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      Leo Morgenstern

      Shoulder and back injuries kept Anthony Santander out for most of the 2025 season and playoffs. It was a disappointing start to his Blue Jays tenure.

      From 2022-24, the man known lovingly as Tony Taters hit 105 home runs for the Orioles, posting a 123 wRC+ and 8.1 FanGraphs WAR. In his first year with Toronto, the switch-hitter swatted just six homers in 54 games, with a 61 wRC+ and -0.9 fWAR. However, the Jays are hoping a healthy Santander can look more like the Silver Slugger they signed to a five-year, $92.5 million contract last winter.

      Manager John Schneider addressed reporters on Tuesday at the Winter Meetings. DiamondCentric's John Bonnes was on hand for the event.

      "Tony is going to be huge for us," said Schneider. "He's a big part of what we're doing."

      The skipper continued, "I've told him this: 'I don't want you to think you have to do anything you don't do well. You don't have to come back and hit .300 with 50 homers to make up for last year.' We need Tony to fit in the way we know he can when we signed him."

      As for the shoulder subluxation that forced Santander to the injured list in May and the back tightness that forced him off the ALCS roster in October, Scheider doesn't seem to be concerned.

      "Shoulder is good. Back is good. He's just feeling normal,"  the manager explained. He went on to express hope that Santander will have a regular spring training. Schneider acknowledged that the veteran is a "notorious slow starter," but seemed optimistic that he can "hit the ground running" in 2026.

      Featured image courtesy of Dan Hamilton, Imagn Images.

      Leo Morgenstern

      Earlier this afternoon, Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider told reporters at the Winter Meetings (including our own John Bonnes) that his coaching staff for 2026 has been finalized.

      "We have filled [the] assistant hitting coaching job," he said. "We have kind of backfilled [former bench coach Don Mattingly's] spot in a variety of ways. I'm giving those guys time to finalize with the teams they were with, and you'll have that full list really soon. One is internal, and two from outside."

      Sportnet's Shi Davidi reports that former White Sox catching coach Drew Butera is one of the two external additions. The other is former Rangers minor league hitting director Cody Atkinson, according to Mitch Bannon of The Athletic. Bannon also notes that Eric Duncan was promoted to the major league coaching staff from within the organization. He was previously Toronto's director of position player development.

      Presumably, Atkinson is the new assistant hitting coach, but it is not yet official what roles any of the Blue Jays' new coaches will be taking on.

      Jesse Burrill

      One of the smaller questions surrounding the Blue Jays has been answered this week. On Tuesday, Ross Atkins addressed the media at the Winter Meetings, and among the many topics he covered was the future role of right-hander Louis Varland. He will remain in the bullpen and will not be stretched out as a starter in 2026 (per Sportsnet). 

      Varland was acquired at the trade deadline and appeared in 23 regular season games with the Blue Jays, posting a 4.94 ERA with 28 strikeouts. He followed that with an MLB-record 15 postseason appearances, delivering a 3.94 ERA and 17 strikeouts.

      There had been some early offseason chatter that Varland may be stretched out as a starter, as he made 23 starts over four seasons in Minnesota, but after the Blue Jays signed Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce earlier this offseason, they are opting to keep Varland in a relief role.

      The Blue Jays' bullpen remains in flux; Nick Sandlin and Yariel Rodríguez have already been removed from the roster, and more moves are expected. For now, it's a safe bet to pencil Varland into one of the club's eight bullpen spots for 2026.

      Featured image courtesy of Brad Penner, Imagn Images.

      Bob Ritchie

      On December 2, the Toronto Blue Jays announced that their seven-year, $210 million contract with Dylan Cease had been finalized. Today on X, the New York Post's Jon Heyman reported the financial structure of the deal.

      When the Cease deal was first reported, pending the results of a physical, it was widely believed that the contract included deferrals. According to Heyman and others, the total amount deferred will be $64 million. The salary to be paid from 2026-2032 is $123 million, plus a $23 million signing bonus. Also, the contract contains a limited no-trade clause. The timing of the deferred payments Toronto will make to Cease was not reported. 

      The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported that the AAV of the deal was close to $27 million ($189 million divided by seven). That would make the present value of the deferrals for Competitive Balance Tax (“CBT”) purposes approximately $43 million ($189 million less $146 million in salary and bonus).

      It should be noted that under the CBA, teams must fund a deferral by the second July 1 following the season in which the deferral was earned. In other words, Toronto would have to fund the $10 million deferral for 2026 by July 1, 2028. The amount funded is the present value of the deferred amount using a 5% discount rate. A rough estimate is that Toronto's first funding payment will be approximately $7.5 million.

