The Blue Jays enter the offseason in search of starting pitching, with a few names of note trickling out in the early going. Jon Morosi of MLB.com listed the Jays as a suitor for NPB star Kodai Senga earlier this week, and Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet reports that southpaw Andrew Heaney is also of interest (Twitter link).
That’s hardly a surprise, as the Jays were one of the teams known to have pursued Heaney when he was a free agent last winter. The former first-rounder instead jumped early to join the Dodgers, inking an $8.5MM deal a few days into the offseason. Heaney will handily beat that sum this time around, as he showed immense promise during what may be his lone season as a Dodger.
Heaney pitched to a 3.10 ERA this past season, striking out an eye-popping 35.5% of batters faced. He’s always blended solid swing-and-miss stuff with decent control, but this year’s strikeout rate was on another level. Heaney also got a swinging strike on an incredible 16.8% of his offerings, the highest rate of any major league pitcher to top 70 innings.
It’s fairly easy to identify reasons behind that success, as he overhauled his pitch mix on the heels of a 5.83 ERA showing in 2021. Heaney developed a slider that instantly became one of the best offerings of its kind, and he turned to that as his go-to secondary offering. He scrapped his curveball and scaled well back on the use of his changeup, and the results were excellent. Heaney did still give up a fair bit of hard contact — an issue that has plagued him throughout his career — but he missed so many bats he managed an ERA just above 3.00 despite serving up 1.73 home runs per nine innings.
Of course, the black mark on Heaney’s ledger was a pair of injured list stints related to discomfort in his throwing shoulder. Those kept him to 16 appearances (14 starts) and 72 2/3 innings, roughly half a season’s workload. Had Heaney stayed healthy the entire season, he’d quite likely have received a qualifying offer from L.A. The Dodgers were concerned enough with his lack of innings they opted against making a QO, even as they extended the offer to fellow offseason signee Tyler Anderson.
That decision does boost Heaney’s free agent stock for other clubs as he enters his age-32 campaign. Signing him won’t cost a team any draft choices and/or international signing bonus space. He’s already gotten hits from a few rotation-needy teams, with the Jays joining the Mets and Red Sox as clubs known to have checked in.
Certainly, Heaney will be one of a number of players under consideration for the Jays this offseason. General manager Ross Atkins told reporters at this week’s GM meetings the team was looking to add to both the starting rotation and the relief corps (link via Keegan Matheson of MLB.com). That could obviously come via free agency or trade, with the team’s catching surplus sure to be a topic of frequent discussion.
Meanwhile, Nicholson-Smith tweeted this week the team has been in touch with Ross Stripling’s camp to express interest in bringing the swingman back. Stripling, who turns 33 this month, bounced back from rough 2020-21 seasons to unexpectedly emerge as one of Toronto’s more reliable arms this year. He started 24 of 32 outings, working to a 3.01 ERA with a slightly below-average 20.7% strikeout rate but a sterling 3.7% walk percentage across 134 1/3 innings. The veteran right-hander is a first-time free agent and looks to have pitched his way to a multi-year deal.
Toronto’s rotation will be anchored by one of the league’s top 1-2 punches: Kevin Gausman and Alek Manoah. The final three spots are question marks to varying degrees. José Berríos will occupy a rotation spot but will look to bounce back from a surprising 5.23 ERA showing. The internal favorites for the fourth and fifth spots appear to be Yusei Kikuchi and Mitch White, but neither should be a rotation lock for a hopeful contender. White was battered in 10 outings after being acquired from the Dodgers at the trade deadline, while Kikuchi pitched himself out of the rotation in a dreadful first season of a three-year free agent deal.
Green Acres is the place to be.
Farm livin’ is the life for me.
Land spreadin’ out so far and wide
Keep Manhattan, just give me that countryside.
New York is where I’d rather stay.
I get allergic smelling hay.
I just adore a penthouse view.
Dah-ling I love you but give me Park Avenue.
How does this relate to Andrew Heaney exactly?
Mr Heaney from Green Acres
Ed – What is Green Acres? Sounds like a retirement community.
Of course Mr. Ed would pick up on that.
