The Toronto Blue Jays went through an overhaul of sorts in 2024, especially when the club was out of contention. Out went veteran or expiring contracts like Justin Turner and Kevin Kiemaier, and in came controllable talent like Charles McAdoo, Jonatan Clase, Will Wagner, Joey Loperfido, and numerous others. The Jays threw in the towel, and heading into the 2025 season, there are some new faces, while some players are looking for a new start elsewhere.
Not a lot of former Jays are finding success elsewhere in 2025, an unfortunate side of the game when it comes to adjusting to a new team and system. The season is long, so there is lots of time for things to turn around, but some players from the 2024 Jays squad need to turn things around sooner rather than later if they want to last in the big leagues this season.
Here are six former players from the 2024 squad that are having a rough go in 2025.
Jordan Romano &#8211; RP 
Philadelphia Phillies
One of the most controversial moves this past winter was the Jays&#8217; non-tendering of Jordan Romano, as the club was concerned about his elbow returning to form, and the club could have only offered him a certain amount given the arbitration/contract tender process. Once he was a free agent, the Jays could have brought him back, but he landed with the Phillies instead, earning a one-year deal worth $8.5 million.
So far in Philly, Romano has struggled to find his pre-2024 form. His first outing of the year against the Nationals saw him blow a save opportunity in the eighth inning, allowing two runs and one hit and one walk to allow Washington to tie the game and eventually force extra innings. He bounced back with two good outings against Colorado but struggled against the Dodgers, allowing five runs in two outings.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Jordan Romano getting booed as he leaves the field. His struggles continue. Tough start for him in Philly. <a href="https://t.co/AqPfcv0gFL">pic.twitter.com/AqPfcv0gFL</a>
&mdash; John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) <a href="https://twitter.com/JClarkNBCS/status/1908969660017484136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Romano did lock down a save in his first outing against the powerhouse Dodgers, but he owns a 10.50 ERA through six innings with seven hits and seven earned runs and has seen his velocity drop by almost 2 MPH compared to his 2022-2024 range.
Ryan Yarbrough &#8211; RP 
New York Yankees
Another move that stirred the fanbase this spring was letting Ryan Yarbrough walk, opting for keeping Richard Lovelady around instead (who has already been DFA&#8217;d). Yarbrough locked in with the New York Yankees shortly after, but things have not been rosy for the southpaw in 2025.
Through five outings, Yarbrough has amassed a 5.63 ERA through eight innings of work. Most of the damage has come from his April 3rd outing against the Diamondbacks, where he allowed four runs on two hits and two walks, and another run on April 8th against the Tigers has him sitting at five earned runs and six hits during that span.
More importantly is his lack of control, with four walks allowed this season compared to three strikeouts. His FIP sit at an improved 4.75 compared to his ERA, but none of his pitches are impressing to start the year, and opponents have tagged his sinker for a .300 average and a .600 SLG.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Ryan Yarbrough has allowed just one run in his last three appearances. The reliever discussed his outing with <a href="https://twitter.com/M_Marakovits?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@M_Marakovits</a> and the rest of the media. <a href="https://t.co/bxt9SCcT01">pic.twitter.com/bxt9SCcT01</a>
&mdash; YES Network (@YESNetwork) <a href="https://twitter.com/YESNetwork/status/1910895881978589519?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Nate Pearson &#8211; RP 
Chicago Cubs
The only player with contract control to be moved last summer, Nate Pearson got a fresh start in Chicago after being dubbed the next ace for the Blue Jays rotation. He finished the 2024 season strong in the NL Central, allowing just eight earned runs through 26 1/3 innings down the stretch, but that has not translated to success early in 2025.
Through seven appearances and 8 1/3 innings, Pearson has allowed 11 hits and seven earned runs with four walks compared to five strikeouts. He&#8217;s allowed a run in five of his seven outings, and his first three relief appearances resulted in runs on the board, putting him at a 13.50 ERA.
His 6.72 FIP also shows that the damage is mostly self-inflicting, with two home runs allowed as well. His fastball velocity is still sitting strong in the upper 90s, but his slider and curveball are getting tagged hard out of the gate, sporting a .540 and .533 wOBA, respectively.
Danny Jansen &#8211; C 
Tampa Bay Rays
One of the hardest trades of last summer for Blue Jays fans was moving Danny Jansen to the Boston Red Sox, with the Jays front office putting their faith in Alejando Kirk (as evidenced by the recent five-year extension).
Jansen found a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Rays to stay within the division for 2025, and so far, the right-handed batter has struggled at the plate. He has four this through 34 at-bats, and while 50% of those have been for extra bases (one double and one home run), he has nine strikeouts and sports a .485 OPS and a 43 OPS+ through 11 games. His hard-hit percentage is down by over 15% compared to his MLB average (39.2%), and he&#8217;s hitting a ton of fly balls with a .125 BABIP, so bad luck isn&#8217;t a factor in this.
He&#8217;s found a bit of rhythm behind the plate with a +2 DRS, but his three errors lead the league for catchers with a .971 fielding percentage, and he sits in the 2nd percentile in framing (-1). Still a learning curve to go with his new pitching staff.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
DANNY JANSEN FIRST HR WITH THE RAYS ❗️ <a href="https://t.co/WOfVZvEf4Z">pic.twitter.com/WOfVZvEf4Z</a>
&mdash; Jake (@TBRaysCentral) <a href="https://twitter.com/TBRaysCentral/status/1910847825518227671?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Cavan Biggio &#8211; UTIL 
Kansas City Royals
After being DFA&#8217;d by the Blue Jays last summer, Cavan Biggio bounced around to a few different teams and landed with the Kansas City Royals this offseason on a MiLB deal.
He cracked the Opening Day roster and has embraced the utility role for the Royals out of the gate, suiting up at first, second, and third base as well as left and right field with a game in the DH spot. Through his 11 games and 23 at-bats, he owns a .217/.308/.217 slash line with a 55 OPS+ with just five hits, all singles. Biggio has three walks compared to seven strikeouts and owns a solid .313 BABIP mark to start the year, although he has yet to find any power this season.
Biggio will likely be working mostly off the bench for the rest of the season, and his role as a utility player likely keeps him in the big leagues this season, whether it&#8217;s as a defensive late-inning replacement or covering for off-days.
Justin Turner &#8211; 1B/DH 
Chicago Cubs
Justin Turner finds himself in the NL Central this season for the first time in his career, signing a one-year deal with the Cubs after splitting last season between the Blue Jays and Mariners.
In the twilight of his career, Turner is looking at one last kick of the can with the Cubs and is struggling to find a rhythm with his new club. The right-handed batter sports a .208/.333/.208 slash line with a .542 OPS through 24 a-bats, striking out six times compared to four walks. He doesn&#8217;t have an extra base hit yet but does have four RBIs with a .263 BABIP, but he&#8217;s seen a sharp decrease in his hard-hit percentage to a career low of 21.1% out of the gate.
On the field, Turner has spent most of his time at first base.
<hr />
<a href="https://betway.com/en/sports/grp/baseball/usa/mlb">All Toronto Blue Jays odds are brought to you by MLB betting site Betway</a>!
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-81969" src="https://publish.bluejaysnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2099/08/betwaylogo@3x-1.png" alt="" width="2218" height="666" srcset="https://publish.bluejaysnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2099/08/betwaylogo@3x-1.png 2218w, https://publish.bluejaysnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2099/08/betwaylogo@3x-1-300x90.png 300w, https://publish.bluejaysnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2099/08/betwaylogo@3x-1-1024x307.png 1024w, https://publish.bluejaysnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2099/08/betwaylogo@3x-1-768x231.png 768w, https://publish.bluejaysnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2099/08/betwaylogo@3x-1-1536x461.png 1536w, https://publish.bluejaysnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2099/08/betwaylogo@3x-1-2048x615.png 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2218px) 100vw, 2218px" />
Presented by Betway

