ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Blue Jays were the talk of the MLB Winter Meetings without making a move, still riding their wave of momentum from the World Series.
Much of their heavy lifting has been done already, after they jumped the market with a seven-year, $210 million deal for Dylan Cease. Their Cody Ponce agreement (three years, $30 million) came soon after, giving the Blue Jays one of the deepest and most talented rotations in baseball, but they’re still one or two big moves away.
Fans want to see moves right here, right now, but the entire industry is moving slowly. These Winter Meetings saw Kyle Schwarber return to the Phillies and Edwin Díaz join the Dodgers as the rich only get richer, but beyond those moves, these have been quiet days. No big splashes, no blockbuster trades, only rumors.
Here’s where the Blue Jays stand as they head back north:
BIGGEST REMAINING NEEDS
1) Back-end reliever
This likely won’t be the Blue Jays’ biggest remaining move in terms of money (that’s likelier reserved for a bat), but it still feels like their closest thing to a true “need.” Both GM Ross Atkins and manager John Schneider spoke about the Blue Jays’ desire to bolster the back end of their bullpen, and whether that means a new closer or direct competition for Jeff Hoffman, they’ll need to aim high. Robert Suarez and Pete Fairbanks are two names the Blue Jays were connected to throughout the Meetings.
2) One more big bat
Yes, this is the “Bo Bichette or Kyle Tucker” conversation. As much as Blue Jays fans would love this to land on “both,” that feels extremely unlikely, but it’s fun to dream. Tucker stands atop the market for good reason and fits Toronto’s lineup almost perfectly, but the Blue Jays know Bichette as well as anyone, and his market is particularly important. The Blue Jays are in a good spot here, able to wait as those markets unfold. If Bichette’s market dips, which feels more possible now, that could be awfully attractive and still leave room for more business.
3) Infield depth
This is far from a “need,” but Toronto is deeper in the outfield, so we should (eventually) see some tinkering with the infield. The Blue Jays have always liked to have a veteran behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at first base, whether that be Brandon Belt, Justin Turner, Daniel Vogelbach or Ty France. Backup catcher is a possibility, as well, but Tyler Heineman is coming off a fine year and Brandon Valenzuela is not getting enough attention as a factor in 2026.
HE SAID IT
“They made it to the World Series. There's not much else that has to be said. It shows that they have a championship-caliber team.” -- Dylan Cease, on his new team
Cease was introduced by the Blue Jays on Tuesday, sitting next to agent Scott Boras as each of them heaped praise upon the team. Cease’s straightforward answers painted the Blue Jays as one of baseball’s top organizations, which is exactly what they’ve become. The days of “Would this player consider Toronto?” are long gone. This is a destination now.
RULE 5 DRAFT
The Blue Jays selected 25-year-old right-hander Spencer Miles from the Giants in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft on Wednesday. Miles has missed significant time in his career with a back surgery and Tommy John surgery, but the Blue Jays love his upside and ability to control the zone. Does he have a chance to stick, though?
“We’re going to let him tell us,” said assistant GM Mike Murov. “If he’s able to post on a consistent basis, keep the command and keep the stuff, then he’s a useful pitcher on any team. We are hopeful that we see that version of him. If we do, it’s going to be easy to keep him."
Read more on Miles’ journey here.
MORE FROM THIS WEEK IN ORLANDO
- The grand unveiling of Dylan Cease, which was no accident
- John Schneider reflected on Game 7… and that play at the plate
- Ross Atkins, rarely one to tip his hand, discusses what’s next
- How is the relationship between the Blue Jays and José Berríos?
GM'S BOTTOM LINE
“There’s been a trajectory. I think it started before I was here where this is such an impressive market, impressive city, impressive nation and an exciting brand of baseball. Over time, lots of people, most importantly ownership, have just poured resources into the Toronto Blue Jays. Over time, that’s become more and more attractive. Then, when you take that body of work and put it on the biggest stage of baseball in the world, there is more attention. That turns into momentum.” -- Ross Atkins