007, just caught a few mins of an episode called “Son of Drobny.” About a Duck who was a WWII War Hero. Too funny!!
Yeah Yeah. They are interested in everybody.
But a guy who can throw good sliders are what they freakin love
Please no.
Rondon. Syndergaard.
DeGrom!!!!!
Is Verlander a FA again???
Please an IMPACT #1 (OK Rendon and Syndergaard are #2 at best) Heaney replaces Stripling. Doesn’t move the actual needle, rather have Stripling back at 4
That’s interesting. I wasn’t aware that the Angel’s third baseman was changing positions.
Rondon is a #1. Syndergaard is a #3 or #4.
Rodon….auto correct
Chapman is far superior to Rendon. Especially right now
Syndergaard is going to be lucky to be a 3 if this is his stuff now.
He’s not the same pitcher, sadly. I wouldn’t feel comfortable penciling him in as anything more than a backend starter if I was a playoff contender.
I feel like the Blue Jays want all the dodger pitchers . Ryu, Stripling, White and now Heaney
Rodon is a #1 and Syndergaard is a #4 at best.
Report: Blue Jays still interested.
If he does sign with Toronto watch him pitch 7 shutout innings against the Yankees in his first start against them.
Acuna is being talked about for the Jays, (Jimmer? Can your sources confirm) but I think they’d be wise to get stupid and bring in DeGrom. Force the Mets to pay like 50 Mill AAV on a 4 year deal to beat them, then pay Syndergaard 30 Mill for a year if they miss, let him bet on himself with a literally lottery winning jackpot even if he loses on it
Save the trade bait for a CY or MVP candidate mid season p
The Jays can afford and should be in the position to spend on FA and save prospects for mid season. Unless an Acuna trade or similar MVP CY type player (Ohtani???) Comes into play.
Give GeGrom 55 Mill for 1 year, 108 for 2 with player option.
Give Thor 30 for 1, 58 for 2 with player option.
Give Rodon a huge AAV 2 year deal.
Jays have the best offense in the league. They could trade from it and still replace it in FA with Judge or Trea or Nimmo (Meaning trade Bo or Trade Gurriel JR etc) get back Elite OF or Elite SP or Elite RP, Keep payroll intact (barring Judge or Turner signing) still have prospects to replace Holes and WIN NOW AND FOR A FEW YEARS.
I should really take Atkins Job
You can have Atkins’ job lol but please stay away from my portfolio as an investment advisor lol
You should really take some lithium.
Can you eat cell phone batteries and still qualify for GM spots?
Interesting take
Somehow through all that ridiculousness. The part that is sticking with me is that I can’t believe you’ve watched Noah Syndergaard pitch since his injury. He’s not a 30MM a year player at all.
Lol an Acuna trade is not happening, that’s just a fairy tale Jim O’Riley is spreading.
No disrespect intended as I am a huge fan of ballcap sports, I’ve watched every video on that channel. I just don’t trust his “source”.
Did I just read $30 million for Thor? Lol, this has to be satire, right? All of it was a kick, but that was my favorite part.
Why does one reply show multiple times? Ugh.
Thank god youre not the GM. Holy crap
That puts the Blue Jays payroll at $350 for an injury prone pitcher, a has been pitcher, and a solid number 2. You haven’t addressed anything in the Jays bullpen. Congrats you finish behind the Rays, Orioles, and Yankees and made your owner broke.
Haha are you intoxicated?
Give Thor 30 for 1? 58 for 2?
No clown, thank you.
Why not. It’s only money.
Would you rather trade Kirk Moreno Tieddeman and Orelvis to get pitching
Look how well Barrios is turning out in the Martin and Simeon woods swap
Why not? Syndergaard will be lucky to get $30 M over two or three years, let alone over one.
Let me fix that for you:
“It’s only someone else’s money.”
Acuna is on such a long cheap deal , can’t see the braves giving him up.
I’ve heard some rumours that he’s on the trade block. Have no idea if it’s actually true or not. Would be a huge get for the Blue Jays.
