Toronto Blue Jays: Ranking the 3 biggest offseason moves

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Oct 9, 2021; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Kevin Gausman (34) throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first inning during game two of the 2021 NLDS at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports /

For the Toronto Blue Jays, 2022 represents a chance to not only get back to the postseason, but also to be one of the leading preseason contenders to represent the American League in the World Series.

As we discussed in our preseason power rankings, Toronto will have plenty of competition in not only the American League West, but also the American League to earn their place in the Fall Classic. However, the moves made the Blue Jays this offseason strengthened a roster that won 91 games last season.

Let’s rank the 3 biggest moves made this offseason by the Toronto Blue Jays

We start the rankings with the signing of free agent pitcher Kevin Gausman, inked to a five-year, $110 million deal after pitching the last two seasons in San Francisco. The 31-year-old right-hander logged an overall 3.00 ERA/3.02 FIP/1.057 WHIP with the Giants, helping the franchise earn the National League West title last season with a franchise-record 107 wins.

The last two seasons in San Francisco have been his best during a nine-year MLB career that has also seen time with the Baltimore Orioles, Atlanta Braves, and Cincinnati Reds. Now, he’s signed for five years in Toronto and the Blue Jays will need him to play a big role in a rebuilt rotation.

Gausman was the fourth overall pick in the 2012 MLB draft. Over the last two seasons in San Francisco, he’s started to settle into the pitching expected from that high of a draft pick. The Blue Jays are banking on it continuing in Toronto.

DUNEDIN, FLORIDA – MARCH 19: Matt Chapman #26 of the Toronto Blue Jays poses for a portrait during Photo Day at TD Ballpark on March 19, 2022 in Dunedin, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /

Trading for Matt Chapman was a bold move by the Toronto Blue Jays

By bringing over All-Star third baseman Matt Chapman from the Oakland A’s in a trade, the Blue Jays solidified an area of need and added yet more power to an already stellar batting order.

His career OPS+ of 120 shows the kind of damage he can bring at the plate, and three Gold Gloves and two Platinum Gloves show what he can do in the field. Outside of his former high school teammate Nolan Arenado, there are few third basemen currently in the game who can make a difference on the defensive side the way that Chapman can.

One thing for Blue Jays fans to watch is if Chapman can rebound from what have been diminishing overall offensive numbers over the last four seasons (dropping from a .278/.356/.508 slash line in 2018 to a dismal .210/.314/.403 last season). Also, he has struck out in 26.6 percent of his plate appearances over the last four campaigns, including 32.4 percent last season (with 202 strikeouts on his record).

Still, there are plenty more positives than negatives with the acquisition of Chapman for the Blue Jays. If he can provide a high caliber of defense and return to some better numbers at the plate (as he had before the 2020 campaign that ended with him undergoing season-ending hip surgery), Chapman could represent a big missing piece to the postseason puzzle in Toronto.

Sep 4, 2021; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Jose Berrios (17) pitches to the Oakland Athletics during the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-USA TODAY Sports /

Extending José Berríos set the offseason tone for the Toronto Blue Jays

In mid-November, the Blue Jays gave right-hander José Berríos a seven-year, $131 million extension. After being sent to the Blue Jays from the Minnesota Twins just before last season’s trade deadline, Berríos posted a 3.58 ERA/3.28 FIP/1.095 WHIP in 12 starts covering 70.1 innings for Toronto the rest of the season.

What the Blue Jays saw in him was enough to know they wanted to keep him as part of their long-term plans, so the seven-year extension was a way to not only let Berríos know how much they valued him, but also to set the tone for what the team wanted to accomplish this offseason.

And don’t forget that the Blue Jays traded two prospects (including a former fifth overall pick in Austin Martin) in order to land Berríos in the trade, so keeping him for more than just a short time was important for the franchise.

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With Robbie Ray now a part of the Seattle Mariners rotation, Berríos could well be in line for his third career Opening Day start (after two in Minnesota in 2019 and 2020). If it happens, what better way for the top overall move of the offseason by the Blue Jays to begin his 2022 campaign?

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