This story was excerpted from Keegan Matheson’s Blue Jays Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
If there was a magic pill that could wipe the past week from memory, it would sell out in Canadian stores in a second.
Shohei Ohtani to the Dodgers after a pursuit that brought the wildest dreams of Blue Jays fans to the brink of belief, only to end in heartbreak. Juan Soto to the Yankees, where he’ll give the Blue Jays nightmares for a season before launching his own free-agent frenzy next winter.
There’s no silver lining to take from being perceived as finalists for Ohtani. Years ago, when Toronto was stuck at the kids’ table and trying to sit with the adults, those narratives worked, but elbowing up alongside New York and Los Angeles brings some harsh realities. You either sign the player or you don’t.
The pursuit of Ohtani was all about hope. He represented the hope of baseball’s greatest star choosing Canada, the hope of the baseball world looking north and the hope of the Blue Jays finally getting over the hump in the postseason. Now, as much as the Blue Jays need to piece together this roster, they need to piece together some hope for a passionate, dedicated fanbase that’s stood by them … despite it growing more frustrating each season.
The path out is no longer as simple as "sign Shohei," but here are some alternative steps.
1. Shake things up
“Run it back” won’t land with Blue Jays fans. Not after a season where nothing came easy and not after a stretch of four seasons that has seen this organization go 0-6 in the playoffs, each loss more painful than the last.
The Blue Jays cannot leave this competitive era without something to show for it. Think back to 2021, when Toronto led the Majors with 262 home runs and a .796 team OPS. Forget the best offense in MLB, it was one of the best offenses in this club’s history -- and the Blue Jays didn’t even get to taste the postseason.
Then, in 2023, Toronto boasted one of the best rotations in the Majors, led by veterans Kevin Gausman, José Berríos, Chris Bassitt and Yusei Kikuchi -- all in front of an excellent bullpen. The '21 lineup and '23 rotation are ones we’ll look back on in a decade and say, “How did they not do … something?”
The Blue Jays already pivoted one year ago, swapping out some power for defense, but it’s time to find something closer to the middle. Free agency still offers some opportunities to grab this fanbase -- mainly outfielder Cody Bellinger and pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto -- but if there’s ever been a time to shock the Majors with a trade, it’s now. Remember, Tony Fernandez and Fred McGriff were both in their prime when the Blue Jays traded them for Joe Carter and Roberto Alomar in December 1990.
2. The (re)birth of a star
It’s easier to pinpoint exactly who Bo Bichette is as a player. He’s one of baseball’s toughest at-bats, a master of mid-swing adjustments and one of the hardest workers in the sport, fielding ground balls by the million each day. A full, healthy season of Bichette -- who still has another leap left in his potential -- should produce a player capable of finishing in the top 10 in the AL MVP Award voting.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. isn’t nearly as easy to project. This spring will bring a new wave of bounce-back hype, and if he can finally make good on that, nothing would grab fans by the collar like their homegrown star rediscovering the magic of 2021.
After two seasons that were perfectly productive, but clear “down” years by his standards, 2024 is officially the fork in the road. Is Vladdy a very good hitter or a superstar?
3. “Playoffs?!”
Despite the sky falling, the Blue Jays should enter 2024 with a clear path to the postseason -- even in the grueling AL East. Until their postseason success changes, nothing changes.
The 2020 run was forgettable, in ways, coming slightly ahead of schedule and following a shortened 60-game season. The Blue Jays were, rightfully, happy to be there. Then, after a near-miss in '21 came the devastating collapse against the Mariners at home in '22 and the disastrous end to '23, complete with "the decision" and Guerrero getting picked off in one of the biggest moments of the season.
It’s been headache after headache for Toronto fans, with the hype accelerating to 100 mph each season before crashing into a concrete wall the moment the calendar turns to October.
Through the regular season, Blue Jays fans can look at this roster and simply say: “Prove it.”
Ohtani or not, Soto or not, Bellinger or not, Yamamoto or not -- in the long run, this market wants a winner, and winning in October is the quickest way to forget all of the losses that came before.