Offseason Roster Thread 2025-26

[Brownie19]

1 hour ago, GoBlue41 said:

I still want Bo  AND  Tucker. Is that completely off the table or is my pipe dream still alive, dead or on life support?? :) 

I'll rain on your parade.  Obviously there's a chance, but I think it's quite slim.  To be fair, one of Bo/Tucker and then one of the closer options would truly be a dream offseason.

Cease, Bieber, Bo/Tucker + Closer - that's an unreal offseason.

[Jays24]

Getting Bo back + a closer is all I want and expect. That'll already take us to a near 300M payroll.  

Santandar/Berrios have enough track record to expect a bounce back so its a waste of resources trying to get rid of them.  

[Bob_Gratton]

1 hour ago, Brownie19 said:

I'll rain on your parade.  Obviously there's a chance, but I think it's quite slim.  To be fair, one of Bo/Tucker and then one of the closer options would truly be a dream offseason.

Cease, Bieber, Bo/Tucker + Closer - that's an unreal offseason.

I don't think it's a good idea to sign Tucker and Bo. Because we have Clement  and Barger who should be in starting lineup. Ideally Atkins should trade Santander and Berrios,  so he can have flexibility to sign someone like Schwarber,  a #1 closer, top notch lefty and increase Jays popularity in Japan signing Imai and Murakami. 

[jmomcc]

In the spirit of berrios trades. One involving arenado and donovan from the cards? If we don't get bo. 

[BTS]

28 minutes ago, jmomcc said:

In the spirit of berrios trades. One involving arenado and donovan from the cards? If we don't get bo. 

Trying to wrap my head around an Arenado/Berrios trade. IIRC the luxury tax hit for the acquiring team is only based on dollars paid out for the remaining years. So:

Arenado: 2 years 42M in real money 21M cap hit

Berrios: 3 years 66M in real money 22M cap hit

Arenado projects for 2 WAR, Berrios for 1.5. 

Is it crazy to think a straight swap makes sense for all 3 parties: 

- St. Louis frees up 3B playing time for a guy who might have a future with the team and gets a grizzled vet to eat innings for them. They're committed to paying more money and years than they would have, but it comes with a potential for being off the hook after 2026 if Berrios rebounds and opts out. 

- Toronto gets out of their commitment a year earlier and gets a guy who still plays a good 3B and seems to be a great clubhouse guy. It's a bit tricky roster-wise if Arenado declines again because you always have room for a 1-1.5 WAR SP but don't necessarily have room for a 1.5 WAR 3B. But that's the cost of shedding the 2028 commitment. 

- Arenado gets to play for a WS contender.

I guess St. Louis probably needs a kicker from Toronto but it seems pretty close.

[jmomcc]

4 minutes ago, BTS said:

Trying to wrap my head around an Arenado/Berrios trade. IIRC the luxury tax hit for the acquiring team is only based on dollars paid out for the remaining years. So:

Arenado: 2 years 42M in real money 21M cap hit

Berrios: 3 years 66M in real money 22M cap hit

Arenado projects for 2 WAR, Berrios for 1.5. 

Is it crazy to think a straight swap makes sense for all 3 parties: 

- St. Louis frees up 3B playing time for a guy who might have a future with the team and gets a grizzled vet to eat innings for them. They're committed to paying more money and years than they would have, but it comes with a potential for being off the hook after 2026 if Berrios rebounds and opts out. 

- Toronto gets out of their commitment a year earlier and gets a guy who still plays a good 3B and seems to be a great clubhouse guy. It's a bit tricky roster-wise if Arenado declines again because you always have room for a 1-1.5 WAR SP but don't necessarily have room for a 1.5 WAR 3B. But that's the cost of shedding the 2028 commitment. 

- Arenado gets to play for a WS contender.

I guess St. Louis probably needs a kicker, but it seems pretty close.

I think its close too because berrios is still youngish. There is a chance of a resurgence. 

