Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro and general manager Ross Atkins met with the media this week to discuss various topics on the heels of the club’s 2025 season, which was mostly sweet but ended bitterly. Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet rounded up some of the pertinent details. Most notably, the Jays are interested in reuniting with infielder Bo Bichette and are also on the hunt for pitching. Some trade talks involving starting pitching have already taken place.
Neither detail is a big surprise. The Blue Jays are the only team Bichette has ever known. He has expressed a willingness to return and continue playing alongside Vladimir Guerrero Jr., as the two have done for years. The Jays would surely love to have Bichette back.
The Jays were able to get through the ALDS and ALCS without Bichette, running out an alignment that usually featured Guerrero at first and Andrés Giménez at short, while Ernie Clement, Addison Barger and Isiah Kiner-Falefa split the second and third base duties.
They could run most of that crew back, though Kiner-Falefa is now a free agent. Davis Schneider could factor in at second base at times. But the Jays are surely a better team with Bichette in the lineup, especially when he’s fully healthy. He has a career .294/.337/.469 batting line and had an even better .311/.357/.483 showing in 2025.
Now that Bichette is a free agent, other clubs will come calling. Teams like the Giants, Tigers, Yankees, Dodgers, Red Sox and Mets are logical landing spots, among others. MLBTR predicted Bichette to land an eight-year, $208MM contract. The Jays have never given that kind of money to a free agent, though they did more than double that on Guerrero’s $500MM extension. With the recent revenue generated from the club’s World Series run, perhaps they make an aggressive push to bring Bichette back.
Even if the Jays do have the money to get it done, there will be the question of positioning. Bichette has largely been a shortstop in his career. As he was shelved with a knee injury late in 2025, Giménez took over that spot. Bichette got healthy enough to be activated for the World Series but was clearly not 100%. The Jays kept him at second base and put him in the designated hitter spot a few times when George Springer was hurt.
Bichette has never been a great defensive shortstop but Giménez seems to be strong there, despite being mostly a second baseman in recent years. While Bichette was willing to play second in the World Series and while still hurt, would he be willing to make a permanent move to that spot? If he would like to stick at shortstop for a few more years, would the Jays accommodate him? If not, how much would that impact his signing decision?
The non-Bichette part of the free agent market includes players such as Alex Bregman, Eugenio Suárez, Gleyber Torres, Ha-Seong Kim and others. Guys like Brendan Donovan, Brandon Lowe, Alec Bohm, CJ Abrams, Josh Jung, Nolan Gorman and others might be available in trade.
There’s also Japanese infielder Munetaka Murakami, with Nicholson-Smith listing the Jays and Yankees as two teams linked to him. He is to be posted today, so his free agency will be resolved in the next 45 days.
Murakami wouldn’t be a perfect fit for the Blue Jays. He does have massive power from the left side, something that would work well in their lineup. However, his third base defense is considered poor, with many suspecting that he will quickly wind up at first base in the majors. With Guerrero signed at first base for the next 14 years and guys like Springer and Anthony Santander lined up for DH time, Murakami would have to be shoehorned in a bit.
If the Jays do think he can hack it at third, that would bump Clement to second and Barger to the outfield. That is something that could work but it wouldn’t really leave room for Bichette, barring a trade of some kind. The Yankees also have kind of an awkward fit with Ryan McMahon at third, Ben Rice at first and Giancarlo Stanton the DH, though perhaps they could find a way to balance things by having Rice behind the plate.
Turning to Toronto’s pitching, they just got a huge boost when Shane Bieber surprisingly triggered his player option. He can now be slotted into the 2026 rotation alongside Kevin Gausman and Trey Yesavage. The Jays should also have José Berríos back in the mix. He finished 2025 on the injured list but Atkins said he’s in line for a normal offseason, per Nicholson-Smith.