      From the team’s perspective, the primary advantage of deferrals is the reduction of the AAV used for CBT purposes. Given that Toronto pays the CBT, every little bit helps! 

      Featured image courtesy of Denis Poroy, Imagn Images.

      Leo Morgenstern

      This afternoon, the Toronto Blue Jays announced they had placed left-handed pitcher Easton Lucas, 29, on unconditional release waivers. This will free up another space on the 40-man roster, giving the front office three open spots to work with. 

      Lucas made his MLB debut with the Athletics in 2023 and bounced from the A's to the Tigers to the Blue Jays in 2024. He made a pair of excellent starts for Toronto this past April, striking out 11 in 10.1 scoreless innings. Unfortunately, he struggled after those two outings and could not stick with the major league club.

      As is often the case when a team releases a player seemingly out of nowhere, it is believed that the Blue Jays granted Lucas his release so he could sign a contract with a foreign professional team (per Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith). According to reporter Francys Romero, that team will be in Japan's NPB.

      Featured image courtesy of Mitch Stringer, Imagn Images.

      Bryan Jaeger

      With December's Winter Meetings approaching, free agency rumors around the Blue Jays are intensifying. The central question is whether Bo Bichette will be re-signed. If he doesn't return, a significant void arises in the batting order, and urgent solutions will be needed.

      Jeff Passan of ESPN reports the Blue Jays want a left-handed hitter to pair with Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

      Kyle Schwarber and Kyle Tucker have been suggested, but they are widely sought after, and each could earn about $34–36 million annually. The Blue Jays may look at less expensive options after losing out on top talent in recent offseasons, including Shohei Ohtani, Roki Sasaki, Corbin Burnes, Max Fried, and Juan Soto.

      Passan now links the Blue Jays to Cody Bellinger as a more affordable option than Schwarber or Tucker. DiamondCentric projects a six-year, $130 million contract for Bellinger. Last season with the New York Yankees, he hit .272/.334/.480 with 89 runs, 29 home runs, 98 RBIs, an .814 OPS, and a 125 wRC+. He can play any outfield position or first base, though the team values Guerrero's glove at first. George Springer will likely remain the primary designated hitter to stay healthy.

      The Blue Jays' outfield is crowded with Nathan Lukes, Daulton Varsho, and Anthony Santander returning. However, with Varsho's and Santander's injury histories, a healthier option would be a smart addition, and Lukes can come off the bench. Bellinger has played at least 130 games in each of the last four seasons. As the World Series showed, the Blue Jays need more offense, and if Bichette doesn't return, Bellinger could fill the resulting production gap.

      Featured image courtesy of Brad Penner, Imagn Images.

      Bryan Jaeger

      The Blue Jays' number five prospect, Ricky Tiedemann, was Rule 5 eligible and was headed for the Rule 5 draft on December 10. However, the Blue Jays protected him by adding him to the 40-man roster. The 23-year-old had impressive first two MLB seasons, posting a 2.17 ERA over 78 2/3 innings in 2022 and a 3.68 ERA over 44 innings in 2023. He missed most of the 2023 season due to a biceps injury.

      He was still dealing with the injury at the start of the 2024 season. In July, he left a game due to another injury and subsequently required Tommy John surgery. This surgery caused him to miss the remainder of 2024 and the entire 2025 season while recovering.

      Being added to the 40-man roster shows the Blue Jays have MLB plans for Tiedemann next season. The team could use a fifth starter instead of Eric Lauer, and Tiedemann could take his spot as the lefty in the rotation. If the prospect can replicate his early success in spring training next season, he could make the Opening Day roster. This decision will also depend on the Blue Jays' offseason moves. Tiedemann could also be a late-season call-up, following the Trey Yesavage path, and join for the postseason run if needed.

      Leo Morgenstern

      In a move that's more procedural than anything else, Bo Bichette officially rejected his $22.025 million qualifying offer this afternoon. He is expected to sign a long-term, nine-figure contract in free agency – far more than the value of the QO. So, his decision today comes as no surprise.

      Now that Bichette has rejected the offer, the team that eventually signs him – unless it's the Blue Jays – will have to forfeit a draft pick (and possibly also international bonus pool space). 

      Speaking to our own John Bonnes at the GM Meetings, Ross Atkins made it clear that the Jays are interested in re-signing Bichette. However, they will have competition. Most recently, the Red Sox have emerged as a potential suitor for his services (per Rob Bradford of WEEI.com).

      Featured image courtesy of Nick Turchiaro, Imagn Images.

