The Blue Jays enter the offseason on the heels of one of the most epic collapses in postseason history. Toronto led the Mariners by a score of 8-1 in the sixth inning of Game 2 of their Wild Card series before Seattle rallied for nine runs in the final four innings en route to a 10-9 series-clinching victory. Saturday’s Game 2 is only the third playoff game ever in which a team came back to win from a deficit of seven runs or more, and holds the record for the largest deficit surmounted in a playoff comeback by a road team.
As the Mariners head to Houston to take on their division rivals in the ALDS, the Blue Jays head into the offseason with a decent idea of what their roster will look like in 2023. Toronto’s current active roster only contains four players, Anthony Bass, David Phelps, Ross Stripling, and Jackie Bradley Jr., who will be free agents this offseason. Since Bradley Jr.’s .524 OPS with the Blue Jays will probably not warrant another opportunity in Toronto, Ross Stripling is the free agent that will receive the majority of the front office’s attention.
Stripling was fantastic in his role as a rotation replacement for Hyun-Jin Ryu, who went down in June with a UCL injury that ultimately resulted in Tommy John surgery. Over 24 starts for the Jays, Stripling accumulated a 2.92 ERA and struck out 100 batters, while walking only 14. Ryu’s injury will likely keep him out for most, if not all of 2023, depending on the speed of his recovery. It seems possible, then, that Stripling could return to Toronto on a multi-year deal and fill a spot in their rotation long-term, since Ryu’s contract expires after 2023.
On the bullpen side, Bass is coming off his finest big-league season in which he posted a cumulative 1.54 ERA out of the bullpen in 70 1/3 innings split between the Miami Marlins and the Blue Jays. Toronto has a $3 million option on Bass for 2023, which they are almost sure to pick up. Phelps also had a fine 2022 out of the ’pen for the Jays, logging a 2.83 ERA in 63 2/3 innings. If they are unable to retain Phelps, they may seek external bullpen help from what is shaping up to be a fairly rich market for free agent relievers.
From a positional perspective, much of the Blue Jays’ offseason discourse will center around locking up their young stars long-term. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will head into his second year of arbitration, and is due for a big pay raise. Guerrero Jr. has said publicly that he is “open” to a long-term extension with the Jays and that he hopes “something can be done” during this offseason. Keeping their franchise cornerstone in Toronto is going to require Jays ownership to dole out the largest contract in franchise history. A theoretical extension for Guerrero Jr., age 23, ought to take him well into his mid-30’s and would dwarf the $150 million in total cash handed to George Springer two years ago. Bo Bichette, who is entering his first year of arbitration, is another extension candidate that the Jays would surely love to keep in Toronto.
The biggest question surrounding Toronto’s offseason is not one regarding players, but of their manager. John Schneider was named interim manager after Charlie Montoyo was fired on July 13. Under Schneider, the Jays went 46-28 and went from holding a half game lead for the third and final AL wild card spot to securing the first wild card spot by a two-game margin. According to Mitch Bannon of SI.com (via Twitter), there is overwhelming support from Blue Jays players for Schneider to return as their manager. Third baseman Matt Chapman was vocal about his support for Schneider after the Jays Game 2 loss, saying that Schneider is “great” for the Jays and “understands the pulse” of the players (via Twitter).
Regardless of whether or not Schneider returns to manage the Blue Jays, Toronto’s roster looks primed to compete for another postseason spot in 2023.
The Jays can go wonder why they lost like the Mets. Both teams are not good enough to win the WS this season.
Losing a best-of-three series makes a team “not good enough to win the WS”? If you make the playoffs you’re good enough to win the WS, the margin for error is just very small.
Bass isn’t a UFA until 2024
Woops that’s mentioned. Sorry can’t read through the tears
I am not sure Schneider is the guy. Sure he has done some things that are good BUT for a team wanting to win now can they afford to have a rookie manager make the mistakes and give him time to learn from them. Not in Game 2 they could not and now they are done.
They should start with giving Attkins the heave hoe and throw in the hitting coach and maybe that’s a good start.
Playing some of the “next wave” prospects from the start instead of the Jansens and Topias of the team might also help.
Jansen is the jays best catcher so… oh you think batting average is important never mind I’ll just mute you
No Jansen is not there best catcher and no I was not basing it on average. I was basing it on defense at which Jansen draws mostly poor defensive marks and he has had way to many errors/catcher interference plays for a guy that only played part time.