Guys like Eric Lauer, Bowden Francis, Adam Macko, Lázaro Estrada and Easton Lucas could compete for the #5 spot but the Jays will look at add someone else. In that scenario, Lauer would come into camp as the #6 guy, which was sometimes the case in 2025. He could work a long relief role when everyone is healthy and jump into the rotation as injuries pop up. Everyone else in that cluster of depth arms is optionable and could be in Triple-A. Guys like Angel Bastardo, Ricky Tiedemann and Jake Bloss missed all or most of 2025 while injured and could work into the mix when healthy.
The free agent market features starters like Dylan Cease, Framber Valdez, Tatsuya Imai, Ranger Suárez and plenty of others. Guys like MacKenzie Gore, Joe Ryan, Mitch Keller and others should be available on the trade block.
In Nicholson-Smith’s column, Shapiro didn’t give a clear answer about the 2026 payroll but he praised the support the club has received from ownership and said “I don’t see that support going backwards at all.” That’s logical because, as mentioned, the club just raked in a bunch of money from their extended playoff run.
RosterResource projects the club for a $235MM payroll next year. That’s more than $20MM shy of the $258MM they spent in 2025, per RR. If payroll stays steady, that gives the Jays some room to make a notable move, though it would obviously be easier if the budget goes up. Signing both Bichette and a notable starting pitcher, for instance, would require more than $20MM annually.
In the bullpen, there are dozens of potential players they could target, including free agents and trade candidates. They could even go after closers, as Atkins was noncommittal about Jeff Hoffman staying in that role next year, per Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. “The great thing about Jeff is he’s not married to that,” Atkins said. “I think he would be open to anything that makes us better.”
The Jays signed Hoffman to a three-year, $33MM deal last offseason. He saved 33 games for the Jays this year, plus two more in the playoffs, but in uneven fashion. His strikeout rate was good but he allowed 4.37 earned runs per nine, thanks to allowing 15 home runs on the year, more than in his previous three years combined. As Jays fans well know, or maybe have blocked out, he allowed a game-tying home run to Dodgers #9 hitter Miguel Rojas in the top of the ninth of Game Seven of the World Series.
Home run spikes like that can be fluky. A measure like SIERA, which controls for such things, gave Hoffman a 3.21 mark this year. Still, it’s understandable that the Jays would at least consider adding an established closer and bumping Hoffman into a setup role. The free agent market features guys with closing experience like Edwin Díaz, Robert Suarez, Pete Fairbanks and Devin Williams. Depending on the final payroll, the Jays will have to weigh those pursuits against their other targets.
As for Shapiro himself, his contract only ran through the 2025 season but it would be a shock if he weren’t kept around after such a successful season. He previously hinted that he and the club would likely work out a new deal and he gave similar comments this week. Per Nicholson-Smith, he says he and the team agreed to table extension talks during the postseason run but will “likely work something out soon.”
The coaching staff will also likely be coming back, for the most part. Per Nicholson-Smith, Atkins said there would be no “proactive subtractions,” which seems to be GM speak to indicate no one is getting fired. Bench coach Don Mattingly is walking away and it’s always possible that someone on staff gets offered a promotion with another club, but it’s notable that the Jays plan on keeping the group together as much as they can.
Photo courtesy of John E. Sokolowski, Imagn Images
Giminez seems to be fine there? Lol
Guys elite.
Gimy stays at ss and bo moves to 2nd. Easiest decision in baseball…if bo resigns, of course
Gimenez is a severely overpaid bench player.
Dumb comment. Did you ever watch the playoffs or even look at his playoff stats? Are you a Yankee Fan or Dodger fan?
He is overpaid and I’m a Jays fan who watched pretty much every game this year. His regular season injured or not was not worth his pay. He carried himself in the playoffs but still overpaid for what he provided.
Can control an injury. Before he was injured he was still a defensive superstar that led the team in HR’s and RBI. In the playoffs he was 2nd in the team in RBI with a couple gave saving 2 run HR’s.