[Eat My Shatkins]

2 hours ago, BTS said:

Trying to wrap my head around an Arenado/Berrios trade. IIRC the luxury tax hit for the acquiring team is only based on dollars paid out for the remaining years. So:

Arenado: 2 years 42M in real money 21M cap hit

Berrios: 3 years 66M in real money 22M cap hit

Arenado projects for 2 WAR, Berrios for 1.5. 

Is it crazy to think a straight swap makes sense for all 3 parties: 

- St. Louis frees up 3B playing time for a guy who might have a future with the team and gets a grizzled vet to eat innings for them. They're committed to paying more money and years than they would have, but it comes with a potential for being off the hook after 2026 if Berrios rebounds and opts out. 

- Toronto gets out of their commitment a year earlier and gets a guy who still plays a good 3B and seems to be a great clubhouse guy. It's a bit tricky roster-wise if Arenado declines again because you always have room for a 1-1.5 WAR SP but don't necessarily have room for a 1.5 WAR 3B. But that's the cost of shedding the 2028 commitment. 

- Arenado gets to play for a WS contender.

I guess St. Louis probably needs a kicker from Toronto but it seems pretty close.

If we had a hole at 3B maybe, but we don't so I'd pass if it were me.

[max silver]

2 hours ago, BTS said:

Trying to wrap my head around an Arenado/Berrios trade. IIRC the luxury tax hit for the acquiring team is only based on dollars paid out for the remaining years. So:

Arenado: 2 years 42M in real money 21M cap hit

Berrios: 3 years 66M in real money 22M cap hit

Arenado projects for 2 WAR, Berrios for 1.5. 

Is it crazy to think a straight swap makes sense for all 3 parties: 

- St. Louis frees up 3B playing time for a guy who might have a future with the team and gets a grizzled vet to eat innings for them. They're committed to paying more money and years than they would have, but it comes with a potential for being off the hook after 2026 if Berrios rebounds and opts out. 

- Toronto gets out of their commitment a year earlier and gets a guy who still plays a good 3B and seems to be a great clubhouse guy. It's a bit tricky roster-wise if Arenado declines again because you always have room for a 1-1.5 WAR SP but don't necessarily have room for a 1.5 WAR 3B. But that's the cost of shedding the 2028 commitment. 

- Arenado gets to play for a WS contender.

I guess St. Louis probably needs a kicker from Toronto but it seems pretty close.

I'd rather just take my chances with Berrios bouncing back personally. The Blue Jays can run a well above average platoon of Barger and Clement at third base and receive excellent combined value, and Arenado has been dreadful with the stick in recent seasons. I do recall seeing it mentioned that Arenado intended to work at Driveline this offseason to improve his swing speed so maybe he can bounce back a bit, but it's a risk that I don't think is worth taking as I think the Blue Jays would most likely be worsening the third base position just to save a little bit of future payroll.

[Eat My Shatkins]

Anyone heard any snippets from Scherzer doing interviews lately? 

He sure doesnt sound like a guy that's going anywhere else but back to Toronto.

 

 

[glory]

Yeah I'd rather have Berrios than Arenado for 2026-beyond. 

[Stangstag]

41 minutes ago, Eat My Shatkins said:

Anyone heard any snippets from Scherzer doing interviews lately? 

He sure doesnt sound like a guy that's going anywhere else but back to Toronto.

 

 

Yea, kinda surprising because i feel like he really doesn’t fit the roster at this point. Maybe more wishful thinking on his part.

[Eat My Shatkins]

29 minutes ago, Stangstag said:

Yea, kinda surprising because i feel like he really doesn’t fit the roster at this point. Maybe more wishful thinking on his part.

Yeah, if he signed right now he'd be the 6th starter. I'd be fine with that for about $10 million. They have a durable rotation but they will need depth and he'd be fantastic as depth. Injuries will happen and he'd be good insurance. Also great to have around as a mentor for anyone on the pitching staff. Guys like Yesavage and even Cease who both have good enough stuff to be aces could learn a lot from a guy like Scherzer being around him all year.

It'd actually be nice to have 6 or 7 quality starters around, even if they are all healthy they can keep guys fresh by sprinkling in spot starts and occasionally going with 6 man rotation when the schedule gets heavy.

