Two Blue Jays Free Agents They Can't Afford to Lose (and One They Can)
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Nobody expected the Toronto Blue Jays' offseason to be here before September even came to a close, but here they are. Their comeback tour was less than disappointing, as they finished under .500 and missed a postseason berth.
That being said, a few contracts are up and some of their key guys are now free agents, most notably George Springer. But Max Scherzer, Shane Bieber, as well as Myles Straw could all be suiting up for another ballclub next year.
Now, there is plenty of speculation regarding both Springer's and Scherzer's future in the game of baseball, as the two could announce retirement in the coming months, but the Blue Jays are going to need a decision much sooner rather than later.
Max Scherzer leaves the mound to a standing ovation for what could be the final time in his legendary career 👏 pic.twitter.com/JhkKYe1lRc
— MLB (@MLB) September 27, 2026
For argument's sake, let's say that both of the veterans decide to give the majors one more year of play. Well, Toronto cannot afford to lose Springer out of the clubhouse, and taking Scherzer out of the pitching staff would not do this team any favors.
If the Jays learned anything this season it is that a team cannot have too many starting pitchers, so even when the rotation welcomes back a healthy Cody Ponce, Dylan Cease, and Bowden Francis, it would be smart to have Scherzer at the tail end.
Both Springer and Scherzer bring something to the team that is irreplaceable: their leadership, knowing what it takes to win, and passion for the game. It would be a huge hit to lose both of them at once.
If either one decides to give it another go, then Toronto's front office needs to go after them, but make it clear that their roles would be different. Scherzer isn't going to make 20+ starts, and Springer cannot be the leadoff man, but the team is definitely more valuable with their mentorship.
One Player They Can Afford To Lose if Springer Returns
The Blue Jays offense was some of the worst in baseball this season as they seemingly could not bring runners home and their clutch hitting was nearly nonexistent, which is why an $8 million club option for Myles Straw just doesn't make a lot of sense.
Straw isn't known for an offensive savant by any means, but he was arguably the most reliable defender the team had this year. However, there is a bit of an asterisk with this, because if Springer decides to hang it up, then his leadership is also irreplaceable.
None of us are in the clubhouse every day, but the players that are speak very highly of Straw and what he does for this ballclub. Regardless of whether Springer returns or not, his option is a little too pricey for not much production at the plate, so the front office might not pick it up, but move forward with negotiations for a different deal.
In the coming months, the Jays need to pick up some bats. Their pitching staff is fairly locked and loaded when everyone gets healthy, so Ross Atkins will have to have another masterful offseason, but he still has to prioritize having leaders in the clubhouse.
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Maddy Dickens resides in Loveland, Colorado. She grew up with two older brothers, where their lives revolved around sports. She earned a master's degree in business management from Tarleton State University while simultaneously playing basketball and competing in rodeo at the collegiate level. She successfully parlayed a reserve national championship into a professional rodeo career and now stays involved in upper-level athletics by writing for On SI on several different MLB teams' pages, along with some NCAA sites.