Earned his pay and more
Gimenez has not hit well enough in the last couple of seasons to merit a starting role. It is incredible how people see a couple of swings where he closed his eyes and suddenly he is all-world. Gimenez even with the double in Game 7 helped cost the Jays. But you’d rather listen to other than watch the games thoroughly.
Not even close. Sit this one out.
How early was that in the season he started his first few games as a Jay on fire saying he lead the team in RBI’s and HR’s that early in the season as meaning something is like saying Gausman is our five starter if his first outing of the year is a dud.
Very early, gomer. First 5-6 weeks of the season the Jays were hitting awful. A lot of slow starts.
How did him hitting cost the Jays?
His playoff stats were in line with his regular season stats of not a very good hitter.
.218/.288/.338.
I don’t think Bo is going to take a home town discount or give in to not playing SS right away.
I think his jays are done but a pretty cool last memory taking shohei deep on one good leg
Why would his days in Toronto be done? 99.9% he returns to Toronto long term with Vlad.
I’m thinking another team will be wiling to pay him more than the jays will.
The Giants SHOULD, but whether Buster would rather spend solely on the rotation and RF remains to be seen.
If he wants a high AAV short term deal, he can probably get more elsewhere. If he wants a ten year contract, only the Jays might offer that.
“Why would his days”…Agreed. Bichette’s is borderline iconic in Toronto and with his injury history probably doesn’t have that same value anywhere else.
Which team is looking for a $200+ mediocre fielding SS? I believe Bo moves to 2b and stays in Canada.
The Phillies have entered the chat
Two years in a row with lower body injuries and the range was a little suspect this year prior to the knee injury. This should be a concern for all teams if he’s looking for 7-8 years. That aside, he is a really good hitter. His offseason will be very interesting. Would love to see him back.
Moving Rice to C to replace Wells shouldn’t ends be a real discussion. Wells has been a top defender at the position, and at minimum given them some power from the left hand side, ironically tho, not taking advantage of Yankee stadium’s short left porch much. Stick Rice at 1b and move on.
MLB just had one of the most exciting (and most watched) WS in a while and they’re likely going to lock out players and kill fan support. Tony Clark and agents like Jim Murray work for Manfred and instead of settling on a deal that raises the floor for min salary players while lowering the ceiling for top salary players by increasing arbitration pay and luxury taxes. MLB will push for a system like the NFL (silly dead cap charges) or NBA (silly tax aprons and cap circumventing no-show deals). Manfred needs to focus on what’s right for the game, decreasing the gap between haves and have-nots through increased taxes and giving the majority of players not named Soto or Ohtani raise while growing the game internationally.
If you’re hoping Manfraud changes his stripes, you’ll be sadly left wanting. The man is a shill.
It’s people like you enable his behavior. Calling him out is my responsibility as a fan of baseball. Keep making excuses for his behavior and I’ll keep responding to you enablers
Freddie: Umm… he called the dude a fraud. He was quite literally calling him out. Your initial post was excellent, this follow-up reeks off little man syndrome.
Insult me all you want and make excuses for Manfred’s behavior. It means nothing to me horace. I stand by what I wrote. You’re either for the change you want to see or against it. Making excuses for Manfred’s behavior while insulting him doesn’t do anything. I’m not against Rob as a human and I won’t insult people based on their size like you do. I want to see baseball do better. That’s my goal
Wrong again walk off. MLB desperately needs a salary cap.
@MFF
“MLB owners desperately need a salary cap”
Fixed it for you.
Any goal you want accomplished through a cap can be accomplished through a higher tax. Luxury taxes take from the haves and gives to the have-nots. A salary cap just keeps the wealthy from sharing profits. Your whole mindset is a flawed communist one
False. There has to be a way to lift the floor and allow for a more level playing field. Cap, floor, and revenue sharing is the only way it works
It doesn’t need a salary cap, it needs fewer teams.
Too many teams that aren’t interested in running a baseball team like Miami and the Athletics. Revenue sharing is already over 110 million, and we have teams spending half of that. And they’re sticking their hands out for stadium money from tax payers while sticking profits in their pockets.