This should be a playoff team, and keeping the big arms fresh for the post season should be a priority if possible.

[Stangstag]

13 minutes ago, Eat My Shatkins said:

Yeah, if he signed right now he'd be the 6th starter. I'd be fine with that for about $10 million. They have a durable rotation but they will need depth and he'd be fantastic as depth. Injuries will happen and he'd be good insurance. Also great to have around as a mentor for anyone on the pitching staff. Guys like Yesavage and even Cease who both have good enough stuff to be aces could learn a lot from a guy like Scherzer being around him all year.

It'd actually be nice to have 6 or 7 quality starters around, even if they are all healthy they can keep guys fresh by sprinkling in spot starts and occasionally going with 6 man rotation when the schedule gets heavy.

This should be a playoff team, and keeping the big arms fresh for the post season should be a priority if possible.

10mil for a 6th starter is crazy IMO

gotta be 5mil or under for just a depth starter i’d think. I dont think Scherzer fits. Would rather have Lauer as the 6th man and use the money elsewhere 

[Eat My Shatkins]

20 minutes ago, Stangstag said:

10mil for a 6th starter is crazy IMO

gotta be 5mil or under for just a depth starter i’d think. I dont think Scherzer fits. Would rather have Lauer as the 6th man and use the money elsewhere 

Yeah maybe a bit much, I dunno. I could see him taking a hair cut and a reduced role as a depth guy just to come back. Seems like he just wants a shot at another WS and to be in a good environment for him and his family. 

 

I guess we'll see what happens, but the way he talks it just seems like him and the team have already agreed to something in principal.

[BTS]

3 hours ago, Eat My Shatkins said:

If we had a hole at 3B maybe, but we don't so I'd pass if it were me.

Depends on whether Bo is retained or not for me. If he's not, I'd think I'd take Arenado over Berrios to get out of the Berrios deal in 2028. Clement to 2B and backup SS, Barger 3B against the toughest RHP and corner OF when Arenado is in. I think the team probably squeezes more WAR out of Arenado this season than they do Berrios under the current configuration.

I'm coming from the perspective that a Berrios rebound is unlikely though. Stuff+ has declined like 5 years in a row, to the point that he was just throwing slop last year. 

[jmomcc]

This version of Arenado is quite a jays type hitter as well. Could they get less chase and more bat speed out of him?

[BTS]

2 minutes ago, jmomcc said:

This version of Arenado is quite a jays type hitter as well. Could they get less chase and more bat speed out of him?

He fits in in a few different ways: contact hitter, still a plus 3B defender, big character guy. A dead cat bounce from a HoF talent at 35 isn't exactly out of the question either. 

 

[John_Havok]

22 hours ago, GoBlue41 said:

I still want Bo  AND  Tucker. Is that completely off the table or is my pipe dream still alive, dead or on life support?? :) 

Nothing is off the table right now. Rogers is primed to sink even more serious capital in this team to try and win the series next season before the inevitable lockout

[Stangstag]

12 hours ago, BTS said:

He fits in in a few different ways: contact hitter, still a plus 3B defender, big character guy. A dead cat bounce from a HoF talent at 35 isn't exactly out of the question either. 

 

Since when is Arenado a contact hitter? Did the Cards do something to him lol

[Jimcanuck]

47 minutes ago, Stangstag said:

Since when is Arenado a contact hitter? Did the Cards do something to him lol

14.6% career K rate?

Contact hitter is not synonymous with a slap hitter.

[Jonn]

Call me crazy but I feel the Jays are going to try to sign Imai and worry about what to do with Berrios later.

You got Gausman and Bieber coming off the books next year. Imai is a talent that might be too hard to pass up on especially with no compensation attached to him. 

You go into next season with a rotation of

Cease

Gausman

Imai

Yesavage

Bieber

Move Berrios potentially or who knows if hes even healthy. A lot of people question if Bieber is healthy and maybe that's why he opted in despite getting way more on the open market. We don't get to know any of this stuff until after it happens. I just won't be shocked by it. They just saw the true value of Starting Pitching in the World Series. And how the Dodgers used every starter they had to win Game 7.,

[Stangstag]

38 minutes ago, Jonn said:

Call me crazy but I feel the Jays are going to try to sign Imai and worry about what to do with Berrios later.