Talk is he wants out. He feels used and taken advantage of. He signed the deal, he gave the discount. Now everyone around him is getting paid
Swanson needs to sign a team friendly deal to keep ATL intact
Alot of pressure. Can understand why he’d get traded and give Swanson the bag. Get back a haul from a dozen teams
He isn’t going to be traded, AA would be fired if he traded him.
Heaney will go over in Toronto about as well as Kikuchi did. I guess these guys just love themselves some masochism. Must be a Canadian thing. Go all in boys, or don’t bother.
Exactly…the Jays can build a rotation of maybes from within. IF they are serious about going deep in the playoffs Andrew Heaney is not going to get it done, They don’t want to tie up a rotation spot on him.
The Blue Jays need to first get rid of the redundant players (Danny Jansen, Santiago Espinal, Ramiel Tapia, Bradley Zimmer, and some of the other pitchers on the 40 man {the Anthoney Kay types}) they have. Try getting creative with them in trades for something bigger. Go crazy big like To the Blue Jays Ohtani and a reliever for to the Angels Danny Jansen, Santiago Espinal, Teoscar Hernandez, Ricky Tiedemann, Tomas Hatch and another lower level pitching prospect. Yes Ohtani has one year left but the Jays are in win now mode and only really losing their top prospect for a super star.
Heaney barely pitched 200 innings over the past three years combined. Plus he’s only touched an ERA under 4 twice and is streaky as hell. He’s a 6th pitcher at best in a rotation and can fill in, but I’d hesitate to count on him, even as a number 5 in the rotation.
The front of the rotation is set with Manoah, Gausman and Berriors. Jays fans shouldn’t expect a front of the rotation type of starter. With two of the top 3 in the rotation getting paid handsome dollars, we can’t expect to get a “deGrom” or “Verlander”.. It’s not happening imo. Jays allocated front of the rotation money to Gausman and Berrios.
Whether we like it or not, that’s the decision they’ve made. We’re not the New York Mets who don’t care for a payroll.. or even the dodgers. Jays need to fill out the back end of the rotation, so having interest in Heaney makes sense. How good he’d actually be for us next season if we were to sign him, I have no idea … hope it wouldn’t turn into another Kikuchi type of situation, but I think Heaney gets two years the most though. Didn’t pitch enough innings to warrant more then a two year deal imo. And I’d even lean to a more realistic one year deal.. but due to his upside with his “stuff” he possesses that people always talk about with this guy, again, he might get two years.
Disagree
Rogers can and should outspend the NYY. Especially with the kids not wanting to spend like George did.
Jays could and should be the new Powerhouse in the AL east. The playoffs should go through them. They have the current core and talent to do it with resources to augment it
If they don’t, I won’t keep being a Jays fan with Rogers at the helm without a WS
Can you imagine trading Bo Vlad and Manoah in 3 years etc to rebuild
Blasphemy
lol. I hear you.. me personally I wish they shared your mindset. This offseason I think they’ll be more frugal though then they have been in past offseasons. They’ll have a record payroll going into next season just by the arbitration raises some of the guys will be getting. And they’re going to have to resign bo and Vlad.
That’s the kinda the thing though I think some don’t see, if they do go “all in” it has to be short term deals, like a Verlander. Any long term deal and I think they’d shoot themselves in the foot with extensions to either Bo or Vlad, or maybe even both. The payroll is at the point where they really have to start getting frugal with their money. I doubt rogers will want to pay some tax in a few years.
Why do they have to be frugal? They could save some money if the mighty GM stop paying player to go away and play for someone else.its been at least 25mil plus every year since he took over. Last year was the first year they didn’t have to pay Tulo anything.and this year coming they still are going to pay Grichuk.
Yes every team has some “go away” money on the books but the Blue Jays always have high amounts every year.
Agree .. bad payroll management. This front office lacks creativity as well. They brought up the Vlad’s and Bo’s of the world, other young players, and basically just added through free agency. They don’t really make trades like they should. Prospect for prospect types at position of needs, to bring in a young arm or two under control to pair with Manoah, instead of signing the Kikuchi’s of the world.
