ESNY’s MLB Preview 2025: Toronto Blue Jays have blown their window

The movie has been released and we can officially give the Toronto Blue Jays the Baseball Razzie Award for Most Overhyped Team Ever.

The screenwriter of this masterpiece, of course, was none other than impending free agent Vladimir Guerrero Jr. It’s been three years since his infamous trailer-movie comment regarding his team’s upside. Toronto had a great lineup and, led by him, the Blue Jays would slay his nemesis: the AL East rival New York Yankees.

Now, we know the trailer was the movie. A potential summer blockbuster relegated to HBO made-for-TV status or, worse yet, an offseason primetime special. No matter how you spin it, the Jays’ Hollywood ambitions amounted to little more than a middling project that lost 88 games and finished in last place in 2024.

It’s devolved to the point where the Blue Jays have no clear goals or direction. There’s a clear communication gap in the front office. Things are trending so downward that Guerrero has even implied he could sign with the Yankees next offseason.

We can drench this take in prime Canadian maple syrup and Tim Horton’s doughnuts, and still can’t sugarcoat it. Three years later, we can say that the Toronto Blue Jays’ window is closed. They blew it.

Furthermore, it isn’t re-opening anytime soon.

Greatest Addition: Jeff Hoffman. The Blue Jays needed help everywhere this offseason, but the bullpen was a particular concern. Hoffman is a big, hard-throwing righty who turned in a career year in Philadelphia last season with a 2.17 ERA and 12.1 K/9 with ten saves. He was rewarded with a three-year, $33 million deal from Toronto.

Naturally, Hoffman is slotted in as the closer. He’s a classic fastball-slider guy and was an All-Star setup man in Philly. Expect more of the same from him, even if the Blue Jays don’t win a lot of games.

Better yet is that this is something of a homecoming for Hoffman. The Blue Jays drafted him ninth overall out of East Carolina in 2014, only to trade him to Colorado in the Troy Tulowitzki deal the following season.

Greatest Loss: Spencer Horwitz. This isn’t so much a great loss, more a move that just doesn’t make sense. Horwitz was Toronto’s No. 18 prospect in 2023 and debuted in June that same year. He also hit .337 in the minors. In June 2024, Toronto called him up for regular playing time.

Yet, though Horwitz hit .265 with 12 homers and a 127 wRC+, he was traded to Pittsburgh in a three-team deal involving the Guardians. Toronto received Andres Gimenez back and immediately gave him a seven-year, $106.5 million deal. This after his 83 wRC+ in 2024.

What were the Blue Jays thinking? Horwitz can play both second and first base and wasn’t a terrible fielder. His hitting alone was enough to keep him around, but Toronto’s front office clearly likes Gimenez’s elite glove more.