I would rather see them capitalize on Jansen’s good year at the plate and trade him and give time to Moreno, who is a better fit with Kirk and a much better defender than Jansen and has a higher ceiling than Jansen.
Sounds like the players like Schneider. He probably lets them do whatever they want.
He probably lets them do whatever they want.
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Where did you come up with that $chitt? Didn’t he hammer Vlad for not hustling?
Don’t start Jansen? Where does mlbtr find these fans. Also you didn’t even mention the bullpen….which is by a big margin our biggest point of concern
You don’t want the Jays to give playing time to a top 5-10 catcher? That… is an interesting opinion.
Jansen is not a top 5 catcher in any league. His defensive marks grade out poorly in most categories. His hitting is streaky but better this year than in years past and he hits some homers. So he is Gary Sanchez at his best. The Yankees traded Sanchez for a reason and so should the Blue Jays.
Jansen racked up 2.9 bwar and 2.6 fwar in only 72 games. On a per game basis there were only 2 maybe 3 catchers who topped that last year.
Kirk had 3.8 fwar and 3.9 bwar in 541 PA while Jansen racked up his 2.6 fwar and 2.9 bwar in less than half the PA Kirk had (248 PA).
As for your comparison to Sanchez he only managed 0.9 bwar in nearly twice as many PA so that comp is a fail.
Jansen should definitely be starting and was absolutely a top 5 catcher on a per game basis.
Also both Fangraphs and B-ref both had him with positive defensive war.
Fire the hitting coach of the top hitting team in MLB? Hm.
BTW, Tapia’s season numbers are weak, but with runners on and in scoring position, he is phenomenal. Despite being a part-time player, he was #5 in MLB with RBI when the bases are loaded.
Yes but Topia is a backup or platoon player at best. Does playing him everyday or almost everyday single deep post season run? Would it not be better to have another player, like a young prospect who develops over the year (a la Julio Rodriguez type) or even a more established player and let Tapia go back to a bench roll?
I agree with you on Tapia. He should be non-tendered so his projected 5 million salary can be reallocated toward getting a real left-handed threat in the lineup or another starter. Obviously it will take more than 5 million to accomplish that but since the Jay’s budget will be tighter this year they need every dollar they can get and definitely should not be wasting funds on production that can likely be matched by someone in the minor league system.
@terrymesmer
OK have your team sign him for his projected 5.2 million salary next year
Blue Jays need to add pitching, not change their manager.
They need to trade from their C depth and add another starter
The Berrios trade is going to bite them in the ass long term.
Simeon Woods and Martin wouldve been better option than Berrios
Berrios was horrible this year. I felt like he wasn’t healthy. He’s always been decent so this season’s five plus ERA screams pitching through some kind of injury.
The manager is in the learning stage but has the #1 skill needed – an ability to get players to buy into whatever he is selling. Most if not all pitching moves are dictated from a team of people, not just the manager nowadays.
Vlad & Bo they will talk with about long term deals this winter. Ideally 10 year deals at $200-$250 mil total, not the $300+ talked about last winter. If Vlad had another 150 OPS+ year then he’d have a shot at that but now I can’t imagine the Jays giving him that big a deal. To me the big question is the outfield as we have 2 guys who are free agents after 2023 in Gurriel and Hernandez with neither being a superstar level player and both at the 30 range now for age so likely to decline. I’d be chasing Arizona down for a deal – they are overstocked in LH CF’ers – exactly what the Jays need – and have a shortage of RH hitters and quality catchers, two things the Jays have an abundance of.
Players usually don’t take a $100M under market value contract.
northey14 hours ago
If Vlad had another 150 OPS+ year then he’d have a shot
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So far, he hasn’t really been a 150+ hitter, although he is very young. The 167+ he had in 2021 was largely the result of a 1.418 OPS at TD park and 1.180 at Sahlen. Without those two anomalies, my guess is that his OPS would be maybe .895, which would make his OPS+ maybe 128. That’s roughly in line with what he had this year.