The Toronto Blue Jays went through an overhaul of sorts in 2024, especially when the club was out of contention. Out went veteran or expiring contracts like Justin Turner and Kevin Kiemaier, and in came controllable talent like Charles McAdoo, Jonatan Clase, Will Wagner, Joey Loperfido, and numerous others. The Jays threw in the towel, and heading into the 2025 season, there are some new faces, while some players are looking for a new start elsewhere.

Not a lot of former Jays are finding success elsewhere in 2025, an unfortunate side of the game when it comes to adjusting to a new team and system. The season is long, so there is lots of time for things to turn around, but some players from the 2024 Jays squad need to turn things around sooner rather than later if they want to last in the big leagues this season.

Here are six former players from the 2024 squad that are having a rough go in 2025.

Jordan Romano - RP
Philadelphia Phillies

One of the most controversial moves this past winter was the Jays' non-tendering of Jordan Romano, as the club was concerned about his elbow returning to form, and the club could have only offered him a certain amount given the arbitration/contract tender process. Once he was a free agent, the Jays could have brought him back, but he landed with the Phillies instead, earning a one-year deal worth $8.5 million.

So far in Philly, Romano has struggled to find his pre-2024 form. His first outing of the year against the Nationals saw him blow a save opportunity in the eighth inning, allowing two runs and one hit and one walk to allow Washington to tie the game and eventually force extra innings. He bounced back with two good outings against Colorado but struggled against the Dodgers, allowing five runs in two outings.

https://twitter.com/JClarkNBCS/status/1908969660017484136

Romano did lock down a save in his first outing against the powerhouse Dodgers, but he owns a 10.50 ERA through six innings with seven hits and seven earned runs and has seen his velocity drop by almost 2 MPH compared to his 2022-2024 range.

Ryan Yarbrough - RP
New York Yankees

Another move that stirred the fanbase this spring was letting Ryan Yarbrough walk, opting for keeping Richard Lovelady around instead (who has already been DFA'd). Yarbrough locked in with the New York Yankees shortly after, but things have not been rosy for the southpaw in 2025.