Yeah they traded for Chapman, but now Chapman after one season as a blue jay is already on the last year of his deal before he as well hits free agency. They traded for Berrios but gave him an extension after a season he was due to hit free agency as well if I’m not mistaken. They don’t really make trades for guys with not much service time, like sometimes you have to do so you don’t go spending money.
This offseason imo they’re going to have to get creative though. This offseason is probably the most important, the guys who get traded and the ones who don’t. It’s going to say a lot about how far rogers really is willing to go in the future with this payroll.
Why do we have to settle? Why do we as Blue Jays fans have to accept the Blue Jays can not afford another big add to the rotation? We have one of the richest owners in baseball…I think last year he was ranked third. So as a fan I don’t accept the spittle the Rogers media spill out of there mouth about how they can’t afford things .Its all media spin.
Rogers can compete with the top payers..its a matter of if they will. If the fans are always willing to accept the team can’t afford too then they never will spend like the top teams. Its time, as fans, we stop accepting the Rogers media BS and demand more.
We deserve a Verlander esq pitcher and a Ohtani left handed bat to compliment this roster.
They’re already talking about trading one of their outfielders. That’s because they won’t be able to resign Gurriel and Teoscar. I think both are on the last year of their arb. Rogers will never really go all in. I hope I’m wrong though. The payroll will be managed in a way that Vlad gets his extension and he’s gonna be due probably over 30 mill a season. Bo has to be factored in .. bullpen still needs to be addressed.. I don’t know man. I don’t see it happening.
In 2022, TOR has 8th highest home attendance below NYM and HOU but above COL, BOS and CHI at just under 33,000. Road attendance they’re 17th, overall 10th at almost 30K. You’ve got to remember TOR had a dismal 2021 28th attendance with only 890K home total due to Covid restrictions so revenue was way down. 2019 prepandemic was pretty poor at 21st place with only 21.6K avg home attendance. 2020 was a bust for every team revenue wise.
Does Toronto have a super lucrative TV and media rights deal?
In 2022, TOR was 11th largest payroll at $188M just behind HOU and LAA at $190’s. Currently for 2023, TOR has $129M on the books, curiously just behind LAD with $130M signed, and CHW, LAA, NYY, COL, and SD all in the $130M’s. Can TOR afford to sign > $70M and go over $200M with their revenue market or do you fully expect Rogers ownership to dig into their own pockets to fund higher payroll and then raise prices at the ballpark hoping for even more revenue?
Baseball is a business and while I agree every fan wants their team to spend or overspend their budget, some teams just can’t from a business perspective, unless you want Los Angeles or New York ticket, parking, and concessions prices.
Because of my very limited to exposure to Heaney during his brief, disastrous tenure with the Yankees, I am absolutely baffled he got $8.5M last year and absolutely baffled that he may secure a 3+ year contract worth more than $40M.
Dodgers had scouted Heaney as a rookie from the Marlins back in 2014 before trading for him and had him for about 12 hours before dealing him to the Angels in another trade. After watching him at LAA and NYY, Dodgers felt they could fix his pitching problems and paid him. In return, he was pretty decent and you can see the effects of developing a new slider (probably aided by Urias and Kershaw), and better pitch selection. If he’d been healthier, he’d get better looks.
Heaney’s agent really working hard to leak that teams are interested in him.
Being a Mariners fan, and knowing the Jays will be a neck and neck competitor with us for the foreseeable future , I just want to say I am happy to have you guys on the other side as rival fans.. I consistently see smart and knowledgeable comments and it’s a pleasure to have such affable and “un-troll-like” folks on the other side. CHEERS and here’s to the Jays and M’s getting the opportunity to dominate in the AL for awhile!
Cheers!
Teams should not over pay for last season’s anomaly production….Heaney is a #3 or #4 starter depending on the team….nothing more….
I don’t think teams were viewing him any higher than a 3 at most
Heaney is going to get #3 or 4 money on the market. But he’s a guy it doesn’t take much imagination to see providing front of the rotation results. It also doesn’t take much imagination to see him not providing many innings at all.
We don’t need an ace, we need depth to consistently win through 162 games.