      Matthew Lenz

      With a bevy of relief pitchers on the 40-man roster, the Toronto Blue Jays have effectively non-tendered one who was in his arbitration years.

      According to the Blue Jays' official transaction log, pitcher Nick Sandlin has been outrighted by the team. MLB Trade Rumors projected the righty to earn $2 million via arbitration. The Jays now have 37 players on their 40-man roster.

      Sandlin, acquired via trade about a year ago, made 19 appearances, throwing 16 1/3 innings in 2025. Injuries limited his availability and likely his productivity.

      So, do you think he'll choose free agency or accept his assignment to the minor leagues? Let us know what you think in the comments!

      Featured image courtesy of Eric Canha, Imagn Images.

      Leo Morgenstern

      Major League Baseball introduced a brand-new award last night and bestowed the inaugural prize on Toronto Blue Jays superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Vladdy is MLB's very first Entertainer of the Year.

      It's a well-deserved honour for one of the most delightful personalities in the sport, both on the field and off. Guerrero was not present at the awards show on Thursday, so his godfather, Hall of Famer Pedro Martínez, accepted on his behalf.

      In other Blue Jays awards news, Guerrero was also named to the All-MLB First Team, winning over Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz. In even more of a surprise, Bo Bichette earned Second Team honours, beating out shortstops like Geraldo Perdomo, Trea Turner, Francisco Lindor, and Jeremy Peña.

      Featured image courtesy of Nick Turchiaro, Imagn Images.

      Jesse Burrill

      The Blue Jays coaching staff has already seen some changes this offseason.

      Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports that Blue Jays assistant hitting coach Hunter Mense is leaving the team and will be joining the San Francisco Giants as their hitting coach.

      Mense had been with the Blue Jays since the 2022 season. Working with hitting coach David Popkins and fellow assistant coach Lou Iannotti, Mense coached the Blue Jays to a .330 wOBA in 2025, the third highest in baseball.

      In San Francisco, Mense will reunite with the Giants' new manager Tony Vitello, whom Mense previously played for at the University of Missouri.

      For the Blue Jays, this marks the second departure from the big league staff, as bench coach Don Mattingly stepped away from the team earlier this month. 

      Featured image courtesy of Nathan Ray Seebeck, Imagn Images.

      Leo Morgenstern

      Speaking to DiamondCentric's John Bonnes at the GM Meetings on Wednesday, Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said the Jays "definitely, definitely have interest" in extending Daulton Varsho, who is entering his final season of arbitration eligibility.

      "The interest is definitely there," said Atkins. "I can't say enough about Daulton, the player, the person, the teammate. He checks all the boxes we're looking for."

      The GM did not want to speak about any potential negotiations, but from his tone, it certainly seems like an extension for Varsho will be one of the team's priorities this winter.

      Varsho, widely considered one of the best defensive outfielders in the league, is coming off an injury-shortened but highly promising 2025 campaign. Tapping into his power like never before, he hit 20 home runs in 71 contests, with a career-best .833 OPS, .341 xwOBA, and 123 wRC+. He finished with 2.2 fWAR and 2.8 bWAR in less than half a season of games. 

      Featured image courtesy of Kiyoshi Mio, Imagn Images.

      Leo Morgenstern

      The AL Silver Slugger Award winners were announced on Friday, with George Springer taking home the prize at DH. This is his third career Silver Slugger, after previously winning in 2017 and '19 with the Astros. 

       

      Springer led the AL's primary designated hitters in home runs (32), runs scored (106), stolen bases (18), and FanGraphs WAR (5.2). His victory over fellow finalists Yandy Díaz and Brent Rooker comes as little surprise.

       

      Springer was also a finalist for a Silver Slugger as an outfielder but lost to Aaron Judge, Riley Greene, and Byron Buxton. Toronto's other two finalists, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, came up short as well, with Nick Kurtz claiming the honors at first base and Bobby Witt Jr. winning at shortstop. 

      Meanwhile, the Blue Jays lost the Silver Slugger Team of the Year Award to the Yankees, who won for the second year in a row.

      Featured image courtesy of John E. Sokolowski, Imagn Images.

      Leo Morgenstern

      To no one's surprise, the Blue Jays have extended the $22.025 million qualifying offer to All-Star shortstop Bo Bichette.

      Bichette technically has until November 18 to decide whether or not to accept the offer, but it's all but a guarantee that he will reject it and seek a long-term contract in free agency.

      Once he rejects the offer, any team that signs Bichette – except for the Blue Jays – will have to forfeit a draft pick (and possibly also international bonus pool space). That could give Toronto a leg up on the competition for his services. 

      Featured image courtesy of John E. Sokolowski, Imagn Images.

