High-Profile Offseason Acquisitions for Blue Jays Have Been Major Busts

The Toronto Blue Jays two biggest offseason acquisitions have been their two biggest busts to this point in 2025.

Mar 29, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) delivers a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles in the second inning at Rogers Centre. | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Things have not been ideal for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2025 since they were expected to be much better than they have been.

The team enters Memorial Day with a 25-27 record, fourth in the American League East, but only seven games behind the New York Yankees for first.

The division has not been the powerhouse that many expected it to be to this point in the year, but the Blue Jays have failed to capitalize on a very winnable race.

While the lack of production has come from many on the roster, there are two high-profile veterans Toronto acquired this past offseason who stand out above the rest as massive busts so far in 2025.

Max Scherzer and Anthony Santander Named Busts for 2025

A recent article from Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report took a look at all of the offseason acquisitions from the winter and ranked them in terms of how big of busts they have been so far.

Max Scherzer placed 10th on the list, while Anthony Santander ranked second.

Scherzer's has been a sad case over the last few years. The once-great pitcher, and future Hall of Famer, is currently in his age-40 season. And since 2023, he has not been the same pitcher he once was in his prime.

After pitching to a 3.11 ERA across a 15-year stretch from 2008 through 2022, that mark has ballooned to 3.87 over the last three campaigns. The veteran's durability has declined with the increase of his age, as well, with just 199 innings pitched since 2023 after pitching 2,682 innings from 2008 through 2022, or an average of 179 per year.

Injuries have seen Scherzer on the sideline this season, too, and the former ace has made only one start for three innings for the Blue Jays and has not pitched since March.

Santander could honestly be looked at as even more detrimental.

While Scherzer has hurt the team by being off the field with an injury, Santander has hurt the team by being on it.

After a career-high 44 home runs for the Baltimore Orioles in 2024, a contract year no less, Santander has failed to produce even half as much as he did just last season.

The veteran signed a five-year $92.5 million deal over the winter, and has thanked Toronto by batting just .193/.280/.327 with six home runs, 18 RBI and a 72 OPS+ across 193 plate appearances in 46 games.

It has not been the worst showing of his career, but it has been a testament to just how big a role contract-year magic plays in some players' performances.

To this point in 2025, the Blue Jays have gotten little to no return on their investment in either of these veterans, and it is hard to argue that they have been anything other than busts.