<p>One man’s trash (international bonus pool fodder) can be another man’s treasure (three-win fourth outfielder). Another way of putting it: the Toronto Blue Jays’ success this season has been shaped by contributions from unheralded players.</p>
<p></p>
<p>After a disappointing 2024 season in which they won just 74 games, the Blue Jays hoped offseason additions like Anthony Santander, Andrés Giménez, and Max Scherzer would help push them back into postseason relevance.</p>
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<p>Instead, it was under-the-radar and even widely panned acquisitions like Myles Straw and Eric Lauer who became far more valuable—both in key moments and by wins above replacement—as the team jumped 20 wins to go from worst to first in the AL East. Straw spent all but four plate appearances at Triple-A last season. Lauer, meanwhile, helped the KBO’s Kia Tigers on their stretch run after throwing 75 1/3 uninspiring innings in the upper minors. This season, they posted 2.9 and 2.2 bWAR, respectively. Scherzer led the “big-ticket” additions with 1.1.</p>
<p>Davis Schneider, originally picked in a 28th round that doesn’t exist anymore, started the year in Buffalo—his improbable time in the limelight seemingly over. Nathan Lukes, once viewed as a career Quad-A player, looked like he might never get his shot on the game’s biggest stage. Fast forward six months, and they’re platooning in the team’s No. 2 spot in the lineup.</p>
<p>Here’s a look at just how significant this group’s contributions were, and why these loveable underdogs deserve their flowers.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Nathan Lukes (1.9 WAR)</h2>
<p>This list has to start with Lukes. The terse outfielder’s massive ALDS performance against the New York Yankees—highlighted by his decisive two-run single in the seventh inning—was emblematic of Toronto’s season.</p>
<p>After spending 10 years in the minors and missing out on big-league opportunities due to injuries and roster congestion, Lukes finally got his chance this year and made the most of it. The 31-year-old’s 12 home runs and .730 OPS may not jump off the page, but they’re still above league average by wRC+ (103).</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">NATHAN LUKES COMES UP HUGE! HE TIES THIS GAME FOR THE BLUE JAYS! </p>
<p>🎥: Sportsnet | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlueJays?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BlueJays</a> <a href="https://t.co/AQLqf6rTZ6">pic.twitter.com/AQLqf6rTZ6</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Blue Jays Nation (@thejaysnation) <a href="https://twitter.com/thejaysnation/status/1965952383403295006?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>He also provided elite outfield defence, grading out above average with 10 defensive runs saved and tying for top ten in MLB with nine outfield assists. Lukes ranked above the 90th percentile in both strikeout and whiff rate, fitting perfectly into the Blue Jays’ contact-heavy offensive identity.</p>
<p>From his walk-off single against the Padres in May to clutch extra-base hits against the Rays and Yankees, Lukes embodies Toronto’s “next man up” mantra.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Eric Lauer (2.2 WAR)</h2>
<p>The pitching version of Lukes? That would be Eric Lauer.</p>
<p>When the Blue Jays’ rotation was in shambles early on, Lauer swooped in to stabilize things. Later, he became the workhorse in two key bullpen days at critical points in the season.</p>
<p>Signed as a minor-league depth piece, Lauer’s breakout was the definition of a 99th-percentile outcome. The lefty posted a 3.18 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 102 strikeouts, and just 26 walks over 104 2/3 innings—far exceeding expectations that he’d merely eat innings if needed.</p>
<p>Memorable outings like his eight innings of one-run ball against Detroit or his 3 1/3 perfect innings of bulk relief against Boston put the cherry on top of a remarkable season.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Myles Straw (2.9 WAR)</h2>
<p>Last year, Straw had just four MLB plate appearances and was a below-average Triple-A bat, hitting .651 OPS over 495 plate appearances with Columbus. Despite his Gold Glove pedigree, he was a long shot to make Toronto’s roster out of spring training, given the crowded outfield competition.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">How Myles Straw, Nathan Lukes, and Ernie Clement have helped the Blue Jays reach October <a href="https://t.co/tjYWxk07RV">https://t.co/tjYWxk07RV</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Blue Jays Nation (@thejaysnation) <a href="https://twitter.com/thejaysnation/status/1974249903997268112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>That’s without mentioning the uproar when the Blue Jays took on Straw’s contract—$13.8 million over two seasons—in exchange for international bonus pool money that many fans hoped would be used for now-Dodger Rōki Sasaki.</p>
<p>But Straw silenced critics with elite defence (18 DRS in 698 1/3 innings, top three among MLB outfielders) and smart situational play, including 11 sacrifice bunts—third-most in baseball. Considering the market values one WAR at roughly $10 million, Straw’s 2.9 WAR on a $6.4 million salary turned out to be a steal.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Davis Schneider (1.3 WAR)</h2>
<p>Schneider’s mustache might be legendary, but so is his perseverance.</p>
<p>After hitting just .191 with a .625 OPS in 2024, Schneider began 2025 in the minors. When the Blue Jays’ offence sputtered, he got a call-up to spark things. His first stint didn’t click, but on his second try, he rediscovered what made him special—elite plate discipline and the ability to crush mistakes.</p>
<p>The burly utilityman posted a stellar 16% walk rate—the highest on the team—and ranked in the 87th percentile for barrel rate.</p>
<p>His 127 wRC+ trailed only Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, and George Springer. The long-coveted right-handed platoon bat was right under Toronto’s nose all along.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Honourable Mentions</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Ernie Clement (4.3 WAR)</strong> – He doesn’t quite fit the “unexpected” label after a 3.4 WAR season last year, but Clement’s 22 defensive runs saved (tied for first in MLB) and clutch performances with a broken hand made him the heartbeat of this team. A Gold Glove feels inevitable.</li>
<li><strong>Tyler Heineman (1.9 WAR)</strong> – Hit above .300 into September while providing stellar defence behind the plate. Limited playing time (46 starts) kept him off the main list, but his impact was undeniable.</li>
<li><strong>Addison Barger (1.2 WAR)</strong> – A former top prospect, Barger’s jump from a .601 OPS to .756 with 21 homers and two walk-off hits was still a major surprise, and his power was a welcome addition to the club.</li>
<li><strong>Braydon Fisher (1.4 WAR)</strong> – Named both the team’s reliever and rookie of the year by Blue Jays Nation writers after a stellar campaign.</li>
<li><strong>Mason Fluharty (0.1 WAR)</strong> – WAR might not capture his impact, but his clutch moments have cemented him as a fan favourite. Safe to say we’re all “down with the sickness.”</li>
</ul>
<hr />
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One man’s trash (international bonus pool fodder) can be another man’s treasure (three-win fourth outfielder). Another way of putting it: the Toronto Blue Jays’ success this season has been shaped by contributions from unheralded players.



