Biggest Blue Jays Needs Coming Out of MLB Lockout

Coming out of the lockout, a look at the Toronto Blue Jays biggest roster needs ahead of the 2022 season

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The lockout is over.

No more CBT or CBA talk. No more unfounded optimism or negotiation deadlines. It's baseball season, or just about. There's still some offseason left to wrap up.

Beyond getting all the major league players to camp, organizing a shotgun MLB spring training, and preparing for the logistics of a full season, the Toronto Blue Jays still have some transactional work to do this winter. Here's a look at Toronto's top needs coming out of the lockout:

1. Add An Infielder

In case you missed it, Marcus Semien is a Texas Ranger. One of the most important offensive pieces to a dynamic 2021 lineup is no longer on the Blue Jays, and there's room to add a bat in his place.

Internal options like Santiago Espinal and Cavan Biggio have upside, and the Jays have had a look at top prospect Jordan Groshans already this spring, but the trade market and free agency will house options to raise the floor—and potentially ceiling—of Toronto's 2022 infield.

Free agency is a bit shallow at second and third base with Donovan Solano, Josh Harrison, and Jonathan Villar headlining the group behind the top names still on the board. Toronto could make a play for a top free agent like Kris Bryant, Trevor Story, or Carlos Correa, but if a significant upgrade comes in the infield it could be in the form of a trade. Top infield trade candidates include Cleveland's José Ramírez, Oakland's Matt Chapman, and Arizona's Ketel Marte.

We took a look during the lockout at some FA bats, in general, who could fit on the Blue Jays.

2. Solidify The Rotation

This one doesn't necessarily need to be via an outside arm. When Toronto's 40-man players report to camp in the next few days, the Jays will see, for the first time since December, the status of their starters in terms of health and workload build up. This is particularly important for internal rotation candidates like Ross Stripling and Nate Pearson.

Both Pearson and Stripling have proven they can get outs at the major league level, but the Jays could look to insulate their rotation with another acquisition, pushing the two incumbents into the bullpen or to Triple A. 

If they look to add, the Blue Jays have been connected to free agent lefty Yusei Kikuchi and trade candidate Tyler Mahle of the Cincinnati Reds. The early days out of spring training will be telling for Toronto's rotation plans—they could choose to go with an internal battle for the spot or bring in another arm to eat innings.

3. Finish The Bullpen

Lost behind the big-ticket signing of Kevin Gausman in late November, the Blue Jays made a notable addition to their weakest position group of 2021. While Yimi García joined Toronto's bullpen mix alongside Jordan Romano, Tim Mayza, Adam Cimber, and others, the Jays still have some room for strikeouts in the arm barn.

Toronto rosters plenty of internal options to finish out the pen like Julian Merryweather, non-roster invitee David Phelps, and second-year lefty Tayler Saucedo, but there are also some solid free agent relievers on the market. Lefties like Jake Diekman, Andrew Chafin, and Tony Watson could add a veteran southpaw compliment to Mayza.

Internal names to watch as Spring Training games begin are hard-throwing righties like Graham Spraker and Hagen Danner. Danner was added to the Jays 40-man roster before the lockout and Spraker dominated the Arizona Fall League late last year after a strong season in Toronto's upper minors.