Through five outings, Yarbrough has amassed a 5.63 ERA through eight innings of work. Most of the damage has come from his April 3rd outing against the Diamondbacks, where he allowed four runs on two hits and two walks, and another run on April 8th against the Tigers has him sitting at five earned runs and six hits during that span.

More importantly is his lack of control, with four walks allowed this season compared to three strikeouts. His FIP sit at an improved 4.75 compared to his ERA, but none of his pitches are impressing to start the year, and opponents have tagged his sinker for a .300 average and a .600 SLG.

https://twitter.com/YESNetwork/status/1910895881978589519

Nate Pearson - RP
Chicago Cubs

The only player with contract control to be moved last summer, Nate Pearson got a fresh start in Chicago after being dubbed the next ace for the Blue Jays rotation. He finished the 2024 season strong in the NL Central, allowing just eight earned runs through 26 1/3 innings down the stretch, but that has not translated to success early in 2025.

Through seven appearances and 8 1/3 innings, Pearson has allowed 11 hits and seven earned runs with four walks compared to five strikeouts. He's allowed a run in five of his seven outings, and his first three relief appearances resulted in runs on the board, putting him at a 13.50 ERA.

His 6.72 FIP also shows that the damage is mostly self-inflicting, with two home runs allowed as well. His fastball velocity is still sitting strong in the upper 90s, but his slider and curveball are getting tagged hard out of the gate, sporting a .540 and .533 wOBA, respectively.

Danny Jansen - C
Tampa Bay Rays

One of the hardest trades of last summer for Blue Jays fans was moving Danny Jansen to the Boston Red Sox, with the Jays front office putting their faith in Alejando Kirk (as evidenced by the recent five-year extension).

Jansen found a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Rays to stay within the division for 2025, and so far, the right-handed batter has struggled at the plate. He has four this through 34 at-bats, and while 50% of those have been for extra bases (one double and one home run), he has nine strikeouts and sports a .485 OPS and a 43 OPS+ through 11 games. His hard-hit percentage is down by over 15% compared to his MLB average (39.2%), and he's hitting a ton of fly balls with a .125 BABIP, so bad luck isn't a factor in this.

He's found a bit of rhythm behind the plate with a +2 DRS, but his three errors lead the league for catchers with a .971 fielding percentage, and he sits in the 2nd percentile in framing (-1). Still a learning curve to go with his new pitching staff.

https://twitter.com/TBRaysCentral/status/1910847825518227671

Cavan Biggio - UTIL
Kansas City Royals

After being DFA'd by the Blue Jays last summer, Cavan Biggio bounced around to a few different teams and landed with the Kansas City Royals this offseason on a MiLB deal.

He cracked the Opening Day roster and has embraced the utility role for the Royals out of the gate, suiting up at first, second, and third base as well as left and right field with a game in the DH spot. Through his 11 games and 23 at-bats, he owns a .217/.308/.217 slash line with a 55 OPS+ with just five hits, all singles. Biggio has three walks compared to seven strikeouts and owns a solid .313 BABIP mark to start the year, although he has yet to find any power this season.

Biggio will likely be working mostly off the bench for the rest of the season, and his role as a utility player likely keeps him in the big leagues this season, whether it's as a defensive late-inning replacement or covering for off-days.

Justin Turner - 1B/DH
Chicago Cubs

Justin Turner finds himself in the NL Central this season for the first time in his career, signing a one-year deal with the Cubs after splitting last season between the Blue Jays and Mariners.

In the twilight of his career, Turner is looking at one last kick of the can with the Cubs and is struggling to find a rhythm with his new club. The right-handed batter sports a .208/.333/.208 slash line with a .542 OPS through 24 a-bats, striking out six times compared to four walks. He doesn't have an extra base hit yet but does have four RBIs with a .263 BABIP, but he's seen a sharp decrease in his hard-hit percentage to a career low of 21.1% out of the gate.

On the field, Turner has spent most of his time at first base.

<hr />

<a href="https://betway.com/en/sports/grp/baseball/usa/mlb">All Toronto Blue Jays odds are brought to you by MLB betting site Betway</a>!

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-81969" src="https://publish.bluejaysnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2099/08/betwaylogo@3x-1.png" alt="" width="2218" height="666" />

Presented by Betway

6 former Blue Jays struggling with their new teams to start the 2025 season

Blue Jays GDB – 57.0: Seeing if the bats will continue to be hot after belting four home runs last night

Blue Jays place Anthony Santander on 10-day IL, recall Alan Roden from triple-A Buffalo

Former Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos is feeling the same heat as Atkins to start the 2025 season

Overshadowed by offence’s 12-run explosion, José Berríos turns in best performance of 2025 against struggling A’s

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero (27) hits a two run home run against the Athletics during the second inning at Rogers Centre

Recent articles from Tyson Shushkewich

Breaking News