Why are fans in big cities and tax payers subsidizing profits for small time owners that don’t attempt to field a team? It doesn’t make sense.
Tassix, I think the solution could be adding two expansion teams and putting in a salary floor. I have one issue with the floor, as it forces bad teams to hand out bad contracts to players undeserving of said contract, driving up the price even more for better players. A win for players? Yes. A loss for fans? Yes.
If expansion costs 2.1 billion times 2 teams, 4.2 billion is split between the current 30 teams. That averages $140-million per team. Set the floor at a reasonable amount and make these teams buyers.
Tony Clark works for Manfred? Double-spy? That’s news to me.
@YBC
You haven’t been reading the news about Tony Clark? Keep up brother
Sure have. Both on Jeff Passan’s ESPN articles and The Athletic’s.
If you’re going off Passan and Athletic then you’re off the mark. Anyone paying attention can see clearly Tony Clark at-best is colluding with Manfred. He has never been a worthy adversary.
Walk Off, they can have a floor once they establish expansion teams to add more dollars to each team. Until then they have to wait it out IMO.
The Blue Jays should be interesting because there will be a lot of questions no matter what they do.
– If Bichette resigns does Ernie get bumped to third base, utility or traded? If it’s third base does Barger go to RF or get traded? If he goes to RF then what happens to Loerfido? Is it worth keeping Loperfido (will be 27 in May) around in a just incase scenario and risk his development (with Varsho in CF and Santander/Springer in LF/DH) or trade him? Do you trade Lukes (turns 33 in July) or keep him around for a 4th outfielder even though you already have Miles Straw’s contract for that. Is Lukes capable of producing anything close to his 2025 season, even as a 4th outfielder? Does he have any trade value?
If Bo re-signs, it’s:
Springer DH
Lukes LF
Vlad 1b
Bo 2b
Santander RF
Barger 3B
Kirk C
Varsho CF
Jimenez SS
With Clement, Schneider, Straw and Heineman on the bench.
With a lefty on the mound, Ernie at 3rd, Schneider at 2nd, Barger in RF, Tony in Left
Can also see an outfield of Straw / Varsho / Tony with a fly ball pitcher
Ernie probably plays 4 games a week.
If anyone would be willing to give them a 6th inning reliever for any one of Straw / Varsho / Lukes / Loperfido, I’d be surprised, and then accept. immediately. As is, Loprefido still has options, I think and so is odd man out.
If Bo doesn’t re-sign, they sign Bellinger for LF, and go Barger/Jimenez / Clement on the infield, or a power 3rd baseman and put Barger in right full time
If Bo re-signs and that puts Clement on the bench to play Santander I’ll lose my mind.
Could play Ernie at 3rd most of the time, I guess, with Tony / Varsho / Barger in the outfield, with Vlad/Bo/Tony hitting 2/3/4
Makes Lukes your 4th outfielder, but he’s the only true 2 hole hitter on the team.
Well lose your mind Santander is going to play if he is healthy and if last year was a fluke, due to injury, and he returns to form, you will be glad for it. They ain’t paying Santander to sit on the bench.
I am not sure they are outright giving Lukes the starting job. The chances that he comes close to last year (he did great) are not high and why risk Loperfido’s development (unless he is traded) to give a soon to be 33 year old journeyman reps. Loperfido has more long term potential and potential power. Also they will have others that may need an opportunity to get a look..
@Toronto Blue Jays Jason – Lukes is not an ideal 2 hole hitter and he may not even come close to last years production. I mean if they keep him and he does come close, great but he will be 33 next year and doesn’t have a long track record of being that good. I think there are better options for the 2 hole.
Loperfido will be 27 by the all-star break. He’s not a prospect anymore, IMO. So for the right price, he, and Clement, and Lukes, and Straw, and Varsho and Schneider could all be had.. And if they falter, they’ll find the next guy.
