Buy or sell? That’s the question the Toronto Blue Jays will eventually have to answer.
The 2025 season isn’t going as the Blue Jays planned so far. Their offense has been a major disappointment, as new arrivals Anthony Santander and Andrés Giménez have been little help. The Blue Jays rank dead last in baseball with 25 home runs.
The Blue Jays’ saving grace at the moment is that the rest of the division has been downright bad. Toronto is tied for third place with the Tampa Bay Rays, the Boston Red Sox are only a game ahead of them in second, and the Baltimore Orioles are buried in fifth at 13-21.
However, if they’re still below .500 by the Jul. 31 trade deadline, the Blue Jays will have to think long and hard about selling for a second straight year. That might also provide them an opportunity to clear an expensive contract off the books.
FanSided’s Edward Eng recently speculated that the Blue Jays could trade veteran outfielder George Springer, whose $150 million contract runs through the end of 2026, if he continues his strong offensive start to the 2025 season.
“While’s Springer isn’t due to hit free agency until the end of next season, the 35-year-old veteran could become a candidate to be moved at the trade deadline if the Jays aren’t able to turn things around,” Eng wrote.
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“Not only could Springer serve as a leader for whatever team acquires him, but he’s also looking more and more like a legitimate offensive piece that could help length a contender’s lineup.”
Springer, 35, has been easily the Blue Jays’ most consistent hitter this year. He’s hitting .316 with a .960 OPS through 32 games, racking up 1.0 bWAR. He only had 1.1 bWAR in 145 games all of last season.
After three straight years of decline, a 2025 resurgence could be the opportunity for the Blue Jays to save over $30 million by getting Springer off their books a year and a half early. But they should only do so if they know their playoff hopes are dashed.
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