All articles tagged with #blue jays
Blue Jays starter Cody Ponce exited his season debut in the third inning with right knee discomfort after stumbling on a chopper, was carted off and will undergo imaging to determine ligament damage and a likely 15-day injured list stint; Louis Varland relieved, and Toronto faces rotation depth questions as they await official assessments and a timetable.
Toronto designated infielder Leo Jiménez for assignment (he’s out of options) after he didn’t win the final bench spot, and Angel Bastardo was also DFA’d. Rule 5 pick Spencer Miles earned the last middle-relief slot and will be on the Opening Day roster, while Davis Schneider is expected to fill the bench role. Jiménez is likely to land with another organization via trade or waivers, and Bastardo will go through waivers as Toronto trims its roster.
Toronto rewarded GM Ross Atkins with a five-year extension through 2031 and manager John Schneider with a two-year deal through 2028 after a landmark playoff run, with ownership backing Mark Shapiro and signaling continued long-term planning around core players like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and other rising talents, including pursuing Dylan Cease and additional extensions for key veterans in the coming years.
The Yankees will field a four-man rotation (Fried, Schlittler, Warren, Weathers) for the season’s first 13 days, leaving Luis Gil in an awkward fifth-starter spot or possibly piggybacking or staying in the minors; his 2025 peripherals suggest a decline despite a 2024 Rookie of the Year past. Toronto trimmed its bullpen, with Tommy Nance making the team while Angel Bastardo (plus Yariel Rodriguez and Jorge Alcala) won’t open the season on the roster, leaving Bastardo’s Rule 5 rights potentially needing a return trade or deal. Gavin Lux of the Rays is still dealing with shoulder and prior oblique issues but returned to the lineup as Opening Day nears; with limited spring games, manager Kevin Cash says they must get him ready, and a potential 10-day IL could push for adding depth in Richie Palacios or other infield options.
The Toronto Blue Jays released right-hander Connor Seabold after he exercised a release clause on his minor-league deal and optioned Lazaro Estrada to Triple-A. Seabold struggled in spring, posting 6 2/3 innings with a 6.75 ERA, 13 strikeouts and 4 walks, adding to a patchy MLB track record. Estrada, a 26-year-old Cuban, debuted in 2025 and is described as a four-pitch pitcher with two minor-league option years remaining; he appeared in two MLB games in 2025 before being assigned to the minors.
In a spring-training game at CoolToday Park, the Atlanta Braves defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 9-5 after an Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge overturned a called ball on Luis Vargas with two outs in the ninth. Braves catcher Archer Bookman challenged the call, and Hawk-eye showed it was a ball, with the pitch subsequently ruled a strike and the game ended as the Braves won. MLB's ABS system, approved in 2025 and tested in the minors and spring training, has been touted for adding about 57 seconds per challenge, though this ending potentially cut short a late Blue Jays rally.
Toronto re-signed left-hander Joe Mantiply to a minor-league deal with a non-roster invite to spring training, bringing back a pitcher who split last season between Triple-A Buffalo and the Jays organization and posted a 19:0 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 64 Triple-A plate appearances, providing left-handed bullpen depth after limited MLB success but recalling his 2022 All-Star form.
Toronto re-signed Max Scherzer to a one-year, $3 million base with up to $10 million in incentives, adding a 60-day IL move for Anthony Santander to clear a roster spot; the future Hall of Famer returns for a second season with the Jays and is expected to begin 2026 in a six-man rotation after a injury-plagued 2025, with CBT payroll around $319 million.
The Blue Jays remain in on free-agent starter Framber Valdez, having met him at the GM Meetings, and see him as a high-end #2 with ace potential to bolster a rotation that already includes Cease, Gausman, Bieber, Yesavage, Ponce and Berríos. Valdez’s late-season slump and age 32 temper expectations for a long-term deal, though Toronto could circle back if his market softens; they’re also weighing cheaper options like Max Scherzer. Signing Valdez would push Toronto’s CBT payroll toward the top of the MLB scale, reflecting its aggressive spending.
Kyle Tucker signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, turning down offers from the New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays. The four-year, $240 million contract (averaging $60 million per year with opt-outs after years two and three) was described as a strong fit for the Dodgers by GM Brandon Gomes. Tucker praised the organization’s top-to-bottom excellence and hinted at pursuing a third straight title with the Dodgers’ core.
The New York Yankees are reportedly not entering a bidding war for Cody Bellinger, giving the Toronto Blue Jays a clear path to pursue the star outfielder. Bellinger’s strong 2025 season (around .272 with 29 HR, 98 RBIs) makes him an attractive target, and Toronto could leverage a longer-term deal—potentially seven years—to outpace the Yankees’ five-year proposal. With rivals like Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette moving elsewhere, the Blue Jays appear poised to capitalize on the reduced competition and land a premium bat.
Kyle Tucker reportedly rejected Toronto's 10-year, $350 million offer and signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers for four years and $240 million, including a large signing bonus and deferrals/opt-outs that push the present-day AAV above $57.1 million. The Jays reportedly led the bid by about $110 million in total value, while New York had previously offered $220 million with no deferrals before pivoting to Bo Bichette; the deal reinforces a heated cross-border rivalry, and Tucker is slated to play in Toronto in 2026 for a World Series rematch.
Toronto’s off-season reshaping continues after Bo Bichette leaves for the Mets and Kyle Tucker goes to the Dodgers, paving the way for a potential Cody Bellinger pursuit as the Blue Jays seek a defensive, AL East-ready outfield upgrade; Toronto has already spent about $337 million across four signings, including Dylan Cease, as they recalibrate their lineup behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
With Kyle Tucker traded to the Dodgers and Bo Bichette joining the Mets, the Blue Jays are weighing a bid for Cody Bellinger, whose versatility and power could bolster Toronto’s lineup and keep him away from the Yankees, a move analysts say would be strategic as the team tries to fill gaps around Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Rival offers leaked: the Mets allegedly proposed four years and $220 million for Kyle Tucker and the Blue Jays reportedly pursued $350 million over 10 years, but Tucker signed with the Dodgers for four years and $240 million with opt-outs after the second and third seasons. Tucker has 134 homers across five seasons and four straight All-Star selections, and in 2025 he slashed .266/.377/.464 with 22 homers, 25 doubles, 73 RBI and 25 stolen bases for the Cubs. With Tucker off the market, the Mets are eyeing other outfield targets like Cody Bellinger and Harrison Bader, while the Dodgers push toward another World Series run.