Part of me even thinks there’s a way I can see Barger being traded, but that would have to be for J-Ram, and given the age / money difference there, I’m not sure of that
I hear ya and I agree they all could be had for the right price and maybe some of them should be traded. I would even add Varsho to that list, with one year left and not developing into the player Atkins thought he was getting. Obviously this would require some additions of some sort being made via trade, free agency or development.
IMO I would give Loperfido one more year with a good look to see if there is really something there or is he another 27 year old misfire.
Lukes is 31 now so don’t quite know how he’ll be 33 next year.
If Bo re-signs, the Jays are playing Clement over Lukes.
Clement at 3B, Barger in RF, Santander in LF.
The Jays have flexibility with Clement and Barger able to play multiple positions which makes another position player signing possible as well.
You do not, understand circumstances trade Clement. He is the perfect player for this team. Good glove caliber defence at multiple positions. Good avg hitter with extra base power. Runs well. That is just idiotic.
@Toronto Blue Jason
Barger is a poor OF. -4/-4 OAA and DRS respectively in ~400innings. Santander, in his last full season, put up a -7 DRS and -2 OAA in a full season in RF. It’s not great, but a world better than Barger. Keep Barger at 3B. He’s at least average there
@Drumcliff
Metric system math ;o)
I don’t think anyone was suggesting to “just trade Clement”. I think it was more that “anyone could be had for the right price”. However the Blue Jays will have some decisions to make come this offseason which was my original post and the possibility that Clement or any of the aforementioned could be moved is possible.
@ Drumcuff yes he is 31 now so I should have said 32 next year. Not sure that makes a hugh difference but ok.
I saw them trade Tony Fernandez and Fred McGriff. If I need to trade Clement, Nimmala and Tiedemann to land Skubal, I’ll wish them all well.
Ah Clement will not be part of a Skubal trade unless he is a throw in and don’t see a need for that. Tigers would want no part of Tiedemann as he did not pitch in 2025 after TJ surgery and that package would not even get the Tigers to the table for a trade. The Blue Jays would need to give up something like Trey Yesavage, Arjan Nimmala and Adam Macko to just get them to not hangup the phone..
Not worth one year of Skubal IMO from a Blue Jays perspective.
Detroit will ask for Yesavage for Skubal. Jays would need to at least offer Nimmala, Varsho and two more prospects. If you are the Jays you do that deal. Tigers need CF help.
Varsho is really good? He’s not going anywhere.
Barger turned into an excellent defender in RF and has an arm compared to Jessie Barfield. He will be whereever they need him next year, either 3B or RF.
You don’t honestly think Barger could be traded for Ramirez, and I’m a Jays fan.
@TheBoatmen
“Barger turned into an excellent defender in RF…”
Based on what?
Definitely blossomed this year with even more playing time. Good comparison with Barfield, what a cannon
not 1 for 1, of course not, but a 3::1 with Barger in the mix, maybe.
@Midinfieldlifer
Barger put up -4 DRS and -4 OAA in 400 inning in RF this year or about a third of season. Last year Santander put up -7 DRS and -2 OAA in over 1200 innings in RF.
That’s not blossoming. That’s making a case to leave him at 3B where his glove is average.
Based on his 5 DRS in the playoffs which led all RF’s in the post season.
@TheBoatmen
I just checked Fangraphs, Baseball Savant, and Baseball Reference. Fangraphs and Savant don’t show splits in the playoffs. Don’t show the playoffs at all. BR shows the positional splits but not advanced defensive stats like DRS. 5 DRS in 86 innings is impressive though. Like 70 DRS over a full season (1200 innings) impressive. Which would make Barger better than Mookie Betts in RF. Mookie put up 139 DRS in a little over 8200 innings in right or 20 DRS in 1200 innings.
What was this web site you got that number?
C-Daddy you have 1 year left with Varsho. He can’t throw, can’t be trusted with the bat, and after 30 his wheels will decline. He is also the only player of-value to trade. Jays did it with Teoscar and Gurriel.
