Here's how the Blue Jays break on position player side:
— Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) March 23, 2025
C: Alejandro Kirk; Tyler Heineman
INF: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.; Andres Gimenez; Bo Bichette; Ernie Clement; Will Wagner
OF: Anthony Santander; Myles Straw; Nathan Lukes; George Springer; Alan Roden; Davis Schneider
Difficult to know what to make of the Toronto Blue Jays off-season. The Mark Shapiro-Ross Atkins obsession with defence would be charming on a grass field. Given the Tampa Bay situation, Rogers Centre becomes the only artificial surface MLB field. There was considerable talk about grass at Rogers Centre but that seems forgotten.
Andrés Giménez was the primary acquisition in the 3-team trade from Cleveland. The good-field, no-hit 2nd baseman might gravitate to shortstop if Bo Bichette gets traded near the end of July. RHP Nick Sandlin was the other pickup in the deal that sent 1B/2B Spencer Horwitz to Cleveland and then on to Pittsburgh.
In a sea of somewhat young, somewhat okay talent, Horwitz stood up as the best bat and best power. Trading power for defence is a trademark of Shapiro-Atkins.
The acquisition of outfielder Myles Straw for international $ felt like Shapiro-Atkins were more concerned about helping their former employers (Cleveland) than their current employers (Toronto, for now). The international money might have gone for Rōki Sasaki, who signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers made trades for international money AFTER the team signed Sasaki.
Both Giménez and Straw had terrible contracts. Straw is excellent on defence, like Giménez. With Daulton Varsho out for the start of the season, Straw could help out in centre field. The $2 million international bonus pool money is pretty much wasted since the team didn't sign anyone from the international pool.
The Blue Jays will send the Guardians a player to be named or cash for Straw, 30, who is owed $13.8 million over the next 2 seasons with a buyout of $1.75 million waiting in 2027. Cleveland barely had Straw on the major-league roster in 2025. The Blue Jays will get $3.75 million: $1 million this year, $1 million in 2026, and the full $1.75 million for the 2027 buyout. So Toronto is spending over $10 million for an even weaker hitting, defence minded centre fielder.
Straw might be a fine acquisition if Cleveland released him and he was signed to a major-league minimum.
Anthony Santander will bring power and little to no defence, coming over from Baltimore in a 5-year, $92.5 million with a club option. Max Scherzer signed with the Blue Jays for a 1-year deal for $15.5 million for the 3-time Cy Young Award winner.
Blue Jays signed all-star right-hander Jeff Hoffman to a $33-million, 3-year deal. If the 32-year-old becomes the closer, Hoffman would replace Canadian Jordan Romano, who was non-tendered. Hoffman flunked physicals from Atlanta (NL) and Baltimore (AL) before signing with Toronto.
Yimi Garcia is back with the team with a 2-year deal. The team has a new hitting coach in David Popkins.
Santander will pretty much be the designated hitter with possible cameos in the outfield. They said Justin Turner might play 3rd base and that didn't really happen. George Springer might not hit leadoff as much, meaning either Bichette or Jimenez could lead off.
There are a bunch of players in the middle on this team. Those who can break away in a positive fashion will play: Will Wagner, Joey Loperfido, Jonatan Clase, Davis Schneider, Nathan Lukes, Leo Jiménez, Addison Barger, Orelvis Martínez, and maybe Alan Roden.
There may be a lot of tension on this team with Guerrero and Bichette with trade rumours from now until July 31. Alejandro Kirk got a 5-year, $58 million deal that covers the 2026-2030 seasons.
MLB Trade Rumors weighs in with an offseason perspective.
Here's how the Blue Jays break on the pitching side:
— Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) March 23, 2025
Rotation: Jose Berrios; Kevin Gausman; Max Scherzer; Chris Bassitt; Bowden Francis
Bullpen: Jeff Hoffman; Yimi Garcia; Chad Green; Nick Sandlin; Brendon Little; Yariel Rodriguez; Jacob Barnes; Richard Lovelady https://t.co/3t2c4LATYu
2025 Toronto Blue Jays spring training schedule
AL East rival Tampa Bay had the ugliest MLB stadium by far with Tropicana Field. The roof of that dome is gone thanks to a hurricane last fall. The Rays will play their home games at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, the spring training facility of the New York Yankees.
Rogers Centre is the only deep artificial turf MLB stadium at the moment. The Blue Jays had to play at minor league ballparks in Buffalo, NY (Sahlen Field) and Dunedin, FL (TD Ballpark) in all of 2020 and most of 2021 before returning to SkyDome on July 30, 2021.
The Rays plan to not move forward with a new ballpark should be hopeful for a second coming of the Montréal Expos. MLB is definitely handling this differently than letting John Fisher abandon Oakland for Sacramento. The Blue Jays travel to the California capital just before the All-Star Game break.
2024 Toronto Blue Jays season comes to an end
The Blue Jays get to start at home this season with Baltimore and Washington visiting Canada.
