The Toronto Blue Jays were on the verge of the playoffs in 2021 despite a historic campaign by slugger Vladimir Guerrero and a Cy Young-like season by Robbie Ray.
They may be just a couple of free agent signings away from a deep postseason run.
These three free agents should be on Toronto’s radar.
3. Kris Bryant
The Blue Jays fielded Marcus Semien at second base and, when healthy, Cavan Biggio occupied third base.
Santiago Espinal also played a lot of third.
Biggio regressed in 2021 (.224/.322/.356) and Espinal, while solid (.311/.376/.405), has little to no power.
The Blue Jays could really use an infield upgrade, specifically at second and third.
Kris Bryant is a known commodity, capable of handling third base with ease for years to come.
He is a World Series champion and former MVP who can bring the Jays’ lineup to another level.
Is Kris Bryant the big addition the #BlueJays chase this year? Loads of talk about Correa, Seager, JRam. But some tend to forget a top 5 3b with versatility will be on the market this year. Would be well open to KB if I'm the Jays
— #1JaysFan (@BigJays) October 9, 2021
Between the Chicago Cubs and the San Francisco Giants, Bryant hit .265/.353/.481 with 25 home runs and a .835 OPS.
He can also play some outfield and first base, giving Toronto some extra flexibility.
Securing his services won’t be easy, as he should have lots of suitors and will command a hefty salary.
However, if Toronto can somehow end up with him on the roster, they could be the team to beat in the American League East.
2. Raisel Iglesias
The Blue Jays bullpen was their undoing in the 2021 campaign.
Their offense was a top-three unit, and they managed to vastly improve their starting pitching with the call-up of Alek Manoah and the trade of Jose Berrios.
Yet, the reliever corps often cost them games, and in a close division such as the AL East, that can’t happen very often.
Jordan Romano (2.14 ERA, 63 innings) was rock solid as the closer, but there weren’t too many stars besides him.
Raisel Iglesias should help fix that issue.
Iglesias is a proven closer and had a strong 2021 campaign (70 frames, 103 strikeouts, 0.93 WHIP, and 2.57 ERA), so he could slide in seamlessly in the ninth inning and free Romano for set-up or fireman duties.
Iglesias won’t be cheap, but could go a long way in solving the Blue Jays’ bullpen woes.
1. Robbie Ray
Technically, the Blue Jays would need to re-sign Ray, since he spent the 2021 campaign in Toronto.
But he may be the single most important person for the franchise at the moment because they badly need to retain him.
Ray is perhaps the top Cy Young candidate in the AL together with New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole.
Friendly reminder that Robbie Ray led American League starting pitchers in:
ERA (2.84)
WHIP (1.05)
IP (193.1)
GS (32)
SO (248)
ERA+ (154)
WAR (6.7)I don’t wanna hear another “debate” over who the AL Cy Young award winner is.
— VOT6 (@ViewsOnThe6) October 12, 2021
He pitched 193.1 quality innings, finishing with a 2.84 ERA and a 3.69 Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP).
He was extremely dominant and, after years of struggling with his control, took a step forward there.
He also struck out 32.1 percent of the hitters he faced, an elite figure among starters.
Ray led the Blue Jays’ starters in Wins Above Replacement, or WAR, with 3.9.
He is 29, so he will likely demand a lot of money.
However, Toronto needs to make sure to bring him back because they know he can handle the AL East.
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