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  • Toronto Blue Jays Free Agent & Trade Rumors, Notes, & Tidbits

    The latest Toronto Blue Jays free agent and trade rumors, along with notes and tidbits about the team.
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    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.
    Matthew Lenz
    Earlier this week, the Toronto Blues were reported to be in "every market" and specifically to be interested in landing a high-end reliever. Reporters from the Athletic previously named Pete Fairbanks,  Devin Williams, Phil Maton, and "other similar relievers" as possibilities. Now, we have another name to add to the list.
    Francys Romero is reporting that the Toronto Blue Jays have "emerged as a strong suitor" for Raisel Iglesias. The 36-year-old has been among the game's best for nearly a decade and hasn't shown signs of slowing down.
    Iglesias appeared in 70 games for the Atlanta Braves during the 2025 season, throwing 67 1/3 innings in relief. The right-hander recorded a FIP of 3.31 and produced a 21.4% K-BB%. Converting 29 of 34 saves, Iglesias generated a Win Probability Added (WPA) of 1.04 in 2025. Given his age, MLBTR anticipates a short-term deal, netting $32 million over two seasons.
    Of the names mentioned, which would you prefer the Jays to add? Let us know in the comments!
    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.
    Matthew Lenz
    Yesterday, Ken Rosenthal reported that the Toronto Blue Jays are expected to be suitors for former Tampa Bay Rays closer Pete Fairbanks. Today, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic confirmed and expanded on that rumor.
    Bannon reported that the teams are targeting high-leverage relievers in free agency and identified Devin Williams, Phil Maton, and "other similar relievers" in addition to Fairbanks.
    Williams struggled through 67 appearances for the Bronx Bombers, logging 62 innings pitched in relief. Though he posted a career-high 4.79 ERA, his 2.68 FIP suggests he was better than the surface stat indicates. On the other hand, his K-BB rate of 25.0%, which would be considered low for most pitchers, was below his career average. If we can point to one thing as the reason for his struggles, it would be his league-worst 55.2% strand rate—a number roughly 20 points below his career norm and typically not predictive from one season to another. MLBTR projects him to net $68 million over four years.
    Maton appeared in 63 games between the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers in 2026. He recorded a strong 2.79 ERA backed by an even better 2.60 FIP. Additionally, he posted a solid 23.4% K-BB rate. MLBTR named him an honorable mention on their top 50 free agents list, but didn't provide a contract prediction.
    Who are other high-leverage relievers you'd like to see the Blue Jays pursue? Let us know in the comments!
    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.
    Matthew Lenz
    The Toronto Blue Jays aren't resting on their laurels after an exciting postseason run that saw them bring the superpower Los Angeles Dodgers to the brink.
    After Bo Bichette elected free agency and Shane Bieber opted in to a team-friendly deal, the Blue Jays are in a position to be aggressive this offseason. From the General Manager meetings in Las Vegas, NV, Shi Davidi and Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet are reporting that the Toronto Blue Jays are "in every market".
    Citing multiple player agents, it's expected for it to "be easier for them to get players", and that the organization is "hungry" and "acting like big boys".
    While no players are named in the report, the Blue Jays have already been linked to Bichette, Kyle Tucker, Munetaka Murakami, and Pete Fairbanks. Additionally, Chris Bassitt has expressed interest in returning to the club.
    Do you think the Blue Jays will be aggressive this offseason? Let us know what you think in the comments!
    Matthew Lenz
    The Toronto Blue Jays will have a busy offseason as they've already been linked to a few of the biggest names on the market, including a reunion with infielder Bo Bichette. Now, we can add one more name to the list.
    Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic is reporting that the Blue Jays are "expected to be suitors" for reliever Pete Fairbanks.
    Fairbanks appeared in 61 games for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2025, logging 60 1/3 innings pitched. The reliever registered a 3.63 FIP and posted a 16.8% K-BB rate. Despite collecting 27 saves as the Rays' primary high-leverage reliever, he posted a miniscule WPA of 0.06. The Rays declined $11 million club option, paying him a $1 million buyout and making him a free agent. He's the 44th-ranked free agent according to MLBTR, and they predict he'll net $18 million over two years on the open market.
    Do you think the Blue Jays should pony up for a high-leverage reliever to bolster their bullpen? Let us know in the comments!
    Matthew Lenz
    The Toronto Blue Jays will have money to spend this winter and have choices to make on how they spend it. The team will undoubtedly try to bring back infielder Bo Bichette while also targeting pitching. However, a Japanese infielder who was recently posted may also be in the fold.
    Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet has linked the Toronto Blue Jays to Japanese infielder Munetaka Murakami. As of the posting of this, teams will have 44 days to reach an agreement with the superstar from Japan.
    The 25-year-old Munetaka profiles as a big bat with a decent amount of swing-and-miss. Do you think the Blue Jays should target him?
    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.
    Matthew Lenz
    Turns out good things happen after you take the powerhouse Los Angeles Dodgers to the brink in the World Series. The Toronto Blue Jays are rewarding their manager following one of the best (and most-watched) Game 7s in decades.
    Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet is reporting that the Toronto Blue Jays have picked up manager John Schneider's 2026 option and are discussing an extension with their skipper. As is usually the case, the financial details of the option weren't made public. He was signed to a three-year contract after taking over for Charlie Montoyo in the middle of the 2022 season.
    Despite his recent success, many fans have been critical of Schneider's in-game decision-making. Even in the World Series, his use of pinch runners for some of the team's best hitters was heavily scrutinized. However, he's led the Blue Jays to a 303-257 (.541 win percentage), three playoff appearances, and the organization's first division title in a decade. His postseason record is 10-12.
    Picking up his option was a no-brainer, but do you think he's earned an extension? Let us know in the comments!
    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.
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