Varsho is ok, and overrated. But replaceable and not very good. There is a reason the Jays played better after he tweaked his hammy.
Barger has less than a full season’s worth of experience in the outfield in his life, unless he played there in little league. And he’s 25. Treating him like he’s a finished product who can’t improve further in the outfield is ridiculous. The eye test shows he takes a lot of bad routes, but that’s a matter of practice. He has the legs for it, he has the glove for it, and he obviously has the arm for it.
@smuzqwpdmx
In the minors Barger had a little over 400 innings in the OF. All of which were in AAA. By the way of contrast he had around 2800 innings on the infield. He was drafted as in infielder. The minor leagues are used to develop players into major leaguers. The major leagues are not a development league.
The Diamondbacks gave Varsho 550-ish innings at catcher. He put up a -11 DRS. Using your argument of “Treating him like he’s a finished product who can’t improve further in the outfield is ridiculous.” means that they should have continued developing Varsho in the majors as a catcher.
You want Barger to be a RF, fine. Send him back to the minors for a season or 2 learning to efficiently run routes. Or keep him at 3B with his average glove and above average bat because putting him in RF is hurting the team. By your own comment he takes a lot of bad routes!
I wouldn’t trade Yesavage for 1 year of Skubal either. They shouldn’t even consider it unless they’re given a chance to work out an extension first. Even then I would I would have a hard time giving him up. He has so much raw talent and he’s going to cost virtually nothing for the next few years.
I have to agree. Barger looks like a potentially great hitter down the line, but I can’t imagine anyone seeing him as a great defensive outfielder. Maybe somewhere down the line if he works really hard at it but not right now. He had negative runs saved in the outfield this year.
That reason had nothing to do with Varsho being down. Overall Varsho is every bit as good a center fielder as Straw and Straw can’t hit to save his life. At least Varsho has power. Despite having no power at all, Straw swings with an uppercut at everything. He’s like a walking pop-up.
Agreed 92. I would, however, trade Nimmala and any other prospect. Liken the trade to Corbin Burnes to Baltimore, but more would need to be added (and the Jays would need to negotiate an extension).
Straw would never be the starting CF. Varsho has one year left and we should not be against dealing him since we watched it happen 3 years ago with two key bats in Teoscar and Gurriel. Would I want Lukes in CF? Not really. If Bo is not signed I’d rather the Jays went after Bellinger. He’s a better hitter and will give you good CF defense. Plus Vlad protection. Signing Varsho to an extension would be foolish.
Googled Addison Barger drs and then Deeper AI mode. Can’t find in on a public website but 5 would make sense. He through out a couple, and at lease a couple diving catches and one was with runners on 2nd and 3rd to end the inning. The finally decided to stop pulling him for Straws defense. His defense at 3rd is pretty good too but I feel like he is wasted at 3rd with that arm.
OK. Playing in your field I did the same as you. My results:
“As of the end of the 2025 MLB season, Addison Barger does not have a Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) value listed on Baseball Savant. DRS requires a sufficient sample size of defensive plays to generate a reliable number, and Barger has not yet reached that threshold. He has, however, made his major league debut and played a partial season with the Toronto Blue Jays.”
The important take away is the part where it talks about a sufficient sample size. 80 summin’ innings, whether in the playoffs or regular seadon, is an insufficient sample size. And no, 3B are suppose to have strong arms.
@ its – I agree Varsho is overrated. They insist on batting him in the heart of the order (5th sometimes 6th) when he is and has always been a 7 hitter at best
Play Clement at short and make Gimenez a bench player.
Andres salary will keep in the lineup.
Loperfido is not the question, the question is Santander/Lukes. Because Loperfido, to your point, wouldn’t be on the team.
The guy with trade value is Varsho. Final year of arbitration, much like Teoscar was after 2022. Hate to see it happen but it might lead to filling another need/hole elsewhere. Then the question is who plays CF? Or, do you let Bo walk and sign one?
