Toronto Blue Jays making right moves for future of franchise
By David Hill
The Toronto Blue Jays offseason may not be overwhelming anyone, but their free agent signings are pointing towards the future.
On Thursday, the Toronto Blue Jays reportedly made a pair of signings. Clay Buchholz and Bud Norris had each been signed, with Buchholz getting a one year contract, and Norris agreeing to terms on a minor league deal. Both players are essentially depth pieces, with Norris potentially providing a stabilizing presence in the back of the bullpen. Buchholz, if healthy, possesses a great deal of talent, but his health will be a continued question mark.
Those deals continue the Blue Jays solid, but relatively overlooked offseason. They had earlier inked Matt Shoemaker to a one year deal of his own, and traded for Clayton Richard, who is on the final year of the two year contract he had signed with San Diego.
Each of these moves are essentially placeholder deals. None of this quartet of pitchers is expected to be a part of the Blue Jays future. In fact, it may not be a surprise if none of those pitchers were a part of the roster when the regular season ends.
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If that does indeed prove to be the case, then these moves have done exactly what the Blue Jays would have wanted. Norris has been a decent arm in the bullpen over the last two seasons, serving as the closer for both the Angels and the Cardinals. A strong first half of the season, coupled with that closing experience, could make him an attractive trade candidate for those teams hunting for bullpen depth.
Buchholz and Shoemaker are essentially the same as it comes to their situation. Both pitchers have proven to be excellent starters, but they have been unable to stay healthy for most of their careers. Good health, and a strong start to the 2019 campaign, might be enough to get a prospect or two back to Toronto.
Richard may not be the same caliber pitcher as either Buchholz or Shoemaker, but he is a solid back of the rotation presence. Richard is the type of pitcher that will take the ball nearly every turn in the rotation, delivering five or six quality innings. He also has experience in the bullpen, a versatile pitcher that could be a quality addition to a contending franchise.
None of these pitchers are the type that would move the radar or shake up the baseball universe with their acquisition. Yet, these are the types of potential high reward arms that a contending team could take a chance on. With good health, and solid production, those signings could end up bringing in more prospects for the Blue Jays. In reality, that is how the success of those signings should be measured.
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The Toronto Blue Jays have made several moves to add placeholders for the coming year. However, if each of those pitchers perform well, they may not end the season in Toronto.