The 2025 season matters to every Major League Baseball club, but perhaps to the Toronto Blue Jays more than any other.
That’s certainly a topic up for debate, but let’s make the case for the Blue Jays. Not only did they suffer tremendous disappointment in 2024, finishing in last place in the American League East, but the future beyond 2025 is a complete mystery.
The core of this Blue Jays team for the last five years has centered around Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, both homegrown products with multiple All-Star selections. But because both came up together, both could soon leave together.
Shelling out the money to extend both Guerrero and Bichette is one thing, while convincing them to stay is another. And unfortunately, those goals can only work in tandem if general manager Ross Atkins has the green light to spend big both now and later.
If the Blue Jays can add some stars this winter, they might well be in business. Recently Sam Connon of Sports Illustrated named a pair of dream acquisitions that the Blue Jays could bring to Toronto in tandem: starting pitcher Corbin Burnes and third baseman Alex Bregman.
“The pair of homegrown All-Stars might be leaving at the end of 2025 regardless, so perhaps bringing in Bregman and Burnes could give Toronto one last chance to win a title with their current core,” said.
“Past that, adding two highly-coveted free agents would show that the Blue Jays mean business, and that they plan on contending in the future as well, regardless of where Guerrero and Bichette end up.”
According to Spotrac’s Market Value tool, Bregman’s estimated contract value is $120 million, while Burnes’ is $184 million. Both might wind up getting far more than that, so the Blue Jays had better be prepared to clear the $300 million mark.
Plus, that’s before a potential Guerrero extension is factored in. This is starting to get mighty expensive, mighty quickly.
However, if the Blue Jays don’t want to blow it up and start over, then they’d better be prepared to dig their heels in. They may not be as far from contending as their 74-win season would seem to indicate, but they certainly aren’t close.
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