      Leo Morgenstern

      Don Mattingly is leaving the Blue Jays. As first reported by the New York Post's Jon Heyman, Mattingly, who served as Toronto's bench coach for the past three seasons, is stepping down from his role. However, he is not yet retiring and would consider taking on a role with a new team. 

      To that point, Phillies insider Jim Salisbury reports that Philadelphia has had internal discussions about bringing Mattingly on as a bench coach. It's not yet clear if Mattingly would be willing to take on the same role with a new organization.

      Featured image courtesy of John E. Sokolowski, Imagn Images.

      Leo Morgenstern

      In pleasantly surprising news, the New York Post's Jon Heyman reports that Shane Bieber has exercised his player option with the Blue Jays for the 2026 campaign. The right-hander will collect a $16 million salary instead of a $4 million buyout. 

      Because of that buyout, Bieber would have only had to earn $12 million on the open market to match his guarantee from the Blue Jays. Thus, many thought it was a foregone conclusion that he would opt out and return to free agency. Instead, the 2020 AL Cy Young winner will return for at least one more year (and one more shot at a title) with Toronto.

      Featured image courtesy of Kiyoshi Mio, Imagn Images.

      Leo Morgenstern

      The Baseball Writers Association of America announced the finalists for its big four end-of-season awards today: MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, and Manager of the Year. While no Blue Jays players will be taking home any of the BBWAA hardware, skipper John Schneider is in the running for the AL's highest managerial honour. 

      His fellow finalists are Stephen Vogt of the Guardians and Dan Wilson of the Mariners.

      As a reminder, the finalists for the BBWAA awards are not nominees. The winners are decided upon immediately following the regular season, and the three finalists in each category are simply the three highest vote-getters. 

      The 2025 Managers of the Year will be announced on November 11 on MLB Network.

      Featured image courtesy of John E. Sokolowski, Imagn Images.

      Brock Beauchamp

      We're looking for contributors to write Blue Jays content over the offseason!

      First, feel free to reach out via email at brock.beauchamp@jayscentre.com or reply to this article.

      Writing Articles
      If you’ve ever wanted an audience for your Jays takes, this is the perfect place. While we generally lean into analytics and analysis, we also take a “come as you are” approach to baseball and give writers a lot of leeway to write about the game in a way that interests them. That could manifest in historical pieces, previews, or regular series. It’s a matter of finding your niche in the fandom and carving out a space for it. 

      Making Videos
      We're also looking for videographers! Most of our content is on the shorter side (3-7 minutes), though we have space for plenty of different formats and ideas. Like the writing side of the site, we usually lean into analytics, but it's not the only path we're open to exploring.

      It is also noteworthy that we pay our content creators. It’s certainly not enough to quit your day job. So don’t do that. However, it might be enough to show that we value your time, talent, and effort.

      If you know someone who might be interested in creating Blue Jays content as a side job, please share this with them!

      Matthew Lenz

      Less than 24 hours after a devastating Game 7 World Series loss, the Toronto Blue Jays have been informed that two players will be testing free agency rather than sticking with the organization.

      Pitcher Ryan Borucki (outrighted on September 18th) and infielder Michael Stefanic (outrighted June 7th) elected free agency today.

      Burocki appeared in 39 games in 2025, pitching 35.0 innings between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Blue Jays. Signed to a minor league pact after being released by the Pirates, only four of those innings came with Toronto, where he allowed zero earned runs and posted a 5:4 K:BB ratio.

      Stefanic played nine games for the Blue Jays, mostly at second base, in 2025. Over 25 plate appearances, he recorded four hits (all singles) with one run scored. He appeared at second base in nine games and briefly at shortstop.

      Both players are likely looking for minor league contracts to get another shot at a big league roster in 2026. Do you think the Blue Jays should re-sign either player as depth? Let us know in the comments!

       

      Matthew Lenz

      After a heartbreaking defeat in Game 7 of the World Series, reporters were quick to look ahead to next season in their postgame interviews.

      In front of a pool of reporters, an emotional Chris Bassitt expressed his hope to return to the Toronto Blue Jays next season. In part, the 37-year-old said, "You can try to replicate this. A lot of people will try, but it’s not really possible."

      With Max Scherzer also set to become a free agent and only three others locked into the rotation, there is plenty of room if Bassitt and the Blue Jays can agree to a deal. The righty would be a solid mid to back-end rotation piece behind Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, and Jose Berrios.

      Last season, he started 31 games, sporting a 4.01 FIP and 15.5% K-BB rate across 170 1/3 innings - his fourth consecutive season reaching that plateau. Additionally, he was extremely effective out of the bullpen in October (and November), throwing 8 1/3 innings of relief, giving up one earned run, and striking out 10.

