The <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/">Toronto Blue Jays</a> made quite a few roster moves this past offseason.

There are the obvious ones, such as signing <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-officially-announce-max-scherzer-signing-designate-michael-petersen-for-assignment">Max Scherzer</a> and <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-sign-anthony-santander-to-five-year-deal">Anthony Santander</a>, as well as trading Spencer Horwitz and Nick Mitchell to the <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-to-acquire-andres-gimenez-in-trade-with-guardians">Cleveland Guardians for Andres Gimenez and Nick Sandlin</a>.
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However, it’s another trade with the Guardians that has quietly paid dividends for the Jays this season. On January 17,<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-acquire-myles-straw-international-bonus-pool-money-for-ptbnl-or-cash"> the Jays sent cash considerations to the Guardians in exchange for $2 million in 2025 International Free Agency bonus pool money</a>. To make it worth it for the Guardians, they dumped Myles Straw’s salary on the Jays.
<h2>The purpose of the trade</h2>
The Blue Jays were pursuing starting pitcher Rōki Sasaki, one of the best young pitchers in the world. Due to his age, the 23-year-old didn’t go through the usual posting system where teams can offer as much as they want. Instead, Sasaki had to go through the IFA, meaning teams had to dig into their bonus pool money. Hence, the move to get additional bonus pool money.
In the end, the Blue Jays came second to the Los Angeles Dodgers for the second consecutive season while attempting to sign a Japanese superstar. Sasaki hasn’t found the success that was expected of him, posting a 4.72 ERA and a 6.13 FIP in 34.1 innings pitched, with a 15.6 K% and a 14.3 BB%. The 23-year-old is currently on the 15-day Injured List because of a shoulder injury.
It’s unclear how much bonus pool money the Jays have remaining, but they were able to sign Cristopher Polanco, Juan Sanchez, Kennew Blanco, and some other interesting prospects. The more money a team has, the more they can make low-risk, high-reward signings, such as signing Alejandro Kirk for $30,000 back in 2016.
That doesn’t even mention how Myles Straw has performed for the Jays.
<h2>Myles Straw has become a useful player for the Jays</h2>
Coming into the 2025 season, Straw’s best season came in 2021, slashing .271/.349/.348 with four home runs in 638 plate appearances for a 98 wRC+ and a 3 fWAR. The centre fielder spent that season between the Houston Astros and the Guardians, eventually winning the Gold Glove for centre field in 2022.
Straw has always had a below-average bat, nothing is going to change that. Still, Straw has become a useful player for the Jays, slashing .280/.314/.360 with one home run in 109 plate appearances for a 93 wRC+ and 0.7 fWAR. For context, his career wRC+ sits at 79.
Where Straw excels is defensively. This season, the 30-year-old has five Defensive Runs Saved and four Outs Above Average in 253.2 innings in the outfield. Most of that has come in centre field, posting four DRS and 3 OAA in 199.2 innings. Defensively, he’s filled in nicely for Daulton Varsho, who has played just 24 of the Blue Jays’ 60 games and is once again on the Injured List.
<h2>Did the Blue Jays win the trade?</h2>
It’s hard to argue that the Jays didn’t win this trade. On top of Sasaki’s struggles, Straw has become a useful bench bat, especially if the Jays need a defensive replacement or some speed off the bench. He’s also been slightly below average with the bat this season, better than he usually is.
That doesn’t even mention the potential benefits of the added $2 million in bonus pool money they acquired to take on Straw’s contract. While it won’t pay off for at least another three years, it’s not inconceivable that a player signed in the year’s IFA class becomes an important roster player in the future like Kirk did.
All in all, the trade looked horrendous after Sasaki signed with the Dodgers, but it has quietly become one of the best transactions the Jays made this past offseason.
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Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/author/ryley-delaney">Blue Jays Nation</a>, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/author/ryley-delaney">Oilersnation</a>, and <a href="https://flamesnation.ca/author/ryley-delaney">FlamesNation</a>. They can be followed on Twitter <a href="https://x.com/Ryley__Delaney">@Ryley__Delaney</a>.
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&nbsp;

The <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/">Toronto Blue Jays</a> made quite a few roster moves this past offseason.



