The Toronto Blue Jays have many holes to patch within their roster for next year. Improving the offense and adding some power stands at the top of this list, however, the bullpen is also in need of some attention after the club’s recent offseason moves. Toronto recently created an internal issue, leaving them without a bonafide closer after non-tendering Jordan Romano.

Toronto saved nearly $6 – 8 million next season by letting the Canadian product walk after going over the various options with the right-hander under the arbitration contract umbrella but ultimately decided that the value wasn’t worth the pursuit. Romano had spent over 10 years with the organization, as he was drafted in 2014.

Where do the Blue Jays go from here in the closer spot? The market for closers is usually very scarce, and the retention of closers is evident. Former Yankees closer Clay Holmes just signed with the New York Mets, taking that option off the market and the Jays do have some internal options they could consider but after last season, does that seem like the best option?

With Romano heading to free agency, 29 other teams now have a chance to sign the right-hander alongside the Blue Jays.

Toronto was attempting to mitigate the risk of Romano’s potential unhealthy return with Chad Green being the backup plan in mind. In 2021, the right-hander began his closing career and finished with 23 saves and a 2.14 ERA. In 2023 he was tied for fifth in the league with 36 saves with just four blown opportunities, and a 2.90 ERA. Last season, Romano made only 15 appearances due to the elbow injury – an off-year for the Canadian product.

What were the Jays afraid of? The possibility of Romano not bouncing back from surgery and commanding big dollars for a bullpen that needs a few arms to complete the group (quantity over quality).

Ultimately, the Jays let loose a one to two-inning arm that could heat up his fastball upwards of 99 mph and mix in an effective slider. His lights-out attributes can’t be taught but the business side of the game and the risk of his injury outweighed the tender. Atkins did mention the possibility of bringing him back this winter but if Romano signs elsewhere, who should the Blue Jays either turn to or pursue to help them close games in 2025?

The club could stick with what they know and utilize veteran Chad Green in the ninth-inning, a spot the right-hander is familiar with from last season and partly during his Yankee days. Green was the interim closer for the Blue Jays in 2024 when Romano departed for surgery, finishing the year with 17 saves, a 3.21 ERA, and a 4.29 FIP with three blown save opportunities.

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The right-hander’s brief interim closer experience with the Yankees was the best option for the role in Toronto. His overall repertoire was enough to do the job; his four-seam, slider, cutter mix with a heater in the upper-mid 90s was reliable but he struggled towards the end of the season. Combined with his recent injury history, this could be a potential issue for the Jays in 2025 if he lands back on the IL.

Green was a solid fill-in, however, as a long-term closer may not work out just based on metrics, durability, and longevity. The Jays could turn to Erik Swanson in a pinch as well but all signs point to the veteran Green to be the go-to option if the club doesn’t find a pitcher on the open market.

Outside of Green, the next option for the Blue Jays in terms of the closer role is to find someone from outside the organization. This would include another long-time veteran Kenley Jansen. The right-hander pitched for the Red Sox in 2024, recording 27 saves with four blown, a 4-2 record, and a 3.29 ERA.

The righty has 15 years in the league with four all-star appearances, and multiple years of postseason appearances with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves, winning it all with L.A. in 2020. Jansen struck out 62 hitters to the tune of a 10.2 K/9 last year and kept his command consistent at a 3.3 B/9.

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His command still exists and his effectiveness is still persistent. His mix of a cutter, slider, and sinker forces a ton of weak roll-over contact for outs although he also generates a ton of fly-ball contact. His strikeout ability is still there with his pitch mix but Jansen’s velocity has slightly decreased over the years, where his cutter sits around 92 mph and the sinker sits at 93 mph.

Jansen may be a good one or two-year commitment to work the ninth inning for the Blue Jays, bringing his veteran experience to the bullpen.

If the Blue Jays plan to open spending this winter, they could land someone like Kiby Yates – although fans may be a bit hesitant to sign the veteran arm after his first stint with the organization.

Yates was ranked seventh last season in terms of saves, putting up 33 tallies with a 7-2 record and a 1.17 ERA. Yates only blew one save this past season and finished with an impressive 1.9 fWAR. This was coming off a 2023 season where he posted a 3.28 ERA through 60 1/3 innings but saw an elevated 4.63 FIP, meaning there were potentially some things hiding under the service. However, Yates and his 2.50 FIP and 0.827 WHIP last season with the Rangers squashed some of that hesitation, ending the year with a 12.4 K/9.

Yates works a three pitch-mix; four-seam fastball, spitter, and slider. He also is not on the fireball grid of velocity, with his fastball sitting around 93-94 mph. The former Blue Jay does not possess the most electric stuff on the mound but can get the whiffs when needed. He does have some command issues that might turn people away from putting him in the ninth inning – a 5.5 and 4.1 BB/9 in 2023 and 2024 respectively – but he has the experience to back up the role, collecting a league-leading 41 saves for the Padres back in 2019.

Yates is a gamble, especially considering the injury history, which is why a one-year deal makes the most sense if the Blue Jays were to consider this option.