You got Gausman and Bieber coming off the books next year. Imai is a talent that might be too hard to pass up on especially with no compensation attached to him. 

You go into next season with a rotation of

Cease

Gausman

Imai

Yesavage

Bieber

Move Berrios potentially or who knows if hes even healthy. A lot of people question if Bieber is healthy and maybe that's why he opted in despite getting way more on the open market. We don't get to know any of this stuff until after it happens. I just won't be shocked by it. They just saw the true value of Starting Pitching in the World Series. And how the Dodgers used every starter they had to win Game 7.,

I just can’t see it when a position player is the clear need. Too much risk with a guy like that with 0 MLB history

[Sasky05]

Orioles just signed Helsley. One less potential target for the good guys.

[Eat My Shatkins]

If we're being totally honest, at this point the Jays don't really have any clear needs. Anything they add at this point is merely piling on luxuries.

 

Don't get me wrong,  I hope they keep piling on until they've rocketed into the top luxury tax bracket, it's not my money and it would be fun and exciting. But the team is projected around 90 wins now with the addition Cease I think? 2nd or 3rd best projection in MLB at this point right? Team doesnt really have any gaping holes to fill.

[ValiantJaysFan]

37 minutes ago, Eat My Shatkins said:

If we're being totally honest, at this point the Jays don't really have any clear needs. Anything they add at this point is merely piling on luxuries.

 

Don't get me wrong,  I hope they keep piling on until they've rocketed into the top luxury tax bracket, it's not my money and it would be fun and exciting. But the team is projected around 90 wins now with the addition Cease I think? 2nd or 3rd best projection in MLB at this point right? Team doesnt really have any gaping holes to fill.

A true closer would be nice.

[L54]

54 minutes ago, Stangstag said:

I just can’t see it when a position player is the clear need. Too much risk with a guy like that with 0 MLB history

It’s crazy but Shi was saying the Jays clear plan this offseason was to address the pitching and that they were comfortable with their position player group even if Bo leaves 

I think that’s insane but that’s what he was saying 

[max silver]

5 minutes ago, L54 said:

It’s crazy but Shi was saying the Jays clear plan this offseason was to address the pitching and that they were comfortable with their position player group even if Bo leaves 

I think that’s insane but that’s what he was saying 

That's just Shi's opinion and Shi doesn't seem particularly plugged in with the Blue Jays front office most of the time. I think the chances the team doesn't add another legitimate bat are very slim at best so fingers crossed Shi is just stating yet another incorrect guesswork type of opinion like past offseasons.

[max silver]

56 minutes ago, Sasky05 said:

Orioles just signed Helsley. One less potential target for the good guys.

Let's see if he passes the notoriously difficult Oriole's physical.

[max silver]

3 hours ago, Jimcanuck said:

14.6% career K rate?

Contact hitter is not synonymous with a slap hitter.

And 11.2% k rate last season. Arenado is a slap hitter now and may have well been swinging a pool noodle as his quality of contact is in the crapper in recent seasons. I think he's a prime candidate for the old man swing out of your shoes to trade some extra strikeouts for extra thump kind of approach at this point of his career.

[glory]

12 minutes ago, max silver said:

That's just Shi's opinion and Shi doesn't seem particularly plugged in with the Blue Jays front office most of the time. I think the chances the team doesn't add another legitimate bat are very slim at best so fingers crossed Shi is just stating yet another incorrect guesswork type of opinion like past offseasons.

Yeah, if I recall Shi thought the Jays had like $15-20M to spend last winter, and then they went out and got Santander, Scherzer, Gimenez, Hoffman, and Garcia. I don't think him or BNS are that plugged in. 

I don't know if the Jays are going to end up with one of Bo or Tucker, but I feel like they will add someone for the offense even if it's their annual "let's save the Guardians some money" trade and Kwan is playing LF. Status quo with the offense would be a mistake, IMO.