Toronto Blue Jays

One Major League Baseball executive believes Shohei Ohtani could be playing north of the border in 2024.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported the executive sees the Toronto Blue Jays as a "sleeper" for the offseason's biggest free-agent prize.

"The exec's rationale is this: Any plans the Jays had to sign Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette to massive extensions might now be on hold," Rosenthal wrote. "George Springer's six-year, $150 million contract expires after 2026. The team remains in need of left-handed power."

This isn't the first time the Blue Jays have been connected to Ohtani.

ESPN's Jeff Passan listed a number of teams as potential suitors for the two-way star, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets and San Francisco Giants.

However, he also cited a source who said the Blue Jays "want to do something big" this offseason, and adding Ohtani would certainly fit the bill.

They may not have much time to make their pitch considering there has been speculation that the 29-year-old could make his decision before baseball's winter meetings, which are scheduled for Dec. 4-6.

Even though Ohtani won't be able to pitch in 2024 because of elbow surgery, his presence would immediately elevate the Blue Jays onto the short list of World Series contenders.

Opposing pitching staffs already have their hands full with a Toronto lineup that features Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette and George Springer. Adding Ohtani, who is arguably the best hitter in the league at this point, would mean there are few breaks throughout a lineup that would be loaded with power.

The Los Angeles Angels star slashed .304/.412/.654 with 44 home runs, 95 RBI and 20 stolen bases in 135 games in 2023. He did all that while also anchoring the team's pitching staff, so it may not be a stretch to suggest he could be even better at the plate in 2024 with all of his attention focused on the hitting side of the game.

Toronto finished in third place in the American League East last season and needs to find a way to make up ground on the Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays all while holding off any pushes from the usual suspects in the New York Yankees and Red Sox.

Signing Ohtani would be the quickest way to do just that this offseason.

Free agent third baseman Matt Chapman is drawing interest in his most recent team, the Toronto Blue Jays, as well as the San Francisco Giants.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post provided the latest report during a chat with Lauren Shehadi of MLB Network on Wednesday (2:45 mark).

In sum, the Giants have interested and already spoke with Chapman already. Chapman has a connection to the Giants in the form of his old-Oakland Athletics manager, