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Ok, so this off-season has been an interesting one for the Blue Jays, and they haven’t even made a big splash yet. It feels like every player that has been on the trading block or is currently a free agent has at least been connected to the Jays in some way, shape, or form.
For now, let’s just take a look at some of the UFA’s that the Blue Jays are rumored to be interested in. These players will only cost the Jays money, not players in exchange. Therefore, it’s easier to assess how they could potentially fit into the Blue Jays current roster.
George Springer
This might be the player with the highest possibility of joining the Blue Jays. It’s by no means a done deal; however, Springer seems to be seriously considering Toronto as a landing spot. According to reports, the Blue Jays and Springer are past the “express interest” stage and are discussing more specific topics such as how he could fit into the roster (via Shi Davidi, Sportsnet).
Springer makes sense, as he is a proven leadoff hitter, has speed on the base paths, and is a proven center fielder. Coming to Toronto would allow us to move Grichuk back to where he is most comfortable, which is in right field. However, it would create a bit of a logjam in the outfield, with Springer, Grichuk, Hernández, and Gurriel Jr. all deserving to be everyday players.
Maybe Springer's addition could lead to the Jays being more open to possibly trade away a player like Gurriel Jr., who has had his name thrown around in some pretty significant rumors over the past few days. Namely, some in correlation with the Indians in a possible Lindor trade.
Regardless, even at the age of 31, Springer should be an elite hitter and defender for a couple more seasons. A four-year deal looks to make sense here, and for a player with a career .270 batting average, it will likely require a higher yearly salary than even Ryu got last season.
D.J. LeMahieu
Now here is a player that just looks to be a great fit with the Blue Jays. LeMahieu is one of the best hitters in all of baseball. He's had a batting average of over .300 in five seasons so far in his career, including an unbelievable .364 batting average this past season in 50 games.
He also provides the versatility around the infield the Blue Jays love. He’s a primary second baseman but can also play first and third, two positions that remain a bit of a wildcard at the moment because of the uncertainty of where Guerrero Jr. will be playing.
LeMahieu finished third in MVP voting last season for the American League. Signing him would give the Jays one of the league's premier bats. It won't be easy snagging him away for New York, as the Yankee's clearly want to bring him back, and the Mets also looking to be in the mix. If the Jays can, though, this is a player that will be worth every penny they end up spending. Players of his hitting caliber don't come available too often via free agency.
Kolten Wong
The Jays have also shown considerable interest in second baseman Kolton Wong. However, he is more likely a back-up option if LeMahieu doesn't end up signing with the Blue Jays (via Jon Morosi).
Wong has spent his entire career with the cardinals and enjoyed the best season of his career in 2019. That season, Wong batted .285 with an OBP of .361. He doesn’t possess the power at the plate that LeMahieu has, but Wong is an elite defender, winning the Gold Glove Award the past two seasons at second base.
Unlike Lemahieu, Wong will likely require remaining at second base, meaning Cavan Biggio could be finding regular time at another position. Despite this, it’s tough to argue adding such a great defender wouldn’t help the Blue Jays. Again, Wong likely becomes a realistic possibility if LeMahieu doesn’t come North, so this one might be a bit of a waiting game.
J.T Realmuto
This one is a little interesting, as entering this off-season the general consensus was that the Blue Jays have three MLB caliber catchers, and they could be looking to trade one for upgrades somewhere else on the roster.
The next thing we know, it appears as if the Jays have interest in bringing in J.T Realmuto.
Realmuto is one of the league's best catchers; there's no question in that. The two-time All-Star won both a Silver Slugger and Gold Glove in 2019 and is a career .278 hitter. He's been regarded as one of the most competitive guys in the league and will undoubtedly help with the development of some of the Blue Jays young pitchers.
There's no question Realmuto would make the Jays a better team, but is catcher really a position the Jays should be focusing on right now? If the Jays were to sign Realmuto, it would be for a significant price. That money could be spent on areas on more significant weakness (Pitching, versatile Infielder), rather than at a position where there are already three players you could argue are ready to be everyday catchers at the MLB level. If Realmuto signs in Toronto, the Jays could be looking at trading, not just one, but two catchers before really knowing their max potential.
Just About Everyone Else
The list of players the Jays are rumored to have looked at this off-season is more extended than just those four players. Marcell Ozuna, Jackie Bradley Jr., Michael Brantley, and many more have in one way or another been linked to the Blue Jays as options.
The Jays won't be getting every player on the list, not even close. However, after selling off assets for years, Ross Atkins proved that the Jays are ready to start being aggressive again to acquire talent with the Ryu signing last off-season. This off-season, Atkins and the Jays seem to be taking that aggressive approach to a whole new level.
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