Agreed JoeBrady. Basically Vlad is more who we saw this year than last, he has that potential if all goes right but that would require him adjusting his launch angle a bit and that isn’t as easy as it sounds. But a guy with a high 120’s low 130’s OPS+ is still a valuable bat to have. He was a 4.0 bWAR, 2.8 fWAR player this year, defense being the big difference – was he a decent 1B or a terrible one? Fangraphs thinks he was bad but BR thinks he was solid. BIS drs (BR) put him 4th in MLB, ability to do scouping is #1 on FanGraphs. Weird. Guess it all depends how things are weighed and measured. Defense is a challenge especially at 1B it seems.
I could be off a bit, but in seeing some of the Blue Jays games it seemed they lacked discipline at times. For example, they had multiple players gawk at fly balls which stayed inside the park, one of whom was Vald, who was then thrown out at 2B in a game that mattered in late Sept. He could’ve had a double easily and kept the inning going.
When you’re losing, or in a tight pennant/WC race, and styling for the HR becomes more important than making sure you actually hit a HR in the first place, you tend to get dropped. It was the same with the HR jacket, even when they were getting crushed by teams…focusing on all the wrong things.
Had to be frustrating for Jays fans because they have a very talented roster, particularly on offense. I thought they were going to finish first or second in the division this year. Schneider addressed Vlad’s actions in the post-game presser, which was great to see. Boone should take lessons from that.
You’re not wrong.
Vlad and Teo just off the top of my head
Although Teo ran out his HR the next day until it cleared the wall.
The Coach has to be in control in the end. Buddy buddy nice manager etc. But once you fk up. You gotta start putting that work in
People who use the jacket as “evidence” for their theories are imbeciles. Don’t be like them!
He’s probably right about the jacket. As a RS fan, I am more than ready for them to drop the HR cart. Let them start winning again before they start celebrating again.
It’s like watching a FB player with a choreographed dance for a 2-yard run into the end zone, when they are down 28-0 in the 4th.
one of whom was Vald, who was then thrown out at 2B in a game that mattered in late Sept.
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I can’t tell you how much I hate that. You’re supposed to be one of the best hitters in baseball, and you’re styling over a 375 foot flyball? Save your styling for a 450 foot shot, or when the HR is a walk-off.
Nice big piece of humble pie for the brash Blue Jays….very fitting. Loosing 10-9 after an 8-1 lead was quite a choke, but it is still not as bad as leading an ALCS 3 games to 0 and loosing the ALCS.
That’s true. But at least it was in the ALCS and not the wildcard series.
Well at least it was in the ALCS and not the wildcard series.
People born that year are old enough for military service. I do wonder why we are discussing that series….
Anyway, the Jays weren’t beat by nobodies… the M’s have a good, underrated team. perhaps more importantly, they’ve been hot recently. And, Luis Castillo was absolutely brilliant in his GM #1 performance. Additionally, the M’s have an outstanding bullpen, by all accounts. So, I don’t think anyone is slamming the Jays. They’re a good squad and will be really good next season too.
And none of that is as bad as using loosing instead of losing, twice.
They need guys in the bullpen who can throw 95 mph! Not the schmucks we have now.
Agreed, our bullpen is not a playoff caliber bullpen. You need 3 beasts at the back end of your pen to compete, Atkins has always tried to piece it together.
Bullpens are the most volatile component of a MLB team.
It’s only as good as its weakest link.
You don’t buy one. You have to develop them.
Not directed to any Blue Jays fans here in this particular chat.. But kinda glad The Jays stumbled. There were some pretty smug acting Blue Jays Fans in here back in April acting like they were the beast team in MLB.
I was probably one of those people, played out differently than hoped and expected
I don’t think it was crazy to think the Jays could have pushed the Yankees for the Division.
No one wad calling for Judge to hit 62, he won 2 games himself against TO with HRs.
Vlad hit a little over 30.
If vlad was just 90% of his prior year instead of 75%. That’s a few wins.
Alot of little things and all the big things broke the wrong way for the Jays. Vlad #1 should have contributed more, Ryu (without injuries) should have been contributing more, Springer should be contributing more, Barrios should be contributing more, dozen or more wins there. Just from earning their correct paycheck. Biggio although making nothing needs to contribute more also
Who was the over achiever? Tapia? Wow that mattered, wrong guy to be the overachiever, Espinal for half a year? Bo? He was just himself, nothing record setting but still top tier bat.
And we still took top wild card?
With peices capable of bringing improvements?
