Eat My Shatkins

If the Jays are able to sign Tucker I could certainly see them absorbing some of Santanders contract and moving him. But I also could see them keeping him and moving him into a full time DH role starting in 2027 after George is gone.

Starters on the 40 man opening day 2025: Gausman Bassitt Berrios Sherzer Francis Lucas Bloss Macko Jays starters on the 40 man right now: Gausman Cease Bieber Yesavage Berrios Ponce Lauer Bloss Tiedemann Francis Macko Estrada Bastardo

I wonder if there is any juice left to squeeze out of Bowden Francis as a starter? Maybe they plan on using him in a bullpen role once again.

Eric Lauer was in the KBO in 2024. He wasn't nearly as successful in the KBO as Ponce, joined the Jays in 2025 and had a 1.4 fWAR season for us. Ponce has a 2.2 fWAR projection.

I believe we have a spot open and I'd drop Clase or Jiminez before Straw if money isn't a factor.

I find it funny coming in here reading all these posts dumping our depth when we don't even know what the Jays and Rogers are willing to spend. Remember last year when Varsho missed almost the whole first half and Straw put up 1.8 fWAR filling that hole in CF? Defense is a huge part of the Jays team building philosophy, and Straw is probably the Jays 2nd best defensive OFer. Unless his contract is going to keep them from signing a guy like Tucker or Bo just keep the depth.

Will anybody be that surprised if Ross the Boss signs Tucker and then packages Berrios, Taters, cash and a couple of our top 5 prospects for Marte?

Well, this off season is shaping up to be all kinds of fun isn't it? Biggest question mark for the Jays going into the off season was starting pitching and they got Bieber, Cease and Ponce all signed before the winter meetings. Boss Atkins killing it.

"Despite a current rotation of Cease, Trey Yesavage, Kevin Gausman, Jose Berrios, and Eric Lauer..." Bieber?

Also I just want to say i think it's hilarious and awesome that the Jays have 5 legit starters already, plus Lauer and not only are they still apparently on the hunt for more, it also appears from player comments that they could probably sign both Bassitt and Scherzer today if they wanted to. That's no joke really, as Bassitt and Scherzer combine for over a 3 fWAR projection.

In my opinion, if the Jays land another legit starting option it means that Berrios is either still injured or the Jays and him are on the outs moving forward and they plan to find a trade partner to offload him once the free agent SP market has dried up.

I'm not a big fan of the Jays spending big on relievers, but if they are opening up the wallet and it won't limit their ability to spend elsewhere, then go and get Diaz for sure.

Wut? Don't play with me bro lol

Hmm. I wonder if that means the Mets and Diaz are not reuniting, or will Williams just be another late inning bullpen piece?

I'm not familiar with him either but hopefully he is a very well connected fellow. Apparently Justin's brother.

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.

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.

Whoops, quoted the wrong guy. Meant to quote glory. I tend to agree, but things can change pretty quick on that front if a guy like RJ Schreck bursts onto the scene in 2026 the same way Barger did in 2025.

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.

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.

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

I'm still hoping they go ape s*** this off season too. They don't have to, team is already really good. But it sure would be fun to add Bo, Tucker and then stack the bullpen too. Go for broke with maximum luxury tax for one season.

Fangraphs has both Fairbanks and Seranthony at 2/$16. Seems light, but could really start to build a legit shut down pen by adding those two for even as high as $25 million AAV combined. Probably not really necessary though. I always say relievers are volatile and I don't want to see the Jays spend a ton of money there, but then every off season I look at the RP arms available and I want, want, want because it looks so good on paper. CL - Fairbanks SU8 - Hoffman SU7 - Yimi MR - Seranthony MR - Varland MR - Fluharty MR - little LR - Lauer Fisher, Rodriguez, Nance, Bruihl, etc I don't think we'd see many leads given up with that group. It'll be interesting to see what the FO does with guys like Francis, Bastardo and Tiedemann. Bastardo has to be on the MLB roster or he gets returned, but apparently he didn't even pitch in the AFL I read somewhere. Francis is probably better being converted back to a reliever, but his historic stretch as a starter in 2024 was very tantalizing. Tiedemann will have very limited innings in 2026, but you want to see him starting in AAA at least for a bit, probably ends up an MLB reliever later in the season if he hasn't completely lost what he used to have.

Hopefully Bo returns. You'd basically be running the same offense and defense as last year, both of which were top 5 in MLB, arguably #1. But then you've probably improved the rotation from bottom 3rd to top 3rd in MLB with Cease and full seasons of Bieber and Yesavage. Even the bullpen could be improved over last year with full seasons of Varland, Yimi and then by adding a closer. Gimme Bo and gimme a closer please. 95+ wins will be easy to make.