4 Under-The-Radar Free Agents the Blue Jays Should Sign This Offseason
The Blue Jays have the budget room and desire to land big fish again this offseason.
They have clear holes at third base, in the rotation, and in the bullpen, and will likely be in the market for top free agents and trade candidates to fill those needs. However, not every Toronto offseason acquisition will be a nine-digit splash, so here are four under-the-radar free agents the Blue Jays should show interest in this winter:
RP Thyago Vieira
This Blue Jays front office has shown an eagerness to dip into the Japanese market for bullpen weapons the last few seasons (Rafael Dolis, Shun Yamaguchi), to varying levels of success.
Thyago Vieira fits a very similar profile to Dolis, pitching and struggling in the majors a few years ago before moving to the NPB and becoming a dominant bullpen option in Japan.
In two seasons (80 IP) for the Yomiuri Giants, Viera posted a 3.04 ERA, notching 19 saves and striking out 10.5 batters per nine. He tops 100 miles per hour with his fastball but has struggled to command at times in the majors, minors, and in Japan.
MLB.com's Mark Feinsand reported about five teams have shown interest in the righty if he were to return to the majors. The Jays have holes to fill in the pen, and a low-cost shot on a high-velocity option like Vieira could be a start to building out their 2022 arm barn (don't worry PETA, I got you).
INF Brad Miller
The Blue Jays can and should shoot high to fill their third base hole, as it's one of the few areas for significant improvement on the 26-man roster. However, if resources are used for improvements elsewhere, Brad Miller brings a left-handed utility bat with a high walk rate and solid platoon splits to potentially partner with Santiago Espinal.
In 297 at-bats against right-handed pitching in 2021, Miller posted a .354 OBP and .842 OPS. Of his 32 extra-base hits, 27 came against righties. Though Miller has struggled defensively at times at third (-11.6 UZR/150 career), he was a positive defensive player in 37.1 innings at the hot corner in 2021 and has played seven different positions and DH during his MLB career.
Finding space for both Cavan Biggio and Miller on a roster could be difficult, especially if second or third base is filled by another acquisition. However, if Biggio is the everyday second basemen or is traded, Miller brings a lot of what the Blue Jays are trying to add this offseason, and likely at a reasonable price.
SP Wade Miley
In the modern baseball landscape, starting pitchers get paid for missing bats. Run prevention, durability, and keeping the ball on the ground are valuable, but the big contracts go to the guys who draw whiffs. Wade Miley is not that guy.
The 34-year-old starter has a second percentile fastball velocity and a poor whiff rate, but Miley almost never gets hit hard and he gets outs.
If the Blue Jays lose both Robbie Ray and Steven Matz this offseason, they'll have a hole at the top of their rotation, but the Jays will need to add back-end pitching as well. Coming off a season with 28 starts and a 3.37 ERA, Miley could be one of the best mid- to back-end rotation options available this winter. He's never made more than $9 million in a year, despite entering free agency after comparably solid seasons to his 2021, but Miley regularly delivers value to whatever organization snags him.
The Cincinnati Reds have a $10 million option on the southpaw, but the Blue Jays can make a run at Miley if he makes it to the open market or potentially trade for him if he doesn't.
RP Trevor Rosenthal
A formerly dominant closer from a west coast team coming off a major injury? Kirby Yates flashbacks, I know.
With Jordan Romano and Tim Mayza locked into late-inning roles, and Adam Cimber and Trevor Richards expected to stabilize the middle innings, Trevor Rosenthal is the exact upside risk Toronto can shoot for this winter. After the late-game blowups of 2021, this front office could feel the pressure to spend on solid RP options, but the bullpen base is there, unlike on Opening Day last year. An addition like Rosenthal could elevate the group's ceiling.
After missing all of 2021 with thoracic outlet syndrome and later hip surgery, Rosenthal's last body of work was 23.2 elite innings in 2020 with a 1.9 ERA for the Royals and Padres. He flashed elite stuff drawing top percentile whiff and chase rates with a fastball/slider combo and an expected ERA of 1.99. Members of the Blue Jays organization have identified swing-and-miss as a clear need for this bullpen and Rosenthal brings exactly that.
There are clear injury concerns, as the righty hasn't pitched more than 25 innings in a season since 2017, but the Blue Jays were willing to take a risk on the elite-upside of Yates last season. They should be willing to do it again with Rosenthal, as long as the cost remains low and the add comes alongside some safer bullpen plays.
Mitch Bannon is a baseball reporter for Sports Illustrated covering the Toronto Blue Jays and their minor league affiliates.Twitter: @MitchBannon