Uncustomed Heroes of 2025: Blue Jays

 

No one expected the Blue Jays to compete this year. Even less people expected them to finish the season at 1st in the AL East. And even less people expected them to make the World Series. But the Jays built an insanely efficient baseball team, with a lineup of really sturdy contact hitters, a rotation that even withstood an injury to Jose Berrios, a bullpen of young role-players, and the leadership of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., finally making his mark on Toronto. Yes, the run ended tragically in seven games of a ferocious World Series, but the Jays managed to not only fulfill the promise of a youth movement that had been building since 2019, but ensure that the infrastructure is in place to maintain this team's value going forward. The odds are that Bo Bichette might be playing somewhere else this year, unless Ross Atkins pulled whatever he pulled with Vlad and Cease, but enough people are sticking around that this team will definitely still compete.

Jeff Hoffman kept the closing position for the whole year in Toronto, despite a 4.37 ERA. It wasn't all terrible, Hoffman had 33 saves, 84 Ks and 9 wins, but the dominance Hoffman showed in a middle relief role in Philly seemed to dissipate. And despite some strong October work, the blown save to end all blown saves landed on Hoffman's shoulders, giving up a game-tying home run to Miguel Rojas of all people, and letting the game go to extras. Even if Hoffman rebounds next year, which is possible, that's gonna haunt him for a while.

2026 Prediction: A much better season. Not closing. The Jays want a proven clover, they asked about Raisel Iglesias after all. Hoffman is a set-up man, so given the opportunity to be one, he'll be much better.

Going into 2025, despite failing to sign Roki Sasaki, Willy Adames, Max Fried, Blake Snell, Juan Soto, or any of the truly high-tier free agents, the Blue Jays did land one big piece, that being Anthony Santander, the Orioles slugger who, in his age 29 season, had a 44-homer, 102 RBI year, the best of his career. Any alarm bells sounding yet? No. Thank you, Ross Atkins. Anyway, they give Tony Taters the money, and he hits SIX TATERS in his first year in Toronto. He'd just hit 44, because of injuries and a horrifying .175 average in the games he was healthy for, he only took 6 out. If he never recovers, the Jays fans are gonna look at this as grounds for running Atkins out of town on a rail. Out of EVERYBODY, they picked the one free agent with a palpable ceiling. He couldn't even do too much in the postseason. 3 hits, 2 RBIs in 5 games. 

2026 Prediction: He hits 25 homers. Will it be enough to satiate the fans? Not too sure.

After getting cut by the Guardians, y'know, the KINGS of high-defense/contact leaning little guys, Myles Straw got a job as a depth outfielder with the Jays. Then Daulton Varsho, the starting centerfielder, gets hurt and Straw becomes the everyday guy out there, reignites his career. Even though the defense is the star, Straw still hits .262, which isn't terrible. Varsho eventually comes back, gets hot, and Straw stays on as a defensive sub and depth piece. In the playoffs he was more notable for diving catches than any real plate work, but he's a big reason why the Jays made it as long as they did.

2026 Prediction: Similar role, perhaps more starts in right or left. Between him and Varsho, they've got it made out there.

Speaking of former Astros OF guys they didn't have any room for, Joey Loperfido came to Toronto last year in the deal that brought Yusei Kikuchi to LA...by way of Houston. Of the two pieces of that deal, I figured Jake Bloss would factor more into this season, but Loperfido took advantage of a midseason push and had a great second half, hitting .333 with 4 homers and 14 RBIs in 41 games. His appearances died down in September, and he didn't do much in October, but he was a great burst of energy down the stretch.

2026 Prediction: So all of the main outfield players are still in the picture next season. Santander, Varsho, Lukes, Schneider, Straw. They're all sticking around. Loperfido is the odd man out, and he still hasn't found a strong foothold in Toronto, at least not a long term one. Odds are he gets dealt this offseason. Wherever he's going, I think he makes it work there.

Ty France, after something of a comeback as 1st baseman for the Twins, wound up as a surprise trade deadline addition by the Jays, needing a power bench guy. France obliged, hitting .277 in 37 games, with 8 RBIs and 1 homer. 

2026 Prediction: Starter for a low-end non-competitor, a training wheels piece. Colorado could bite? Pittsburgh?

Also poached from Minnesota was middle relief wizard Louie Varland, who was working on a truly excellent season before the trade. After a 2 ERA with the Twins, Varland posted a 4.94 ERA with the Jays, with 2 more earned runs than in Minnesota. In the playoffs, he had a 3.94 ERA with 17 Ks and 7 earned runs, showing dominance more often than not. 

2026 Prediction: I say he settles in with Toronto, maybe gets to close.

After spending the first half of the 2024 season in Toronto and getting traded to Pittsburgh, looking to compete [?????], Isiah Kiner-Falefa found himself dealt right back to Toronto a year later, in time for a much more meaningful playoff push. IKF isn't the guy New York thought they'd be getting in 2022, but he's become a pretty handy guy to have around. IKF was mostly a fill-in for Bo Bichette, and acted as such in early rungs of the playoffs, before being shifted to a defensive sub, on account of a lack of hitting. As good as he was in the field, I fear IKF will forever be haunted by his choice of sliding strategy in a move that could have won the game in the bottom of the ninth. 

2026 Prediction: Whoever picks him up cuts him before the end of the year.

Coming Tomorrow- Unsurprisingly a ton of Atlanta Braves.