FanDuel Sportsbook –

#bet-promo-350863{ position: relative; height: 300px; cursor: default; background: #fff;-webkit-border-radius: 4px; -moz-border-radius: 4px; -ms-border-radius: 4px; -o-border-radius: 4px; border-radius: 4px; -webkit-box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0,0,0,.12), 0 1px 2px rgba(0,0,0,.1); -moz-box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0,0,0,.12),0 1px 2px rgba(0,0,0,.1); -ms-box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0,0,0,.12),0 1px 2px rgba(0,0,0,.1); -o-box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0,0,0,.12),0 1px 2px rgba(0,0,0,.1); box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0,0,0,.12), 0 1px 2px rgba(0,0,0,.1); border: none; margin: 0; padding: 16px;}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper{background-color: #1493ff;background-image: linear-gradient(120deg,rgba(0,0,0,.2) 15%,rgba(0,0,0,.1) 55%,rgba(0,0,0,0) 100%); position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; right: 0; height: 100%; -webkit-border-radius: 4px; -moz-border-radius: 4px; -ms-border-radius: 4px; -o-border-radius: 4px; border-radius: 4px;}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .promo-logo{position: absolute; top: 50%; -webkit-transform: translateY(-50%); -ms-transform: translateY(-50%); transform: translateY(-50%); margin-top: -12px; left: 36px; z-index: 99; background: #fff; padding: 3px; display: inline-block; -webkit-border-radius: 50%; -moz-border-radius: 50%; border-radius: 50%; -moz-box-shadow: 0 2px 4px 0 rgba(0,0,0,.14); -webkit-box-shadow: 0 2px 4px 0 rgba(0,0,0,.14); box-shadow: 0 2px 4px 0 rgba(0,0,0,.14); }
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .promo-logo img{width: 128px; height: 128px;-webkit-border-radius: 50%;-moz-border-radius: 50%;border-radius: 50%; vertical-align: middle; margin-bottom: 0 !important;}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .promo-sb-content{left: 200px; position: absolute; top: 50%; -webkit-transform: translateY(-50%); -ms-transform: translateY(-50%); transform: translateY(-50%); margin-top: -12px;}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .promo-sb-content span.promo-sb-name{ display: block; color: #fff; text-shadow: 1px 1px 2px rgba(0,0,0,.32); font-size: 28px; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 8px;}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .promo-sb-content p{color: #fff;padding-right: 32px; padding-bottom: 0; text-shadow: 1px 1px 2px rgba(0,0,0,.32);line-height: 20px;margin-bottom: 10px;max-width: 500px;}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .promo-sb-content a{background: #fff; color: #333; padding: .5rem 1rem; line-height: 18px; vertical-align: middle; -webkit-border-radius: 3px; -moz-border-radius: 3px; border-radius: 3px; font-weight: 500; text-transform: uppercase; font-size: 14px; text-align: center; -moz-box-shadow: 0 2px 4px 0 rgba(0,0,0,.1); -webkit-box-shadow: 0 2px 4px 0 rgba(0,0,0,.1); box-shadow: 0 2px 4px 0 rgba(0,0,0,.1); cursor: pointer; letter-spacing: .2px; display: inline-block; }
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .promo-sb-content a:hover{background: #fff; color: #333; opacity: .7;}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .usp{position: absolute; bottom: 12px; left: 0; height: 49px; width: 700px; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; -webkit-border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; -moz-border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; -ms-border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; -o-border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px;}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .usp > div{ margin: 0 30px;line-height: 16px;}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .usp > div svg{color: #fff; width: 20px; vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 4px; margin-top: -4px;}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .usp > div svg path{fill: #fff;}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .usp > div span.promo-code-text{ color: #fff; margin: 0; display: inline-block; font-weight: 500; font-size: 1rem; }
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .usp > div span.promo-code-text b{font: inherit; color: inherit; font-weight: 900;}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .promo{background: #fff; -webkit-border-top-right-radius: 4px; -moz-border-top-right-radius: 4px; -ms-border-top-right-radius: 4px; -o-border-top-right-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; -webkit-border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; -moz-border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; -ms-border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; -o-border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border: none; margin: 0; padding: 16px; position: absolute; top: 0; bottom: 0; width: 420px; text-align: center; right: 0; -webkit-clip-path: polygon(30% 0,100% 0,100% 100%,0% 100%); clip-path: polygon(36% 0,100% 0,100% 100%,0% 100%);}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .promo .promo-content{position: absolute; top: 16px; bottom: 16px; margin: 0 auto; right: 32px; width: 280px;}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .promo span.promo-text{ display: block; color: #777; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 500; letter-spacing: .1px; position: absolute; top: 20px; width: 100%; text-align: center;}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .promo span.promo-value-amount{display: block; color: #000; font-size: 38px; line-height: 30px; margin-top: -16px; font-weight: 900; position: absolute; text-align: center; width: 100%; top: 50%; -webkit-transform: translateY(-50%); -ms-transform: translateY(-50%); transform: translateY(-50%);margin: 12px 0 8px;}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .promo span.promo-value-amount span{ color: #000; font-size: 22px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 42px;}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .promo a{background-color: #dd9933; color: #fff; display: inline-block; padding: 12px 30px; width: 200px; left: 0; right: 0; margin: 0 auto; position: absolute; bottom: 16px; -webkit-border-radius: 3px;font-weight: 700; -moz-border-radius: 3px; -ms-border-radius: 3px; -o-border-radius: 3px; border-radius: 3px; font-size: 17px;text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: .3px; line-height: 20px;}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .promo a:hover{ opacity: 0.7; background-color: #44bd32; color: #fff; }
@media (max-width: 900px){
#bet-promo-350863{height: auto; padding: 0; margin-bottom: 60px;padding-bottom: 30px;}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper{ -webkit-border-radius: 0; -moz-border-radius: 0; border-radius: 0; position: relative; height: auto; padding: 16px 0 0;}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .promo-logo{left: 0; right: 0; margin: 20px auto 20px; width: 100px; height: 100px; top: inherit; -webkit-transform: translateY(0%); -ms-transform: translateY(0%); transform: translateY(0%); position: relative; text-align: center; display: block;}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .promo-logo img{width: 100%; height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0 !important;}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .promo-sb-content{float: none;z-index: 2; left: 0; text-align: center; padding: 0 16px; top: inherit; -webkit-transform: translateY(0%); -ms-transform: translateY(0%); transform: translateY(0%); position: relative; width: 100%; max-width: 500px; margin: 0 auto;}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .promo-sb-content span.promo-sb-name{ font-size: 24px; margin-top: 20px; line-height: 1.2;}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .promo-sb-content p{ text-align: center; padding: 0; margin: 0 0 12px;}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .promo-sb-content a{ position: relative; }
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .usp{ position: relative; left: auto; right: auto; margin: 18px auto 0; bottom: initial; width: 100%;}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .promo{padding: 42px 0 30px; width: 100%; height: auto; top: inherit; position: relative; -webkit-clip-path: polygon(0 23%,100% 0,100% 100%,0% 100%); clip-path: polygon(0 23%,100% 0,100% 100%,0% 100%);}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .promo .promo-content{position: relative; width: 100%; right: initial;}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .promo span.promo-text{position: relative; top: inherit;}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .promo span.promo-value-amount{ font-size: 32px; position: relative; top: inherit; -webkit-transform: translateY(0%); -ms-transform: translateY(0%); transform: translateY(0%); margin-top: 8px;}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .promo span.promo-value-amount span{font-size: 20px;}
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .promo a{position: relative; bottom: initial; margin-top: 6px;}
}
@media (max-width: 480px){
#bet-promo-350863 .wrapper .usp > div{ margin: 0 12px;}
}

