Mixed results from the starting rotation, an overworked bullpen, and inconsistent offense have made fans question the Blue Jays’ future as much as ever.
On the afternoon of April 16, the Toronto Blue Jays became the first team in the American League to reach 11 wins on the season. They were a week removed from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the face of the franchise, signing a record-breaking $500 million extension that would account for the next 14 seasons after this one. Things were going well. However, red flags were indeed present.
Blue Jays Bullpen a Concern?
In the third game of the year, they lost newly acquired veteran pitcher Max Scherzer in his first start of the season. He has yet to pitch for the team again, leaving a gaping hole in the rotation. With his absence, it’s up to Gausman, Bassitt, Berrios, and Francis to lead the way once again. Gausman and Bassitt have been their usual selves. Berrios has seemingly regressed slightly in the early goings compared to the previous season. Bowden Francis went from being 3 outs away from becoming the first Blue Jay to throw a no-hitter since Dave Stieb last season. To now being tied for allowing the most home runs of any pitcher in the MLB with 15 and a 2-6 record this season.
Usually, the starters play well enough to keep most games close. Games being close and Scherzer being out have put a lot of importance on the bullpen to get through games, a department that was a primary focus for upgrading during the offseason. The likes of offseason acquisition Jeff Hoffman and returning face Yimi Garcia had been the team’s primary closers. Early on, it worked well as both could close out games successfully. However, for some fans, the workload volume has created some concerns.
Before this past series with the Athletics, Hoffman’s recent appearances have raised his ERA to 5.55 on the season, allowing 13 runs over the past 15 games. On the other hand, Garcia has allowed 7 runs in his last 7 appearances prior to this series.
Offensive Inconsistency Is a Lingering Issue
Letting the bullpen shoulder all the blame is difficult when they aren’t given much insurance. Before the four-game sweep of the Athletics, the Blue Jays had only been able to muster an average of 3.80 runs per game. Inconsistency is once again prevalent. Looking at the numbers before the past four games with the Athletics, they had only scored six runs in six games. That follows a Padres series where they scored 24 runs total. Like last season, the biggest issue with the team is their lack of power. The 47 home runs hit on the season are only one more than the likes of the lowly White Sox and Rockies, 26th most as a whole.
So why is this still a problem? The team signed Anthony Santander from Baltimore last season, hoping to improve things in the slugging column. Unfortunately, a right elbow injury sustained against the Angels has limited his power quite a bit. Andreas Jimenez wasn’t necessarily brought in to bring power, but after hitting 3 home runs in his first 5 games with the team, he looked intriguing. He hasn’t hit a home run since and has had a quad strain injury to deal with.
Overall, the entire lineup is in a state of inconsistency. George Springer can go from having a .455 batting average in his first 11 games to a .177 in his last 30 games. Varsho and Kirk have been the team’s hottest bats lately, but they could very easily get cold again. Bo Bichette seems to be progressing well at the very least. His seven home runs on the year are an improvement from a rough 2024 season.
Guerrero Jr. is now saddled with the lofty expectations of living up to the third-largest contract in MLB history, even if it doesn’t start until next season. He’s been okay, but nothing that indicates a player who’s been given the most expensive contract in Canadian sports history. His most significant plus this season has been his ability to get on base. Far too often, though, the players who follow him in the lineup order often cannot bring him home. His eight home runs this year are satisfactory by his standards, but there is still time for him to heat up. Juan Soto, who signed the biggest contract in sports history over the offseason, only has two more home runs anyway.
Frustration Is Building in Toronto
Understandably, there is a lot of frustration in the fanbase right now, which mainly stems from the thought of the Blue Jays holding a top-five payroll in the league but only being around the .500 mark. There is a feeling that this is more of the same as last season. Jays fans aren’t alone, though. Teams like the Rangers, Braves, and Red Sox are also having seasons that haven’t lived up to their payroll just yet. The big difference, however, is recent World Series wins and winning playoff games in the last nine years, something the Jays have fallen behind in.
If this season continues to be turbulent, the likes of Ross Atkins and John Schneider will continue to be scrutinized as they have been for the past three seasons. The franchise is in a tricky spot. The farm system is still barebones, limiting resources they could use for any potential trades. Would management even want to make a big trade if the team is only gunning for a Wild Card spot at best?
This season will tell us a lot about the character of this team and this franchise. Does this team need a new voice in the dugout? Do they need to throw more money around in order to compete? Or do the players here now just have to gain consistency as a whole? Until these questions are answered, one thing will remain certain: the Blue Jays’ emotional roller coaster doesn’t show any signs of coming to an end anytime soon.