After a disappointing 2024 season in which they won just 74 games, the Blue Jays hoped offseason additions like Anthony Santander, Andrés Giménez, and Max Scherzer would help push them back into postseason relevance.
<div class="bam-inline-promotion" data-property-id="330" data-promotion-id="18983" data-context="“web-content-promocard&quot;"></div>
Instead, it was under-the-radar and even widely panned acquisitions like Myles Straw and Eric Lauer who became far more valuable—both in key moments and by wins above replacement—as the team jumped 20 wins to go from worst to first in the AL East. Straw spent all but four plate appearances at Triple-A last season. Lauer, meanwhile, helped the KBO’s Kia Tigers on their stretch run after throwing 75 1/3 uninspiring innings in the upper minors. This season, they posted 2.9 and 2.2 bWAR, respectively. Scherzer led the “big-ticket” additions with 1.1.

Davis Schneider, originally picked in a 28th round that doesn’t exist anymore, started the year in Buffalo—his improbable time in the limelight seemingly over. Nathan Lukes, once viewed as a career Quad-A player, looked like he might never get his shot on the game’s biggest stage. Fast forward six months, and they’re platooning in the team’s No. 2 spot in the lineup.

Here’s a look at just how significant this group’s contributions were, and why these loveable underdogs deserve their flowers.

<hr />

<h2>Nathan Lukes (1.9 WAR)</h2>
This list has to start with Lukes. The terse outfielder’s massive ALDS performance against the New York Yankees—highlighted by his decisive two-run single in the seventh inning—was emblematic of Toronto’s season.

