After bringing back right-hander Yimi García ($7.5 million AAV) and acquiring infielder Andrés Giménez (approximately $19.3 million AAV) and righty Nick Sandlin (projected $1.6 million arbitration salary), the Toronto Blue Jays are starting to run a little thin on financial flexibility for 2025.

Those deals added roughly $28.5 million in average annual value to the franchise’s projected Competitive Balance Tax (CBT) payroll for next season, which sits at approximately $228.4 million, according to Fangraphs’ RosterResource.

With major question marks still in the outfield, behind the plate and at the designated hitter spot on the position-player side, plus in the starting rotation and bullpen, the job is far from finished for Toronto’s front office.

Every dollar spent this off-season must be used wisely, given how many holes the Blue Jays have to fill. Maintaining that mindset will also be extra important as the club’s 2025 projected CBT payroll inches closer to the luxury-tax line.

Following the García signing and Giménez trade, Toronto only has roughly $13 million in off-season spending before approaching the initial luxury tax threshold of $241 million — presenting very little breathing room to address the rest of the roster. However, odds are management will have the green light to become a luxury-tax-paying club for the second time in franchise history.

The first occurrence was in 2023 when the franchise’s CBT payroll finished just above $246 million per FanGraphs, placing between the first and second luxury tax thresholds. And they were on track to repeat that fate last season before dipping below the luxury tax amidst a midseason sell-off of expiring contracts ahead of the trade deadline.

Since the Blue Jays’ spending limits in ’25 are expected to mirror closely from the last two seasons, constructing a competitive roster will undoubtedly require them to land somewhere between those first two luxury tax figures, likely providing $20-$30 million in additional spending.

That’s certainly better than only having $13 million left to spend for the rest of the winter. But it still probably won’t suffice. Acquiring a legitimate power bat in free agency — such as Teoscar Hernández, Anthony Santander, Pete Alonso or Christian Walker — will eat up at least $20 million alone, which, if they chose that path, would surely compromise future starting rotation and bullpen upgrades.

There is the potential for the Blue Jays to make a special exception, though, as they would’ve done had they signed Juan Soto, who inked a record-breaking 15-year, $765-million contract with the New York Mets. Now that he and Max Fried are off the board, the only marquee free agents still available that management may consider tapping into its secondary budget for are Corbin Burnes and, potentially, Jack Flaherty.

Even then, that may still require general manager Ross Atkins to make some tough financial decisions regarding his current roster — namely with veteran righty Chris Bassitt.

The 35-year-old, who’ll turn 36 in February, has one season remaining on his three-year, $63-million contract and could become a financial casualty for a front office needing to act creatively with its remaining resources. His deal carries a $21-million AAV and includes a $22-million salary for next season before expiring.

Bassitt has been a workhorse since arriving to Toronto in 2023, posting at least 170 innings and 31 starts in each of his first two seasons north of the border. That remarkable durability has made him one of the most dependable starters since ’21, posting 710 innings in that span — ranking 10th among major-league starters over the last four seasons.

But his value has steadily declined since his final campaign in Oakland, dropping to 2.2 fWAR a season ago, his lowest rating since becoming a full-time starter with the Athletics in ’19. And Steamer’s projection model has him repeating that figure during the final year of his deal with the Blue Jays.

In all likelihood, Toronto would probably be pleased if Bassitt repeated as a two-win pitcher and extended his streak of at least 170 innings pitched to four straight next season. It’d be the type of performance they’ve come to expect. However, given his $21 million AAV, it’s fair to wonder if those resources should be reallocated elsewhere.

At this point in his career, Bassitt — whose contract includes an eight-team no-trade list — profiles as a solid No. 4 starter on a playoff contender, except he’s currently being paid as a mid-rotation hurler. Granted, that is his current role amongst a rotation headlined by Kevin Gausman and José Berríos. But there might be an opportunity to raise the ceiling of said staff — and at a similar or cheaper price than Bassitt’s current cost.

Nick Pivetta, who declined a $21.05-million qualifying offer from the Boston Red Sox earlier this winter, comes to mind as a potential Bassitt replacement. He doesn’t have the same durability but is four years younger and is projected to be worth 2.5 fWAR in 2025, according to Steamer. Plus, considering he’s tied to draft pick compensation, his market could develop slowly and ultimately drop below the $20 million ballpark — presenting a potential bargain acquisition.

Another option could include left-hander Sean Manaea, who accounted for 2.8 fWAR last season and is projected at a 2.1 rating in ’25. He could prove too lucrative for the Blue Jays, though, as someone reportedly aiming to top Nathan Eovaldi’s three-year, $75-million contract. Fellow southpaw Andrew Heaney — a longtime target of Toronto’s front office — could be a more realistic option after matching Bassitt’s 2.2 rating in a hybrid role with the Texas Rangers.

The Blue Jays could also pursue a low-risk, high-reward signing in Walker Buehler — similar to their approaches with Robbie Ray and Marcus Semien in ’21 — who’ll likely covet a one-year prove-it deal after missing a large chunk of last season due to a hip injury and struggling when healthy.

That covers how this team may go about replacing Bassitt. But which clubs might express interest as a potential trade destination for the master-of-deception righty?

Finding someone willing to assume the entirety of Bassitt’s 2025 salary will be crucial for Toronto, and receiving a meaningful return will be important, too. One team that could match that description is the Detroit Tigers, whose roster is loaded with intriguing relief arms and would benefit from adding a veteran arm to compete for the final rotation spot with top prospect Jackson Jobe.

Two additional American League suitors could include the Los Angeles Angels (Taylor Ward swap?) and Minnesota Twins (Christian Vázquez-Griffin Jax package). Jumping over to the NL, the San Diego Padres (Robert Suarez, Jason Adam) and Pittsburgh Pirates (David Bednar) could present avenues to bullpen upgrades through opportunity cost rather than free agency.

Trading Bassitt would be risky, as doing so would weaken the durability element — a trait the organization has prioritized in recent years — of next season’s starting rotation. But they’re already becoming a high-risk group due to the nature of their declining age and the uncharacteristically good health fortune they’ve received in previous seasons.

So, instead of running it back with the same pitching core, the Blue Jays could use an addition-by-subtraction method. They trade Bassitt, possibly for a package of assets that can help next season’s roster. Then, use those savings to sign a starter with similar or better value (hopefully at a more team-friendly cost) and allocate the rest to other roster needs.

It’s a creative risk that, frankly, the franchise probably needs to consider more of if it hopes to improve its chances of returning to a state of competitiveness in 2025. They’ve already taken a similar gamble with the Giménez trade, betting on an elite defender with potential offensive upside at the result of a $20 million opportunity cost.

If that bet hits, it looks like a steal for Toronto. If not, well, they’ll have an athletic, superstar defender on their books through at least 2029, occupying less than 10 per cent of a $200 million-plus payroll.

For the Blue Jays to avoid as many roster flaws as possible entering next season, creatively navigating their CBT payroll will be essential throughout the rest of this off-season — even if it means parting with a clubhouse favourite.