Blue Jays fairly quiet at winter meetings
Roark signing only significant move by Toronto front office
Whether in California or Las Vegas, Florida or Maryland, the baseball winter meetings have not exactly been fertile ground for the current Toronto Blue
Jays front office over the last four years.
In fact, the yield was once again so meagre that expectations will continue to be muted. Assistant general manager Joe Sheehan said Thursday that productive discussions on both the trade front and in free agency will continue — and for now anyway, that makes the Jays among the league leaders in talks.
Bottom line, however, is it appears the rebuilding team in desperate need of pitching help will return home with veteran Tanner Roark, who currently slots in near the top of the rotation.
The modest haul is par for the course for the current Jays brain trust led by general manager
Ross Atkins.
A year ago, they snagged longshot teenage pitching prospect Elvis Luciano in the Rule 5 draft and made noise with the release of injured shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.
The previous year there was nothing to report and in 2016 they signed utility infielder Steve Pearce, who battled injuries with the Jays before being sent to the Boston Red Sox to win a World Series in 2018.
Still, Atkins believes there is some reason for optimism over the remainder of the off-season. The hope is the groundwork Atkins has laid will pay dividends down the road. While in-demand free agents might not have the Jays high on their list, there is a belief that some are at least listening a little closer now that talented young prospects such as Vlad Guerrero Jr., Cavan Biggio and Bo Bichette have had impactful big-league debuts.
The latest example of one to get away was veteran Rick Porcello, who signed with the New York Mets Thursday and had been central on the Jays’ list and actively engaged in talks with the team. Ditto for John Lindblom, who ended up going to the Milwaukee Brewers.
So what’s the positive coming out of these meetings from a Jays perspective?
Atkins said the interest level of prospective free agents is notable, given the reputation of the team’s young talent.
“Every free agent that we talk to says, ‘Man, you have something special going and I’d like to be a part of it,’ ” Atkins said. “Competitive cycles and where teams are is a contributing factor.”
Sheehan said he’s noticed a difference in tone when talking to potential free agents.
“There’s guys in the past that would say, ‘Yeah, we’ll talk to you and if nothing comes together, then maybe,’ ” Sheehan said.
WHAT’S NEXT?
After the Jays took a pass on making a selection in Thursday’s Rule 5 draft, the team will continue to go to work and add to the rotation.
A source familiar with the operation said the team is still pursuing former Los Angeles Dodgers starter Hyun-jin Ryu and has the cash to make a competitive bid.
With just $24 million committed to Roark, Atkins has cash to play with.
“We feel good (overall),” Sheehan said. “Adding Roark was a big addition. Where we’re looking ahead, it’s to be opportunistic and finding value. There are a lot of ways we can improve our roster. We’ll continue to have those conversations with other teams and free agents.”
RANKING ROARK
In Roark, the best thing they have is a 33-year-old veteran presence who may bring some stability to the rotation.
Remember, this is a group that trotted out no fewer than 21 starters last season. At two years and $24 million, Roark didn’t come as cheap as in past years, but the pitching market has shifted upward and it’s likely that the Jays had to pay a premium.
Roark has had 30-plus starts in five of his last six seasons, making him a perfect candidate to be a much-needed innings-eater.
AROUND THE BASES
While the Jays didn’t select anyone in the Rule 5 draft, they did lose right-hander Dany Jimenez to the Giants. The 25-year-old pitched 59 innings with a 2.59 ERA with single-a Dunedin and Double-a New Hampshire last summer ... What will the Jays do about centre field? “We’d be very open to adding to centre field as long as it’s a significant upgrade,” Atkins said.