Toronto Blue Jays continue to be aggressive
After reaching the postseason for the first time since 2016 last year, the Toronto Blue Jays believe they are on the cusp of competing for a World Series title. They have a young and talented squad who proved their worth during the shortened 2020 campaign. However, they still need to add a few key pieces if they are to battle it out with Major League Baseball’s elite.
On Wednesday, 59 more players became free agents when their teams decided not to pick up their options. While most teams were looking at cutting down their rosters though, the Blue Jays were discussing ways to add to theirs.
“It doesn’t take much at this point for a deal to happen,” Toronto general manager Ross Atkins said Wednesday during the Toronto chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America’s annual meeting, via Sportsnet. “I don’t know if its days or a week or two before things start to pick up for the Toronto Blue Jays. But we’re prepared.”
The Blue Jays still don’t know where they will be playing in 2021, after being forced to play their home games in Buffalo during the 2020 season. The Canadian government has still not eased restrictions as a result of rising COVID cases and it remains to be seen whether they will be able to return to Toronto for the start of the season in March.
Either way, the club is looking to add important parts as they continue to test the free agent market.
“As we’ve talked about, this is just one step in the process, as last trade deadline was, as last off-season was,” he continued. “This is another point in time where we have an opportunity to add talent. And what we’re thinking about is not only positional fits, whether that be pitching or outfield/infield/catching, but also how it will impact our environment for some time to come.”
Toronto has a young core that they would like to build around and Atkins understands that whoever he brings into the locker room will have to fit with the players who are already there.
“So that’s something we’re talking to free agents and targeting free agents for, is how they will influence Cavan Biggio and Bo Bichette and Vladdy (Guerrero Jr.) and Ryan Borucki and Jordan Romano and others.”
Toronto has been linked with a plethora of big names already this offseason, with both George Springer and D.J LeMahieu apparently high on their list. With 59 more players becoming available on Wednesday, the Blue Jays certainly have more options than they did a week ago.
While the pandemic has really hurt most teams, the Blue Jays remain in a healthy situation. They are owned by a telecommunications company that has largely been unaffected by the pandemic. There has even been talks about work being done on a possible new stadium. Fans of the Blue Jays have plenty of reason to be optimistic about the future of the club.
