez in Atlanta. Atkins has IKF, the Yankees have Yarborough... 

[Terminator]

11 hours ago, John_Havok said:

Its truly weird how some FOs just watch on to cerain low-ceiling/marginal players and fall over themselves to keep bringing them back over and over. 

AA had Chavez in Atlanta. Atkins has IKF, the Yankees have Yarborough... 

Yeah that's kind of funny.

I suppose it makes sense in that these guys are cheap to acquire so if you are higher on them then everyone else, they'll often end up on your team. 

[Terminator]

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/fangraphs-power-rankings-offseason-2026-no-1-17/

Jays are ranked 9th in Fangraphs' Offseason Power Rankings

Quote

Fresh off a heartbreaking World Series loss, the Blue Jays are well positioned to defend their AL East division crown. We’ll see if postseason heroes Ernie Clement, Addison Barger, and Nathan Lukes can carry over their October success into sustained production in 2026, but the bigger questions lie at shortstop, where there’s a Bo Bichette-sized hole to fill, and in the rotation. Trey Yesavage was a revelation in the playoffs, but you’d have to expect the team to treat him very carefully next year. Shane Bieber opted to exercise his player option, which gives the Jays another frontline starter behind Kevin Gausman and Yesavage, but they could use another couple of arms to provide some depth for their pitching staff.

 

[Eat My Shatkins]

1 hour ago, Terminator said:

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/fangraphs-power-rankings-offseason-2026-no-1-17/

Jays are ranked 9th in Fangraphs' Offseason Power Rankings

 

All 5 AL east teams in the top 16 and all 5 projected for .500 or better.

[Eat My Shatkins]

Just gimme.....

 

- One bat (Bo, Tucker, Bregman)

- One TOR SP (Cease, Imai, Suarez)

- One high leverge BP arm (Diaz, Suarez, Helsley, Fairbanks)

 

Given there will only be so many teams in serious bidding for some or all of these players (Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Phillies, Cubs, Jays), and given that the Jays are a proven contender with willingness to spend, we should hopefully be able to land one of each of those guys. And if the Jays are willing to break the bank in 2026, just keep on signing guys haha.

[Jimcanuck]

26 minutes ago, Eat My Shatkins said:

Just gimme.....

 

- One bat (Bo, Tucker, Bregman)

- One TOR SP (Cease, Imai, Suarez)

- One high leverge BP arm (Diaz, Suarez, Helsley, Fairbanks)

 

Given there will only be so many teams in serious bidding for some or all of these players (Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Phillies, Cubs, Jays), and given that the Jays are a proven contender with willingness to spend, we should hopefully be able to land one of each of those guys. And if the Jays are willing to break the bank in 2026, just keep on signing guys haha.

The one bat cannot be Belly?

[jaysblue]

Braves ranked #2 on that list wow. I guess if they're healthy, they can go back to being one of the top teams in the NL. Tough division still with the Phillies and Mets. 

Twins are ranked quite high at 12th and same with the Cards at 19th. The Guardians/Reds are both quite low at 25th and 26th respectively, given the success they had this season. 

Jays are bunched in with a lot of evenly matched teams, though I would show them some more respect and rank them around 6/7, not 9th. 

Awful list to be honest. 

[Terminator]

15 minutes ago, jaysblue said:

Braves ranked #2 on that list wow. I guess if they're healthy, they can go back to being one of the top teams in the NL. Tough division still with the Phillies and Mets. 

Twins are ranked quite high at 12th and same with the Cards at 19th. The Guardians/Reds are both quite low at 25th and 26th respectively, given the success they had this season. 

Jays are bunched in with a lot of evenly matched teams, though I would show them some more respect and rank them around 6/7, not 9th. 

Awful list to be honest. 

Yeah now that you mention it, it's kind of a fruitless exercise because It just goes based off nothing more than projections. It doesn't speculate on what teams will do this offseason, if a team has a need that it hasn't filled yet it just assigns the WAR for the player currently in that spot even if he's unlikely to be there when the season starts.

Teams that have yet to replace their FAs that just left are going to be hit hard by a list like this. Teams that are going to sell or not do much (like the Twins) play up.

I guess it's useful in that you know what kind of a baseline you are working with right now. I imagine by the end of the offseason we will be Top 5ish.