After spending 10 years in the minors and missing out on big-league opportunities due to injuries and roster congestion, Lukes finally got his chance this year and made the most of it. The 31-year-old’s 12 home runs and .730 OPS may not jump off the page, but they’re still above league average by wRC+ (103).

https://twitter.com/thejaysnation/status/1965952383403295006

He also provided elite outfield defence, grading out above average with 10 defensive runs saved and tying for top ten in MLB with nine outfield assists. Lukes ranked above the 90th percentile in both strikeout and whiff rate, fitting perfectly into the Blue Jays’ contact-heavy offensive identity.

From his walk-off single against the Padres in May to clutch extra-base hits against the Rays and Yankees, Lukes embodies Toronto’s “next man up” mantra.

<hr />

<h2>Eric Lauer (2.2 WAR)</h2>
The pitching version of Lukes? That would be Eric Lauer.

When the Blue Jays’ rotation was in shambles early on, Lauer swooped in to stabilize things. Later, he became the workhorse in two key bullpen days at critical points in the season.

Signed as a minor-league depth piece, Lauer’s breakout was the definition of a 99th-percentile outcome. The lefty posted a 3.18 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 102 strikeouts, and just 26 walks over 104 2/3 innings—far exceeding expectations that he’d merely eat innings if needed.

Memorable outings like his eight innings of one-run ball against Detroit or his 3 1/3 perfect innings of bulk relief against Boston put the cherry on top of a remarkable season.

<hr />

<h2>Myles Straw (2.9 WAR)</h2>
Last year, Straw had just four MLB plate appearances and was a below-average Triple-A bat, hitting .651 OPS over 495 plate appearances with Columbus. Despite his Gold Glove pedigree, he was a long shot to make Toronto’s roster out of spring training, given the crowded outfield competition.

https://twitter.com/thejaysnation/status/1974249903997268112

That’s without mentioning the uproar when the Blue Jays took on Straw’s contract—$13.8 million over two seasons—in exchange for international bonus pool money that many fans hoped would be used for now-Dodger Rōki Sasaki.

But Straw silenced critics with elite defence (18 DRS in 698 1/3 innings, top three among MLB outfielders) and smart situational play, including 11 sacrifice bunts—third-most in baseball. Considering the market values one WAR at roughly $10 million, Straw’s 2.9 WAR on a $6.4 million salary turned out to be a steal.

<hr />

<h2>Davis Schneider (1.3 WAR)</h2>
Schneider’s mustache might be legendary, but so is his perseverance.

After hitting just .191 with a .625 OPS in 2024, Schneider began 2025 in the minors. When the Blue Jays’ offence sputtered, he got a call-up to spark things. His first stint didn’t click, but on his second try, he rediscovered what made him special—elite plate discipline and the ability to crush mistakes.

The burly utilityman posted a stellar 16% walk rate—the highest on the team—and ranked in the 87th percentile for barrel rate.

His 127 wRC+ trailed only Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, and George Springer. The long-coveted right-handed platoon bat was right under Toronto’s nose all along.

<hr />

<h2>Honourable Mentions</h2>
<ul>
 	<li><strong>Ernie Clement (4.3 WAR)</strong> – He doesn’t quite fit the “unexpected” label after a 3.4 WAR season last year, but Clement’s 22 defensive runs saved (tied for first in MLB) and clutch performances with a broken hand made him the heartbeat of this team. A Gold Glove feels inevitable.</li>
 	<li><strong>Tyler Heineman (1.9 WAR)</strong> – Hit above .300 into September while providing stellar defence behind the plate. Limited playing time (46 starts) kept him off the main list, but his impact was undeniable.</li>
 	<li><strong>Addison Barger (1.2 WAR)</strong> – A former top prospect, Barger’s jump from a .601 OPS to .756 with 21 homers and two walk-off hits was still a major surprise, and his power was a welcome addition to the club.</li>
 	<li><strong>Braydon Fisher (1.4 WAR)</strong> – Named both the team’s reliever and rookie of the year by Blue Jays Nation writers after a stellar campaign.</li>
 	<li><strong>Mason Fluharty (0.1 WAR)</strong> – WAR might not capture his impact, but his clutch moments have cemented him as a fan favourite. Safe to say we’re all “down with the sickness.”</li>
</ul>

<hr />

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