Santander is playing over Lukes just because of his contract alone.
Yes he would.
Santander needs to be traded for any salary relief possible. Use the $20 cash you get for him to help resign Bo. The guy is done. I don’t want to see him play another game for the Jays.
He was awful before he got hurt and no better when he came back, and he’s on the wrong side of 30 with only a 3.0 and 2.9 WAR campaign to his name.
Ted I don’t see how that will happen unless Baltimore wants him back for Tyler O’Neill and he’s your RH bench bat, or to the A’s for Luis Severino. Even those two scenarios look rather bleak.
There’s no point to doing that right now. You’re not getting any salary relief for him. They’re going to have to bring him into camp and hope for the best. If he can bounce back then maybe they could trade him then. Besides, once he’s healthy he has a good track record of being a solid hitter. I wouldn’t write him off just because he had one bad year due to injury.
@Its – Bleak but those are somewhat interesting scenarios with the two you mention
With age not on his side, I can see them trading Lukes to allow room for the others
It would make more sense to get rid of Varsho than to overpay him when he walks after 2026.
You would be hard pressed to find a good CF replacement for Varsho. He has averaged 5 WAR per 162 games played since he came to the Jays. I think Julio Rodriguez is the only other CF who has managed that other than him over that time span (unless you include Judge).
Yeah, that is a good point mid.
Bo is not leaving. Him and Vlad are the heart and soul of the Bluejays, came up together and went to the world series together. They should both be Jays for life.
If the Blue Jays only have $20M to spend, Bo seems as good as gone given their pitching needs.
Jays have like 60 mil coming off the books
Given the Jays lack of ability to draft and the amount of revenue they pulled in this past month, they should spend beyond the thresholds. Plus more money off the books in 2006 (Springer, Gausman, Yimi, Varsho, Straw, Bieber).
A projection of 235 after they were 255 last year and just made a mint on the playoffs and merch is absolutely not going to happen. They are going to be closer to 280 when all I said and done with Bo in hand, a new shiny starting pitcher and another are in the bullpen.
Jays should be sitting over $300-mil. You do not tell the fans that paid $1500+ per World Series ticket that you are holding steady at $280 when that one more piece is missing.
Revenue from merchandise is equally shared with all clubs
The accumulated revenue goes far beyond merchandise. Now is not the time to cry poor.
Jays should have over $100-mil to spend after the revenue they pulled in. Fans should be incensed if they don’t.
On Bo, i think as long as they go to $200, they’ll keep him. I expect there is a $2-3M / year hometown discount, and don’t think any team would go to $225+., so they said go find out what’s out there, and come back and talk.
I also expect ownership has given Shapiro and Atkins a budget waiver – total budget is $250, unless you’re resigning Bo and then you can go to $270. they play him at short until Nimmala’s ready, and then move him to second when Jimenez leaves in a couple years
If they don’t find a way to keep Bichette, it’s a complete failed off-season for Toronto regardless of other moves.
He’s a homegrown player with a high level bat. He’s a big part of the nucleus of the team. He brings an edge and grit that’s needed once you start getting to the playoffs consistently. On one leg he was worth more than most of the players the Dodgers faced this postseason.
If they don’t lock him up, it’s just sad. They have the resources. Get it done.
I’ve seen too many people who say they want to be here walk for less money to play elsewhere. I hope he stays, I want him to stay, but it’s called free agency for a reason.
Name them.
Consistently? You mean like 3 out of the last 4 seasons? Lol
Exactly that. Yes.
You need players like him exactly for that. Intangibles matter.
Exactly, it wouldn’t matter what they did over the off season if they don’t keep Bo.
It would be an epic fail as besides a hugely productive bat, the whole team chemistry would be altered (and not in a good way).
Toronto pitching staff says YES to Gimenez staying at SS!
His value is greater there and if Bo can play a decent 2B, his value will stay the same.