It’s not all doom and gloom yet. The right moves need to be made, things need to break right and WS isn’t a silly topic next year
Good luck Yankees, Good luck M’s
They have a good core, but are about to get expensive. Assuming the sign Stripling, they might be up to $215M.
I am a diehard, lifelong Yankees fan, and many of us on these very boards believed the Jays & Rays would claim the #1 & #2 spots in the division. I though the Yankees were going to be lucky to get 3rd with the RSox battling them for that position.
In all honesty, the Yankees played incredibly well, but were also very lucky. Their second half woes could’ve easily occurred earlier in the year, particularly when speaking about injuries. Moreover, if not for Aaron Judge’s historic year, the Yankees would’ve been a WC team.
If so, it would’ve been the Jays division to lose. Just my opinion.
Schneider might be too familiar and chummy with this group, since he’s known and worked with many of them since the minors. It does feel like there needs to be more maturity amongst that group, and maybe having a veteran presence, who has been to the postseason and knows how to win, should be the way to go. Someone like a Mike Schildt or Mike Scioscia.
The former would be good, the latter is cooked.
As a Cardinals fan, Schildt isn’t the guy, either.
Dunedin, long time no see on these boards. How you doing, man? Hard losses for the Cards. Shame too because they had such a prolific offense, but Nola was amazing and Phillies didn’t misplay any BPIP, which was contrary to their norm.
Anyway, I hope you’re doing well. I assume the Cards will pursue some additional pitching this offseason.
Stripling seems like a guy half the teams in the league will be chasing after. Solid backend of the rotation option on a contender and a solid frontend veteran to try and flip at the deadline on a non-contender
He ain’t signing a 1 year deal. He’s getting 3-4 years.
He would have gotten 3-4 years if he won game 3.
He’s getting 2 plus option with a nice bump in pay and option to maximize on another 2 plus an option if he repeats anything close to this years performance
Haven’t seen Jimmer in a bit (hope he’s ok) so I’ll take his schtik
As called here on these boards many times (by Jimmer) the Jays are an Elite Ace and BP arm away.
This series proved it.
Manoah could be that Ace next year. But maybe acquiring a Legit one (like Castillo, congrats M’s fans) to push him even more and drive him to be that #1 would be optimal
That’s going to cost you from the “overly strong” Catching depth, Moreno or Kirk plus Orelvis as the way to get the conversation started, Maybe even Jansen plus-plus
The Jays can trade from another area of “over” strength. Hitting.
Gurriel is probably the most attractive for various reasons even on a 1 year deal, he can get the conversation started on Elite RP.
Bellinger might be a smart reclamation play that won’t cost too much from LA considering they might just release him anyway, LHH average CF fits well and protected in the lineup.
You’ve Got Marte in Arizona. Reynolds in Pittsburgh
Maybe get a McGriff/Fernandez for Carter/Alomar type deal going with either one of those teams.
You can Always go super Nuclear and try to get a beast of a deal for Vlad or Bo or Both and fix most holes that way.
Move Vlad for an Elite ace and RP combo, Keep Gurriel to play 1st, Biggio can play first, Springer even.
Bo could be Dealt instead and call up Orelvis while Espinal covers SS for a bit while he adjusts. Biggio covers 2nd.
Better be a hush hush deal, if it leaks they both leave for less than Market value
1 big bat is probably gone, And it won’t likely be Teo seeing he’s improved so much and actually showed up when it mattered, No one wants Springer . Sorry Gurriel. Love you, but your time is up.
Hey Jaysfan, i’m OK. The Jays aren’t OK though. I like some of your thinking, surprise.
Manoah did not pitch like an ace When it counted. The Jays still need an ace. At the deadline the Mariners pick up Castillo and we pick up Mitch White. That’s all you need to know about the quality of the leadership of the Blue Jays.
The Blue Jays are going to have to make a big deal to pick up an ace. It’s going to cost them either Teoscar or Kirk or both. Jensen is the catcher to keep. He can mentor Moreno.
Teoscar’s Antics are wearing thin on some of his teammates. It doesn’t show yet because they’ve kept it in the room but it’s there.It is time to trade him.
The Jays also need flame throwers for the bullpen. If they want to compete for a World Series then a niece and a few more flamethrowers are essential.