All of the Sportsnet broadcasting information is in our spring training schedule report. We traditionally point out that the Blue Jays generally get ignored by the many U.S. outlets (Fox, TBS, ESPN, etc.) with the grand exception of Apple TV+. The Blue Jays have 2 home games on the service in the first half: Friday and April 18. Roku has a Blue Jays home game on July 20.
MLB Network has been mostly good about sneaking in Blue Jays games, especially around Canadian holidays. Your humble narrator won't be checking this as much in 2025.
Arash Madani, who has worked on Blue Jays coverage for Rogers Sportsnet, has left the organisation.
2024 Toronto Blue Jays second half preview
2024 Toronto Blue Jays preview
Rogers Centre renovations help but Canada still needs a really good baseball stadium
Josh Naylor got traded to Arizona. His brother Bo is still in Cleveland. We saw last fall that the Naylor brothers along with relievers Cade Smith and Erik Sabrowski made the Guardians the most-Canadian MLB post-season team in history in 2024.
Bo Naylor driving in Josh was the 4th instance in a postseason game of a brother driving in brother, joining:
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) October 20, 2024
2001 ALDS G4: Jeremy Giambi > Jason Giambi
1996 NLDS G2: Tony Gwynn > Chris Gwynn
1927 WS G2: Paul Waner > Lloyd Waner
h/t @EliasSports https://t.co/TgHg6OK6Dn
Last spring, we were talking about Joey Votto possibly playing for the Toronto Blue Jays. Those dreams are done.
We will help you keep track of those Canadians on MLB teams. Jordan Romano signed with Philadelphia in the off-season. TSN weighs in on Canadian MLB players who can make a difference.
The 2026 World Baseball Classic will happen on March 5–17. Canada will be in Pool A in San Juan, Puerto Rico along with Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Panama.
Canada-U.S. notebook: The illogical tariffs start today
CanadianCrossing.com MLB coverage
A little baseball love for our friends in the Windsor, Ontario area that have a MLB team across the Detroit River that they can't watch via the local sports cable channel.
That company will simulcast some Detroit Tigers games on Fox 2 WJBK-TV this season. They aren't exclusive to WJBK but would be available via antenna or cable in Windsor. Those in Windsor can watch the Tigers play Toronto via Rogers Sportsnet but those are only a few games.
WJBK will show 10 Tigers games: April 4 vs. Chicago White Sox; April 15 @ Milwaukee; May 1 @ Los Angeles Angels; May 8 @ Colorado; June 12 @ Baltimore; June 21 @ Tampa Bay; June 27 vs. Minnesota; July 3 @ Washington; July 11 vs. Seattle, and August 12 vs. Chicago White Sox.
Windsor-based Tigers fans will get to enjoy Jason Benetti call those games, subject to his availability. Benetti is very good.
10 games is not a lot but better than zero. The radio signals travel easily across the border for 97.1 The Ticket (with some games on sibling stations WWJ 950 AM and WXYT 1270 AM). They are also available through the Audacy app, subject to MLB restrictions.
Fox 2 also had 5 Detroit Red Wings games this winter and spring.
You don't need to cross the border to enjoy baseball. Many options in Canada 🇨🇦 @IBL1919 @wcbleague @FLProBaseball @WCLBaseball @vancanadians @Wpg_Goldeyes @TBBordercats Top: @mhmavericks Bottom: @wellandjackfish pic.twitter.com/nr0L9UddBw
— Jamie Campbell (@SNETCampbell) March 4, 2025
I may be one of the few Americans who has seen the Vancouver Canadians and the Winnipeg Goldeyes in person. Have even seen the Blue Jays in Toronto and Expos in Montréal.
We have written in the past about MLB and MiLB having fewer options in Canada over the years. The Edmonton Trappers, London Tigers, Calgary Cannons, and the Ottawa Lynx are some of the many bygone baseball teams in Canada.
We do enjoy the idea of crossing a border to see and follow your team. A lot of Canadians normally cross for Detroit Tigers games, especially when the Blue Jays are in town. Same for British Columbia based fans coming to Seattle. Blue Jays fans often travel with their team to U.S. cities.
We absolutely understand if that travel is reduced or eliminated because of the obnoxious tariffs and the threats of annexation. Elbows up!! We do recommend for Americans to come and visit Toronto in and around some Blue Jays games. Canadians will warm up to you if you say province and pronounce premier correctly. Rogers Centre is right downtown. When the roof is open, you can see the CN Tower. If there is rain, the game will go on as scheduled.
Second City is a short walk from the stadium. Kensington Market is just west of Spadina, either through the subway and go west or the Spadina streetcar. I have used sports as an excuse to travel to various places in Canada.
St. Lawrence Market is a great way to spend a morning before a game and isn't too bad a walk for most people to the ballpark.
If your family or group is split on sports, some can spend the day on the Toronto Islands south of downtown and meet up for dinner.
If you are missing Les Expos de Montréal in Canada, you can watch Nos Amours: La Saga des Expos de Montréal film on Crave.
Twitter captures: @ShiDavidi (x2); @SlangsOnSports; @SNETCampbell
photo credit: Toronto Blue Jays
video credit: Nos Amours: La Saga des Expos de Montréal
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