I’d he won’t move, then don’t sign him.
I think Bo looked pretty good at second. Especially playing on one leg. Made some good hard plays and all the easy ones.
IKF says, “Whenever you’re ready, just let me know.”
IKF batted 9th all season and got released by the worst team in baseball. Then all of a sudden he was starting/playing prominent roles in WS games. He’s a complete dud. I wonder how different things would have been if Schnieder was the runner at 3rd base.
Or Loperfido who should have been added instead of France.
Gimenez should play SS. He looks elite there.
Barger at 3B, Clement at 2B.
No, the Mets are not a “logical landing spot” for Bichette. They have a few far more compelling problems to address before getting another second baseman.
Let Bo go, re-sign IKF, use the rest of the money to improve pitching. 2027 is gonna be locked out anyways.
as much as i like him, IKF was the 27th player on a WS Calibre roster. better he go somewhere he can play full time and help the kids
If you let Bo go, Barger plays 3B and Clement 2B. The Jays would need to pivot to an OF bat, which is now difficult given the wonderful Santander contract.
Only for a year then the DH spot opens.
Can still go after an OF bat and move Lukes in to a PT role, but I’m actually hoping they look to get a 3b and move Barger to RF, I like him there
I hear you Dusty. No matter the metrics, give Barger a chance to settle in at the RF spot and I think he’ll be great. Would shut down the running game or at least prevent guys going an extra base.
You can’t have a reunion if you never left.
Phillies
It’s amazing how Torontonians have wanted to run Shatkins out of town for years. One playoff run later and now they are welcomed back with open arms? I suspect this season was the outlier and everyone will want to run them out of town again by August or so
Says who? There are still plenty who want them gone and Schneider too.
Oh sorry you said Torontonians.
They still aren’t trusted. Schneider grew a lot, but most of the good part of growth was not doing what the FO khakis wanted. If they bring Bo back, and invest the extra revenue back on the field, we may begin to trust them.
And Shapiro does deserve a LOT of credit for the changes to the ‘dome.
This absolutely yes. The Dome used to be a horrible environment for a game. It’s actually one of the best ones I’ve ever been to. I’ve seen 17 mlb stadiums and I can without a doubt put the Dome in top 3.
Shatkins hasn’t drafted well, had some awful trades and didn’t address specific position needs costing the Jays a playoff berth in 2021, and long runs in 2022-23. Yes they deserved all the criticism. Plus some for Satander and the 2025 deadline.
And let’s be honest; a healthy Yankees staff, emerging Boston team puts the Jays in 3rd next year. Do not forget the Jays and Yankees were tied in record. Who knows what happens if they were not the division winner.
There have been some missteps on the draft for sure. They did manage to get Kirk, Yesavage, and Bichette from the draft though, so it hasn’t been all bad.
Kirk was not a draft pick, and if we are talking 2 players out of 10 drafts that says everything about how bad they have been.
@gomer respectfully, youre wrong. Period.
I’m putting my money on Bo re-signing. Him and Vlad are the faces of this generation for the Jays. Like Pete with the Mets.
I think Bo is the big free agent the Os need on the offense side. 8/220 or something. Takes him from a division rival, adds a veteran that is pretty consistent, and deepens the Os lineup substantially. They have Gunnar at short and Jax at 2nd but I think Gunnar should be at 3rd. Westburg can move around the infield. Adley and Bassalo share 1st and catcher with still a backup catcher like Sanchez or McCann.
Bo has been quoted that he wants to stay with one franchise his entire career and has felt that way since he was a kid. I think they’ll get the job done and sign him.
Another offseason of the Jays are in on anyone.
I hope the Jays resign Bo to play 2nd base. Gimenez at short; hitting coaches to work with him in the offseason. They worked magic with the rest of the team IMHO. Would be sad to see Bo sign with another team as he, along with Vladdy are the heart of this team.
Hes an elite ss hitting is secondary. Specially if you have hitters at third and second which they appear to have.