Bang on Jimmer!! Mitch White man Mitch f’in White!!! It was so perfectly fitting for him to be so bad down the stretch to
Jimmer and his psychic eyes seem to have blocked me. Tell him Jays players are REAL TIRED with Teoscar hitting two homers in a playoff game. That kind of behaviour is wearing thin!
It’s interesting how you call out Jays leadership for missing on a player like Castillo when the Blue Jays did a very similar deal at the deadline last year for Berrios. They thought they were getting a top-of-the-rotation guy.
Please tell me Jays Nation, how salty are those tears?
Not terribly. Disappointing to end your season on a game you thought was pretty safe. But the Jays were buried in the division really early and I think that made 92 wins and an appearance in a bloated post season seem more like a consolation prize anyway. This wasn’t a team made for post season baseball. One of their weak spots was the same as last year and is important in the post season. Difficulty in leverage. They were the second best offense by wRC+ in the majors this year but 9th in high leverage. They are good but easy to match up against. That’s not a likely team to win 4 straight playoff series.
Two players I’m really happy for this year are Phelps and Stripling. Phelps coming off an uncommon and uncertain surgery and had to earn a big league spot after settling for a minor league contract. He earned it and then took the ball a fair bit all year to good results. Surpassed his ten year service time along the way.
And Stripling who has often been pigeon holed into a swingman role because he’s one of the few that is really good at it got his opportunity for a regular rotation gig and was excellent heading into his free agency. I don’t expect that either of those guys will be back, but I’d welcome it.
First off this front office is great and not going anywhere u less they’re looking for another challenge. They have drafted, developed and signed well. Berrios a mistake? Maybe…but NOBODY was on here saying it when it happened. The manager has the support of the players and that’s important. No guarantee someone else with more experience comes in and does better. If the Stros cut Baker loose I’d hire him, otherwise I stay with John. The biggest problem is team ownership not opening up payroll enough. Atkins can’t just sign a fantastic bullpen for minimum contract deals. Even if the Jays signed Vladdy and Bo to massive extensions, it’s useless unless there’s money to add to the bullpen. If the money is there then the bullpen issues can be fixed. Guys like Mayza and Bass are fine in the 6th and 7th but they aren’t going to be the answer after that. So first problem is ownership opening up the payroll so the pen can be fixed. Second issue is moving Springer to a corner and finding another CFer. George cannot handle the wear and tear. Ideally, he plays a hundred games in LF and DHs 50. The 3rd issue…and I’ve been saying it for years is fire Pete Walker. He’s been there forever and a new voice is needed. I’m not gonna pin the countless arm injuries over the years on him but something is wrong. Pete Walker has to go.
First off Schneider has to go… Not using Stripling or Berrios in game 2 when you know your bullpen is weak is enough to know he can not manage under pressure.
as for catcher ,Moreno and probably Jansen can play left field which is a big hole for the Jays… Give up on Lourdes Gurriel.. You will NOT get value by trying to trade Jansen..
By the way for Schneider to let Tapia be the last batter when he has Moreno on the bench is another reason to fire the guy.
Not using Stripling or Berrios in game 2 when you know your bullpen is weak
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Tough call there. It is almost impossible to blow a 7-run lead. You start using those guys and then you might run into the same problem in game 3. It would be the safe move, but what were the chances that Bass/Romano were going to blow that game? 100/1?
Romano looked overwhelmed. Maybe it’s just his scraggly look, but I didn’t think he could finish by the look on his face that inning. Playoffs are different.
Romano got 2 outs with the bases loaded with out scoring a run they let up a weak pop up to shallow outfield. Hardly overwhelmed.
I love Schneider, but something has to be said when you do absolutely nothing after several balls are thrown at your player’s heads. Mariners bullied us, coupled with terrible luck, and a propensity to let emotions overwhelm our players led to this result. Big changes coming…. We shouldn’t have to throw out our closer for two innings. Rip the bandaid off.
Manoah hit their best player twice, what are you talking about
If the Jays sign Stripling and Diaz to close, with Ryu coming back, I would consider them ALE favorites next year.
Ryu would not be coming back
I considered them ALE favorites this year, so that’s probably a good bet.
Jays fans, Rays fans, and Mets fans are overreacting to their teams losses in the playoffs. Only the Cardinals fans are showing some perspective.
Sure, it’s frustrating. But give the other teams credit for playing well and beating them.
