The Toronto Blue Jays finished one of the most disappointing seasons after competing in the World Series this time a year ago. Toronto never really got going this season, and there are several factors that contributed to its struggles.
Injuries were a big part of the problem, especially within the starting rotation. This winter, the Blue Jays will assess which starters are worth pursuing as they prioritize health.
“Some injuries, you can see coming. When the 42-year-old Max Scherzer runs into a few IL stints, no one should be surprised. When José Berríos has Tommy John surgery after not missing a start for nearly a decade, it’s terribly unfortunate, but we all understand the realities of baseball and the limitations of the human elbow. The Blue Jays are trying to find that line now between bad luck and controllable variables,” MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson wrote.
If spring training rolled around in February, this is what the Blue Jays’ rotation could look like.
“So, as long as Cody Ponce is healthy when Opening Day comes around, they will be running a four-man rotation as is: Dylan Cease, Trey Yesavage, Jose Soriano, and Cody Ponce. Eventually, the team will welcome back Jose Berrios, but it has been a rough go of things in terms of his health,” SI’s Maddy Dickens wrote.
Toronto could pursue a major starting pitcher this winter. SI’s Zion Trammel believes the Blue Jays could sign Freddy Peralta, who just won the ALCS MVP.
“The righty found a groove with Tampa Bay and has dominated the postseason. He’s allowed two earned runs and struck out 12 hitters over 16.2 innings. If Peralta continues to excel in the World Series, he will command a competitive market. The Blue could use another starting pitcher, and Peralta would be an excellent addition to the rotation,” Trammel wrote.
Peralta has shown his dominance on the biggest stages of October, and there seems to be no one stopping him. Adding another talented arm like Peralta could give the Blue Jays one of baseball’s most formidable rotations when everyone is healthy.
Peralta is on a $15 million deal that is set to expire at the conclusion of this season. Toronto is hungry to get back to the World Series, and pursuing Peralta could be a significant move toward achieving that goal.
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