The Toronto Blue Jays have allegedly inked utility player Isiah Kiner-Falefa to a two-year deal worth $15 million (with further incentives) and outfielder Kevin Kiermaier to a one-year contract, making them one of the teams most active on the free-agent market in recent days.
Both moves seem a little strange at first because Daulton Varsho, with his excellent defense and left-handed bat, will be a valuable addition to the team. He also won the team’s support the previous season, so the Jays don’t really need another center fielder like Kiermaier. The Jays add Kiner-Falefa to their roster, bringing another utility player to complement the likes of Ernie Clement, Davis Schneider, Cavan Biggio, and Santiago Espinal. Of the two, the move is the most perplexing because the team has a lot of “glove-first” players, and Kiner-Falefa doesn’t change much offensively after battling to a mediocre performance the previous season.
All told, the Jays have added two guys to the roster. Neither is a high-profile target like Yoshinobu Yamamoto or Shohei Ohtani, but both are filling in the gaps created by the departures of Matt Chapman, Brandon Belt, and Merrifield to free agency. Both will be involved in the big league team this season, but the front office still needs to find a way to give the Blue Jays lineup some more offensive punch. There are still some voids that need to be filled on the team.
speculating on what the Blue Jays will do next after acquiring Kiermaier and Kiner-Falefa
From the beginning, the Blue Jays’ main priorities have been Chapman’s return and outfielder Cody Bellinger, whom they also tried to sign in the offseason before he agreed to a one-year contract with the Chicago Cubs.
It appears doubtful that the Jays will bring back Chapman with the addition of Kiner-Falefa, especially considering that he is expected to sign a deal worth approximately $150 million and that his bat had a rollercoaster of a season last year. Although the California product’s fielding is among his best qualities, his bat diminished badly as the season went on in 2017 and angered Jays fans, who have been arguing all winter whether the team should bring him back or not given the other options available. That’s not to say that Chapman’s return is completely out of the question, but given alternative long-term third-base options that come with a less payroll cost, it appears less plausible than it did the day before yesterday.
However, Bellinger is the most expensive option among the bunch despite meeting many of the Blue Jays’ needs.
The outfielder, who is represented by superagent Scott Boras, is hoping to sign a $200 million long-term contract, but there is a lot of risk involved because the 28-year-old struggled with Los Angeles before being non-tendered last winter. He recovered nicely with the Cubs, batting from the left side and posting a.307 average, 26 home runs, and a 133 OPS+. This is a plus for the Jays team, which leans heavily on the right side, but there’s always a chance he goes back to his old ways, leaving the team with a ton of dead money.
The Jays may not be able to convince Bellinger to move north of the border because of the financial commitment, even with the addition of Kiermaier and Kiner-Falefa.
Whether it’s Bellinger or Chapman, the Blue Jays need a bat before Spring Training arrives—two if the front office can figure out a way. That much is still true. Although the team does have a position available for a full-time DH candidate, if Kiner-Falefa is to be used throughout the diamond, the team might benefit from having a long-term third-base solution.
Examining trade and free agent possibilities to enhance the batting order
Rhys Hoskins, Teoscar Hernández, J.D. Martinez, and Jorge Soler are among of the top free agents currently available; while they all lean right, they are all reasonable choices for DH roles.
Given his ages, Hoskins and Martinez are probably good for one-year contracts, but Soler and Hernández are better suited for ones that last more than two years. Soler also had a strong 2023 season (36 home runs and a.853 OPS). Joc Pederson, Carlos Santana (switch), Joey Votto, and Michael Brantley are all potential candidates for the Jays to consider if they are set on a left-hander; yet, each has advantages and disadvantages of his own. The Blue Jays have seen success with one-year contracts in the past with players like Robbie Ray and Marcus Semien. Taking a chance on a new one-year contract with a guy like Hoskins, Votto, or Brantley may pay off handsomely at the conclusion of the season, or it could go horribly wrong.
The Jays lost out on a trade for Juan Soto, but they still have depth in the infield and may use players like Biggio, Spencer Horwitz, Damiano Palmegiani, Addison Barger, and Espinal as trade pieces to get an experienced hitter. This winter, there are more arms up for grabs than bats, but players like Willy Adames (Brewers), Max Kepler (Twins), Jorge Polanco (Twins), and Brandon Drury (Angels) could be good options to give the team some offensive upside. They are all nearing free agency (in a year or two), so their trade capital costs are probably lower than those of other seasoned veterans.
In the end, the deal must make sense, but trading for a bat might be the best course of action. However, many bats are still available in free agency at this time, so the front office might decide to wait it out rather than pursue a possible trade.
Regardless of whether they sign another player from free agency or trade for a bat to help boost the lineup, the Blue Jays still need one or two bats due to the previous moves.
The current lineup might use some more firepower, especially if players like George Springer, Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Alejandro Kirk, and others struggle to produce in 2024. The pitching staff is well-positioned to compete this season. There are several senior possibilities to fill the DH position if the Jays decide against signing a high-profile player like Chapman or Bellinger. These players may provide much-needed power to the team, which scored just one run in its final two postseason games of the previous season.
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