I keep using the term “sustainable contention”. Few teams get into the playoffs for the first or 2nd time in years and glide into the WS. The playoffs are a different season. It takes a bit for the players and manager to experience it and make adjustments, as well as for the FO’s to make adjustments to the roster.
All 4 teams had successful 2022 seasons and have a chance to build on that for 2023.
Sure, just one game, but do you hire a guy who was in charge of one of the biggest chokes ever? No way Jays should have lost that.
He always looks so angry in the dugout, like a lumberjack looking for a fight. Maybe he’s the guy, who knows. But that lineup and rotation deserved better than how it turned out.
How he looked in the dugout should have no bearing on his future.
He seemed to get Gausman out in time in the 6th – he is after all their ace pitcher. Mayza came in and threw a wild pitch. Can’t take him out for that. Santana worked the count a bit, then hit a 3 run HR. Schneider left Mayza in for the next batter, and he got out of the inning. In the 7th he started with Mayza and got the first out. Brought in Garcia, got the next 2. In the 8th he started with Bass – probably figuring he had a nice year (for a change) and could get them through the 8th. Instead Bass reverts back to being Bass and gives up a double, single (run) and another single. So with the score 9-6 in the 8th, no one out and runners on 1B and 2B he brings in his closer – Romano. Nothing wrong with that. Next hitter gets a single, run scores, 1B and 2B, score now 9-7. Should Schneider have brought in another pitcher? If so, who would you recommend? Romono K’s the next 2 guys, then the fly ball.
Other than not smiling in the dugout like a TV personality, exactly what did Mr. Schneider do wrong?
The article points out that the team went 46-28 since he took over. The article didn’t point out that the Jays were falling apart some from early to mid-August – going 3-9 – throwing away games playing lazy, dumb baseball. Schneider righted the ship and the team went 26-14 to get into the playoffs.
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You set a high bar. Was the version of the Jays uni’s they wore for the game OK with you? Think maybe if they wore another version and Mr. Schneider was walking around the dugout smiling into the camera like a friendly TV weatherman about to give the forecast that the outcome would have been different?
There’s two questionable moves that lost them the game. Pulling Gausman for Mayza, and putting Tapia in over JBJ.
The Mayza move resulted in the absolute worst outcome, and personally I was against it, but there was at least logic to it. Santana was about an inch away from taking Gausman deep the AB before, so that basically sealed Gausman’s fate before that AB. It only looks bad because he gave up a bomb, had he gotten the out (which he probably gets 7/10 times), everybody applauds the move. I’m not going to end his managerial tenure over a move that was at least defensible.
The Tapia over JBJ call was 100% the wrong one, but I would just simply expect my bullpen to get 9 or so outs before giving up 8 runs, no matter who is in left field.
First order of business should be QOing Stripling, second should be signing him to whatever he wants over two years.
Taking out KS to bring in Mayza and put Santana on his best side was an awful decision
Schneider terribly misused (over used more precisely) the bullpen, pulling starters on cruise control more than once.
It wasn’t just the WC game where he did that, he did that a lot. He looked at the BP with some very thick rose coloured glasses.
I think he and the coaching staff should go.
The team played a lot of sloppy baseball in many key games down the stretch. That’s on the coaches and the manager.
This is around the time when Gibby returns.
The truly curious thing to me was calling on Mayza in the 6th.
If you want Santana to bat righty, and are looking ahead to a possible close contest in G3, why not save your only leverage lefthander and use Kikuchi?
I mean, yes – he was bad enough in ’22 to lose his rotation spot to “bullpen days” – but if you can’t trust him with a 7-run lead, why is he even on the playoff roster?
What situation would he be used for, if even mop-up duty is beyond him?
If he implodes, and it gets close (Ala Mayza) then you have your leverage arms to turn to in need.
If he happens to get Santana, you’ve saved your BP for G3.
I was surprised that the Jays carried him in the first place, but not using him in the only scenario where he might be useful showed that he truly had no role on this team whatsoever.
I wonder where are those Blue Jays fans that knocked me for maintaining that Anthony Bass would blow it at the worst moment.
Hire Mattingly. Keep Schneider on as bench coach. If he doesn’t want that job then can him. Jays don’t need a rookie manager. Fire Walker after his spring training dui incident and send the message that letting the team down won’t be tolerated. Trade Bichette for a young starter, trade Kirk for a young defense first shortstop.