There are the obvious ones, such as signing <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-officially-announce-max-scherzer-signing-designate-michael-petersen-for-assignment">Max Scherzer</a> and <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-sign-anthony-santander-to-five-year-deal">Anthony Santander</a>, as well as trading Spencer Horwitz and Nick Mitchell to the <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-to-acquire-andres-gimenez-in-trade-with-guardians">Cleveland Guardians for Andres Gimenez and Nick Sandlin</a>.
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&nbsp;

However, it’s another trade with the Guardians that has quietly paid dividends for the Jays this season. On January 17,<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-acquire-myles-straw-international-bonus-pool-money-for-ptbnl-or-cash"> the Jays sent cash considerations to the Guardians in exchange for $2 million in 2025 International Free Agency bonus pool money</a>. To make it worth it for the Guardians, they dumped Myles Straw’s salary on the Jays.
<h2>The purpose of the trade</h2>
The Blue Jays were pursuing starting pitcher Rōki Sasaki, one of the best young pitchers in the world. Due to his age, the 23-year-old didn’t go through the usual posting system where teams can offer as much as they want. Instead, Sasaki had to go through the IFA, meaning teams had to dig into their bonus pool money. Hence, the move to get additional bonus pool money.

In the end, the Blue Jays came second to the Los Angeles Dodgers for the second consecutive season while attempting to sign a Japanese superstar. Sasaki hasn’t found the success that was expected of him, posting a 4.72 ERA and a 6.13 FIP in 34.1 innings pitched, with a 15.6 K% and a 14.3 BB%. The 23-year-old is currently on the 15-day Injured List because of a shoulder injury.

It’s unclear how much bonus pool money the Jays have remaining, but they were able to sign Cristopher Polanco, Juan Sanchez, Kennew Blanco, and some other interesting prospects. The more money a team has, the more they can make low-risk, high-reward signings, such as signing Alejandro Kirk for $30,000 back in 2016.

That doesn’t even mention how Myles Straw has performed for the Jays.
<h2>Myles Straw has become a useful player for the Jays</h2>
Coming into the 2025 season, Straw’s best season came in 2021, slashing .271/.349/.348 with four home runs in 638 plate appearances for a 98 wRC+ and a 3 fWAR. The centre fielder spent that season between the Houston Astros and the Guardians, eventually winning the Gold Glove for centre field in 2022.

Straw has always had a below-average bat, nothing is going to change that. Still, Straw has become a useful player for the Jays, slashing .280/.314/.360 with one home run in 109 plate appearances for a 93 wRC+ and 0.7 fWAR. For context, his career wRC+ sits at 79.

Where Straw excels is defensively. This season, the 30-year-old has five Defensive Runs Saved and four Outs Above Average in 253.2 innings in the outfield. Most of that has come in centre field, posting four DRS and 3 OAA in 199.2 innings. Defensively, he’s filled in nicely for Daulton Varsho, who has played just 24 of the Blue Jays’ 60 games and is once again on the Injured List.
<h2>Did the Blue Jays win the trade?</h2>
It’s hard to argue that the Jays didn’t win this trade. On top of Sasaki’s struggles, Straw has become a useful bench bat, especially if the Jays need a defensive replacement or some speed off the bench. He’s also been slightly below average with the bat this season, better than he usually is.

That doesn’t even mention the potential benefits of the added $2 million in bonus pool money they acquired to take on Straw’s contract. While it won’t pay off for at least another three years, it’s not inconceivable that a player signed in the year’s IFA class becomes an important roster player in the future like Kirk did.

All in all, the trade looked horrendous after Sasaki signed with the Dodgers, but it has quietly become one of the best transactions the Jays made this past offseason.

<hr />

Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/author/ryley-delaney">Blue Jays Nation</a>, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/author/ryley-delaney">Oilersnation</a>, and <a href="https://flamesnation.ca/author/ryley-delaney">FlamesNation</a>. They can be followed on Twitter <a href="https://x.com/Ryley__Delaney">@Ryley__Delaney</a>.

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