      Do you think the Blue Jays should pursue Bassitt or shoot higher on the trade or free agent market? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

      Matthew Lenz

      After a heartbreaking defeat in Game 7 of the World Series, reporters were quick to look ahead to next season in their postgame interviews.

      After starting Game 7, Jesse Rogers of ESPN asked Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Max Scherzer about his future in Major League Baseball. The surefire Hall of Famer didn't fully commit to playing in 2026 but instead said "...it’s going to take some time to give a full answer to that, but there is no way that was my last pitch.”

      The 41-year-old Scherzer started Games 3 and 7 in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, giving up four earned runs over 8 2/3 innings. In his only other postseason start in game four of the American League Championship Series, the three-time Cy Young Award winner earned the victory, allowing two earned runs and striking out five in 5 2/3 innings. Overall, 2025 was a tough season that was impacted by a thumb injury. The righty made 17 starts, sporting a 4.99 FIP and 16.5% K-BB rate. Scherzer is a free agent in a relatively weak 2025-2026 starting pitching free agency class.

      Do you think the Blue Jays should re-sign the two-time World Series champion?

      Leo Morgenstern

      The Blue Jays put up one heck of a fight, but in the end, it wasn't enough.

      With Toronto up 4-3 in the top of the ninth, Jeff Hoffman allowed a game-tying home run to Dodgers nine-hole hitter Miguel Rojas. It was hard to watch. Two innings later, Shane Bieber gave up a home run to Will Smith. It was even harder to watch. 

      Then, in the bottom of the 11th, in front of 40,000 anxious fans at the Rogers Centre, Alejandro Kirk grounded into a double play. Toronto's magical run was over. The Dodgers had won their second straight World Series title, and all the Blue Jays could do was stare in disbelief. 

      This was still a special season for the Blue Jays. A heartbreaking World Series loss doesn't change that. But fans can celebrate all that this team accomplished in due time. For now, no one will blame you for wallowing in defeat. 

      Featured image courtesy of Nick Turchiaro, Imagn Images.

      Leo Morgenstern

      The Blue Jays have announced their lineup for Game 7 of the World Series against the Dodgers. Fans will be pleased to see George Springer and Alejandro Kirk included. Springer looked to be playing through pain in Game 6, while Kirk exited in the bottom of the ninth after being hit by a pitch on the hand.

      It's a slightly different batting order than the Jays have used in any other game this season, with Addison Barger moving up to the five-hole and Daulton Varsho dropping down to seventh:

      Barger's move up the order is well deserved. He has been red-hot in the World Series, with 10 hits in 21 at-bats, including two doubles and a home run. The lefty slugger leads Toronto's offense in hits, wRC+, and Win Probability Added over the last week.

      Manager John Schneider is surely looking for any and all advantages he can give his team against Dodgers starter Shohei Ohtani. Max Scherzer will toe the bump for the Blue Jays in what's sure to go down as one of the most iconic starting pitching matchups in World Series history.

      Featured image courtesy of John E. Sokolowski, Imagn Images.

      Leo Morgenstern

      The Blue Jays have announced their starting lineup for tonight's World Series Game 6, and George Springer is back in the leadoff spot:

      Springer exited early in Game 3 after injuring his right side on a swing. He has not played since. While the Blue Jays won Games 4 and 5 without him, they're surely elated to have his bat back at the top of the order. Springer was the team's best hitter during the regular season, and his three-run home run in Game 7 of the ALCS is the reason they're playing in the World Series right now. The Blue Jays have a chance to win it all tonight, and it wouldn't feel right if Springer wasn't a part of the winning effort. 

      Featured image courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images.

      Leo Morgenstern

      The Toronto Blue Jays have officially released their 26-man roster for the World Series.

      All-Star shortstop Bo Bichette, out since mid-September with a knee sprain, is finally back. Ty France, who hit the IL with left oblique inflammation later in September, has also been added to the roster after missing the ALDS and ALCS.

      Bichette and France are replacing outfielder Joey Loperfido and right-hander Yariel Rodríguez. It's little surprise to see Loperfido cut; he was only added to the ALCS roster mid-series to replace Anthony Santander. The decision to effectively swap out Rodríguez with France is a little more interesting, since it means the Blue Jays will only have 12 pitchers at their disposal for the series. Of course, Rodríguez struggled badly in limited work in the ALCS, so it seems the Jays decided they'd rather have another right-handed bat than an extra, less-than-trustworthy arm.

      Featured image courtesy of John E. Sokolowski, Imagn Images.

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