Greatest Strength: Trade chips. Best case scenario, the Blue Jays hit hard all season long and maybe clinch a Wild Card. More likely is that the calendar turns to July, and the front office decides to sell.

In that case, Toronto would be in an excellent position to beef up the farm system. The Blue Jays have, in total, over $97 million in expiring contracts on the books. Guerrero and teammate Bo Bichette account for most of it, making a shade over $46 million combined. On the pitching side, righty Chris Bassitt and future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer will earn a combined $37.5 million.

It’s a win-win situation for Toronto. Ideally speaking, they’d trade one of the odd men out for a missing piece in July to try for a late playoff run. If they’re selling, they clean house and get a fresh stock of minor league prospects.

Greatest Weakness: Weak front office. People had high hopes when veteran executive Mark Shapiro left Cleveland for Toronto after the 2015 season. The Blue Jays had just won their first division title since 1993 and got an MVP season out of Josh Donaldson. All signs pointed to a wide open window to contend, and Shapiro was bringing his knack for developing pitchers with him.

Granted, the Blue Jays made the ALCS as a Wild Card in 2016, but it’s been downhill from there. Exciting pitching prospect Aaron Sanchez proved a flash in the pan. Age hit Jose “Joey Bats” Bautista like a 98 mph heater. A trade for Troy Tulowitzki, though made before Shapiro, proved an awful mistake.

And what about the free agency deals? Hyun-Jin Ryu received an $80 million offer and pitched 315 innings in four years. Former Astros star George Springer signed a six-year deal in 2021 and has been on the decline ever since.

Meanwhile, amidst all these bad decisions, guess what? Toronto has yet to develop an actual homegrown ace pitcher since—I wish I was joking—Hall of Famer Roy Halladay.

Are things about to go tits-up in Toronto? It’s certainly looking that way, even with four out of five projected starting pitchers shoving to a 2.92 ERA in spring training. More realistically, Toronto needs to overachieve at the highest level just to be in the Wild Card conversation.

Granted, that isn’t to say the Blue Jays are a worthless money pit. There’s enough power in the lineup that guys like Guerrero, Anthony Santander, and Bo Bichette are worth including in a home run parlay on NY sports betting apps. Daulton Varsho could also surprise everyone with a 30-home run season, so his futures could be a dark horse.

But from a strictly baseball standpoint, it’s more likely Toronto tears down the nest in 2025.

FOR FULL STORY ON STANDARD WEBSITE: ESNY’s MLB Preview 2025: Toronto Blue Jays have blown their window | Elite Sports NY