Manoah, Gausman and Berrios I’m more than happy with (I believe Berrios will be better). But we need to figure out 4,5,6 and 7 spots in the rotation. Kikuchi and White can battle for a spot as long relief/5,6,7th starter in line but we still need 2 more guys with a track record of being good, solid MLB pitchers.
Add a power arm to the bullpen on top and we’re right there with the best in the AL.
I think Pearson could fill the bullpen power arm. I’d give him a shot. Stop trying to stretch him
out as a starter see if he can stay injury free. Merryweather is a bounce back candidate as a power arm too if he could just stay healthy.
Dream on!
I like both! But need to add one that’s done it.
I think Heaney is a beneficiary of technology. I saw a video overlay analysis of his new pitch and his fastball. It has the same release point as his fastball and they both “tunnel” for a large part of the journey before going their seperate ways at the death. Tough to hit.
please no, dude had one good year.
It makes a lot of sense that the Jays are interested in Heaney. They’ll bet on stuff over past results. Though in that sense, they might be a year late on Heaney as he’s opened some eyes. The Jays seem to really value the K-BB% and Heaney’s was absurd this year. It’s been strong throughout his career.
On the other hand though, Toronto’s other upside plays have mostly been on durable guys who have had bad results rather than injury risk guys with good results. They don’t have obvious rotation depth at AAA and Mitch White as a swingman isn’t the same insurance as Ross Stripling. If the Jays bolstered their starting depth in the minors (as a return in a catcher trade maybe) then Heaney would make all kinds of sense. But I think if Thomas Hatch still occupies the #7 spot on the starting depth chart, they need more floor than Heaney represents.
Can we just say everyone is interested in everyone? I think that’s more accurate.
Can we just say everyone is interested in everyone? Lol
Every team is interested in every free agent at this point. Lol
Sure, he shows a lot of promise, but how much do you give a guy who is consistently injured and rarely plays half a season?
Jays want to investigate all possible directions they could go with signing players in the off-season and a part of that is looking at the alternatives to signing Stripling. Heaney would be an equivalent to signing Stripling and I assume they are looking at all other possibilities including any trades or FA signings as well and then making what they feel is their best choice. So yes, they would be in on Heaney.
Heaney should get an incentive-laden contract.
Ownership has done all they could for this team and yet it’s hasn’t been enough to get them far. Start selling assets and start over. Again.
Whatever happened to Nate Pearson?
I think he’s out of minor league options. Suffers to stay healthy, and when he does pitch, he’s not as effective as many thought he would be. Roster spots will be valuable though, especially in the bullpen. Being he’s still on a minimum deal, he will make the opening day roster imo. And the Jays will hope for the best. Wouldn’t be surprised though if he gets thrown in a trade this off season.
He’s surprisingly not out of options. Has 2 more left. That’s because most of that time we aren’t seeing him, he’s on the IL. He has well over 2 years of service time already and has only appeared in 17 games (33 innings). If he spends any significant time on the major league team or on the IL again, he’ll be arbitration eligible next offseason. If they really need 40 man spots, I could see them moving him, but otherwise I don’t think he has much trade value and he might be able to be useful as a bullpen piece. Especially as one with options who can be up and down between Buffalo and Toronto.
Oh wow he has two options left ? That’s surprising. In that case I’m glad the Jays still have some time to work with him, hopefully he figures it out. That really is nice to hear … hate to give up on someone who was so highly touted due to lack of minor league options remaining, then he’d go somewhere else and might turn it around. Two more options, that’s great to hear.
Waste of money as Heaney can’t stay healthy.
This is why Mark Shapiro has never won a ring.
It’s so funny. If you’re single and say 50 plus ( I’m early sixties) and you’re on dating sites , you see thousands upon thousands of old women , divorced , left behind , fat and ugly as sin at that age , but all the profiles are written like they are gods gift to earth lol like every one in the world is trying to bang them so you better have the most cash and term lol
Point is … I swear all these women get their profiles written up by baseball agents !!!
Jays need to do better than heaney
How much do you pay a SP for 90 IP of nice peripherals and immense promise but little else? Because history tells us that’s what you get with Heaney.