The million dollar question this off-season is what are the Toronto Blue Jays going to do?

Well, <a href="https://www.sportsnet.ca/article/blue-jays-weigh-intriguing-possibilities-at-gm-meetings/">Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smtih may have some answers</a>, as he notes in a recent article that his best guess is the team adds a good hitter, a starter, and relief depth.
More specifically, the Blue Jays are looking to add a power-hitting outfielder. If they can’t do that (which would be an utter failure of an off-season), they’ll look to second base, with Nicholson-Smith linking <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/free-agent-profile-gleyber-torres-could-provide-the-blue-jays-some-much-need-power-at-second-base">Gleyber Torres</a> and <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/free-agent-profile-ha-seong-kim-could-be-a-dark-horse-the-blue-jays-have-been-searching-for">Ha-Seong Kim</a> to the team. On top of that, Nicholson-Smith reported that the Blue Jays “are asking about Max Fried”, one of the better starting pitchers on the market.
Kim is the more interesting of the two second basemen, as he slashed .233/.330/.370 with 11 home runs in 470 plate appearances last season, ending his season early due to a shoulder injury. His career year came in 2023, where he slashed .260/.351/.398 with 17 home runs in 626 plate appearances. Moreover, the 29-year-old is strong defensively, posting 24 Defensive Runs Saved and 11 Outs Above Average in 2552 career shortstop innings. His numbers at second base and third base are also strong.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Ha-Seong Kim hits his second home run of the game! 🫰 <a href="https://t.co/Co2eyEECpT">pic.twitter.com/Co2eyEECpT</a>
&mdash; MLB (@MLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1769582641886396728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Torres was solid for the Yankees in his seven-year career, slashing .265/.334/.441 in 3,673 plate appearances through his first seven seasons. Last season, he slashed .257/.330/.378 with 15 home runs in 665 plate appearances but was significantly better once he moved into the lead-off spot in August. Unlike Kim, Torres isn’t a strong defender at second base, and the 38 home runs he hit in 2019 were a long time ago.
Fried is the interesting player here, as the 30-year-old lefty would shore up a Blue Jays rotation that lacks a southpaw. Last season, Fried had a 3.25 ERA and a 3.33 FIP in 174.1 innings pitched, along with a 23.2 K% and an 8 BB%.
While he doesn’t strike out a ton of batters, Fried has always gotten results as he has a career ERA of 3.07 and a career FIP of 3.29 in 884.1 innings pitched. Signing Fried or any other starter would push Yariel Rodríguez into the bullpen, meaning one less player the Jays need to acquire for the bullpen.
<h2>Yusei Kikuchi is one of the most sought-after pitchers</h2>
Speaking of left-handed starters, Yusei Kikuchi is “one of the most sought-after pitchers”, according to Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
The Blue Jays check in on lots of players this time of year. Most won’t sign with Jays. Some do. Highlighting their interest in starting pitching, one player in whom they have some interest is Max Fried.<a href="https://t.co/k0MEe58LlP">https://t.co/k0MEe58LlP</a>
&mdash; Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) <a href="https://twitter.com/bnicholsonsmith/status/1854353662572741053?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The reason Kikuchi didn’t fetch a qualifying offer from the Astros was because they acquired him mid-season from none other than the Blue Jays. In exchange for Kikuchi, the Jays acquired Will Wagner, Joey Loperfido, and Jake Bloss in exchange for the lefty.
Kikuchi had a solid season in 2024, posting a 4.05 ERA and a 3.46 FIP in 175.2 innings pitched, along with a 28 L% and a 6 BB%. After the trade, the 33-year-old had a 2.70 ERA and a 3.07 FIP in 60 innings pitched, with a 31.8 K% and a 5.9 BB%. Unfortunately, he didn’t get an opportunity to pitch in the postseason.
Manager John Schneider expressed an interest in signing Yusei Kikuchi before they traded him to the Astros. Who knows, but there is familiarity there.
<h2>Kyle Hendricks is the first major leaguer to sign with a new team</h2>
According to multiple reports on Wednesday, right-handed pitcher Kyle Hendricks agreed to a one-year deal worth $2.5 million with the Los Angeles Angels.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Angels, RHP Kyle Hendricks reportedly in agreement on a 1-year contract. <a href="https://t.co/fZII4sZpJM">pic.twitter.com/fZII4sZpJM</a>
&mdash; MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLBNetwork/status/1854207401915793570?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Hendricks, 34, was selected in the eighth round of the 2011 draft by the Texas Rangers but spent his entire big league career with the Chicago Cubs. He was terrific in 2016, posting a 2.13 ERA and a 3.20 FIP in 190 innings pitched, finishing third in Cy Young voting. Hendricks helped the Cubs win the World Series that season, their first since 1908 when the Ottoman Empire still existed.
As players tend to do as they get older, his performance hasn’t been anywhere near that level over the past few seasons. In 2024, Hendricks posted a career-worst 5.92 ERA and 4.98 FIP in 130.2 innings pitched, paired with a low 15.3 K% and a 7.6 BB%.
While the Blue Jays were probably never going to have an interest in the righty, he’s the first major league to find a new franchise this off-season!
<hr />
As always, you can follow me on Twitter @Ryley_L_D.

The million dollar question this off-season is what are the Toronto Blue Jays going to do?



Well, <a href="https://www.sportsnet.ca/article/blue-jays-weigh-intriguing-possibilities-at-gm-meetings/">Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smtih may have some answers</a>, as he notes in a recent article that his best guess is the team adds a good hitter, a starter, and relief depth.

More specifically, the Blue Jays are looking to add a power-hitting outfielder. If they can’t do that (which would be an utter failure of an off-season), they’ll look to second base, with Nicholson-Smith linking <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/free-agent-profile-gleyber-torres-could-provide-the-blue-jays-some-much-need-power-at-second-base">Gleyber Torres</a> and <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/free-agent-profile-ha-seong-kim-could-be-a-dark-horse-the-blue-jays-have-been-searching-for">Ha-Seong Kim</a> to the team. On top of that, Nicholson-Smith reported that the Blue Jays “are asking about Max Fried”, one of the better starting pitchers on the market.

Kim is the more interesting of the two second basemen, as he slashed .233/.330/.370 with 11 home runs in 470 plate appearances last season, ending his season early due to a shoulder injury. His career year came in 2023, where he slashed .260/.351/.398 with 17 home runs in 626 plate appearances. Moreover, the 29-year-old is strong defensively, posting 24 Defensive Runs Saved and 11 Outs Above Average in 2552 career shortstop innings. His numbers at second base and third base are also strong.

https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1769582641886396728

Torres was solid for the Yankees in his seven-year career, slashing .265/.334/.441 in 3,673 plate appearances through his first seven seasons. Last season, he slashed .257/.330/.378 with 15 home runs in 665 plate appearances but was significantly better once he moved into the lead-off spot in August. Unlike Kim, Torres isn’t a strong defender at second base, and the 38 home runs he hit in 2019 were a long time ago.

Fried is the interesting player here, as the 30-year-old lefty would shore up a Blue Jays rotation that lacks a southpaw. Last season, Fried had a 3.25 ERA and a 3.33 FIP in 174.1 innings pitched, along with a 23.2 K% and an 8 BB%.

While he doesn’t strike out a ton of batters, Fried has always gotten results as he has a career ERA of 3.07 and a career FIP of 3.29 in 884.1 innings pitched. Signing Fried or any other starter would push Yariel Rodríguez into the bullpen, meaning one less player the Jays need to acquire for the bullpen.
<h2>Yusei Kikuchi is one of the most sought-after pitchers</h2>
Speaking of left-handed starters, Yusei Kikuchi is “one of the most sought-after pitchers”, according to Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith

https://twitter.com/bnicholsonsmith/status/1854353662572741053

The reason Kikuchi didn’t fetch a qualifying offer from the Astros was because they acquired him mid-season from none other than the Blue Jays. In exchange for Kikuchi, the Jays acquired Will Wagner, Joey Loperfido, and Jake Bloss in exchange for the lefty.

Kikuchi had a solid season in 2024, posting a 4.05 ERA and a 3.46 FIP in 175.2 innings pitched, along with a 28 L% and a 6 BB%. After the trade, the 33-year-old had a 2.70 ERA and a 3.07 FIP in 60 innings pitched, with a 31.8 K% and a 5.9 BB%. Unfortunately, he didn’t get an opportunity to pitch in the postseason.

Manager John Schneider expressed an interest in signing Yusei Kikuchi before they traded him to the Astros. Who knows, but there is familiarity there.
<h2>Kyle Hendricks is the first major leaguer to sign with a new team</h2>
According to multiple reports on Wednesday, right-handed pitcher Kyle Hendricks agreed to a one-year deal worth $2.5 million with the Los Angeles Angels.

https://twitter.com/MLBNetwork/status/1854207401915793570

Hendricks, 34, was selected in the eighth round of the 2011 draft by the Texas Rangers but spent his entire big league career with the Chicago Cubs. He was terrific in 2016, posting a 2.13 ERA and a 3.20 FIP in 190 innings pitched, finishing third in Cy Young voting. Hendricks helped the Cubs win the World Series that season, their first since 1908 when the Ottoman Empire still existed.

As players tend to do as they get older, his performance hasn’t been anywhere near that level over the past few seasons. In 2024, Hendricks posted a career-worst 5.92 ERA and 4.98 FIP in 130.2 innings pitched, paired with a low 15.3 K% and a 7.6 BB%.

While the Blue Jays were probably never going to have an interest in the righty, he’s the first major league to find a new franchise this off-season!

<hr />

As always, you can follow me on Twitter @Ryley_L_D.

News and Notes: The Blue Jays are “asking about Max Fried” according to Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith

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