Every Transaction Blue Jays Made in Attempt to Chase World Series Title
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The tenor of the offseason for the Toronto Blue Jays has been clear — they are not messing around.
After getting to the World Series for the first time in 32 years, and narrowly missing the franchise’s third world title, everything about this offseason has been about positioning the team to get back to October baseball. Every move has been calculated to try and make that happen.
Here is every move the Blue Jays have made since the end of the World Series, with analysis on what the major moves mean. This list is current through Feb. 1.
Free Agents
Blue Jays Free Agents Acquired
Pitchers: RHP Dylan Cease, RHP Cody Ponce, RHP Tyler Rogers.
Position Players: INF Kazuma Okamoto.
The Blue Jays dove deep to get Cease on a seven-year deal worth $175 million. He is 65-58 with a 3.88 ERA for his career and as current starters come off contract, Cease will rise to be the ace of the staff long-term, alongside young star Trey Yesavage.
Ponce had an incredible season in the KBO and turned that into a three-year, $30 million deal where he is expected to be a part of the rotation. He went 17-1 with a 1.89 ERA and 252 strikeouts, was named the KBO MVP and set a single-season strikeout record.
Rogers has one of the funkiest deliveries in baseball, but it works. The reliever appeared in 81 games last year and went 4-6 with a 1.98 ERA. He’ll be the set-up man ahead of closer Jeff Hoffman, and perhaps a closer on days Hoffman needs a rest.
Okamoto can play multiple positions and figures to be an everyday fixture in the lineup. He had a lifetime slash of .274/.355/.501 with 277 home runs and 872 RBI in Japan.
Blue Jays Free Agents Lost
Pitchers: RHP Seranthony Domínguez
Position Players: INF Bo Bichette
Bichette was drafted and developed by Toronto, so his loss is significant. He signed with the New York Mets on a three-year deal with $126 million. He’s coming off a tremendous offensive season in which he slashed .311/.357/.483 with 18 home runs and 94 RBI.
Domínguez was a trade deadline acquisition who helped the Blue Jays in the bullpen. He signed a two-year deal with the Chicago White Sox where he’ll likely slide into a set-up role.
Blue Jays Free Agents Still Unsigned
Pitchers: RHP Max Scherzer, RHP Chris Bassitt, RHP Dillon Tate, RHP Ryan Burr.
Position Players: INF Isiah Kiner-Falefa, 1B Ty France.
Scherzer has said that he’ll wait for a deal with a preferred team, even if it means he doesn’t start the season with a team. Bassitt is also looking for a home and will probably end up on a one-year deal that help a contender. Both pitched well in the playoffs, with Scherzer starting Game 7 of the World Series.
Kiner-Falefa and France were trade deadline acquisitions who are likely to end up on one-year deals. France is curious in that he was the American League Gold Glove winner last year, but there was no need to keep him with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at first base. Yet, there’s been little market for him.
Trades
The Blue Jays acquired Detroit Tigers reliever Chase Lee for left-handed pitcher Jonah Simon. Toronto intends to use Lee as a reliever. As a rookie Lee appeared in 32 games and went 4-1 with a 4.10 ERA.
Roster Moves
Blue Jays Players Outrighted, Waived or Non-Tendered
Released: RHP Easton Lucas.
Outrighted: RHP Nick Sandlin, RHP Robinson Piña, RHP Yariel Rodriguez.
Waived: None.
Non-Tendered: None.
Designated for Assignment: RHP Paxton Schultz, LHP Justin Bruihl.
Lucas has not found a home after he went 3-3 in six games (five starts) with Toronto last season. He had an ERA of 6.66. Sandlin was outrighted after he missed the final month of the season due to an injury. He had the service time to refuse the assignment, and he signed a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Angels. Piña elected free agency after his outright and is unsigned. Rodriguez is still with the Blue Jays and assigned to Triple-A Buffalo.
The Blue Jays traded Bruihl to the Cleveland Guardians for cash, a common occurrence after a player is designated for assignment. The Blue Jays DFA’ed Schultz in January and he was claimed off waivers by the Washington Nationals.
Blue Jays Contracts Selected
Pitchers: LHP Ricky Tiedemann
Position Players: C Brandon Valenzuela
Tiedemann remains a top prospect but hasn’t pitched since 2024 due to Tommy John surgery. Toronto intends to start him slow, but pre-surgery his stuff put him on a level with Yesavage in terms of how Toronto viewed him long-term. He’s more needed in 2027 when three veteran starting pitchers could leave the organization.
Rule 5 Draft
Gains
Pitchers: RHP Spencer Miles, RHP Travis Kuhn, LF Hedbert Perez.
Miles was the only one selected in the Major League portion of the draft, so Toronto has him on the 40-man roster. He hasn’t pitched since 2024 due to injury.
Blue Jays Signed to Minor League Contracts
Toronto signed the following players to minor league contracts during the offseason:
Pitchers: RHP Tanner Andrews, LHP Elian Guzman, RHP Alieski Torres, LHP Michael Plassmeyer, LHP Celwin Hurkmans, RHP Jorge Alcala, RHP Nic Enright, LHP Brendan Cellucci, RHP Connor Seabold, RHP Manuel Parra, RHP Yoenis Morales
Position Players: 2B Carlos Mendoza, SS Rodolfo Castro, C Isay Veras, C Geovanny Planchart, CF Jorge Burgos, LF Ismael Munguia, 2B Rafael Lantigua, OF Eloy Jiménez, SS Eiker Lothar, SS Alexander Linares, C C.J. Stubbs,
Spring Training Non-Roster Invitations
The following players were given non-roster invitations to MLB spring training in Dunedin before Feb. 1:
Pitchers: RHP Jorge Alcala, LHP Javen Coleman, RHP Chad Dallas, RHP Ryan Jennings, RHP Fernando Perez, LHP Michael Plassmeyer, RHP Yariel Rodriguez, RHP Connor Seabold, RHP Gage Stanifer, RHP CJ Van Eyk, RHP Chay Yeager.
Catchers: Chad Brooks, Edward Duran, Aaron Parker, Geovanny Planchart, C.J. Stubbs.
Infielders: Cutter Coffey, Josh Kasevich, Sean Keys, Rafael Lantigua, Charles McAdoo, Carlos Mendoza, Arjun Nimmala, Josh Rivera, Riley Tirotta.
Outfielders: Eloy Jiménez, RJ Schreck.
International Free Agents
The Blue Jays signed these players as international free agents when the international signing period began on Jan. 15: SS Yariel Cordero, RHP Adrian Moreta, SS Sebastian Casanova, RHP Franiel Severino, RHP Fayon Dumorne, RHP Sahir De La Cruz, RHP Evington Gascon, OF Michael Mesa, SS Gabriel Porras, SS Frelian Flores, OF Luis Nunez, SS Alexander Linares, RHP Abrahan Diaz, OF Deret Gonzalez, C Juan Caricote, OF Aneudi Severino, C Jose Gori, SS Eiker Lothar, C Samuel Orellana, SS Ruben Sanchez and C Ayberson Ortega.
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Matthew Postins is an award-winning sports journalist who covers Major League Baseball for OnSI. He also covers the Big 12 Conference for Heartland College Sports.
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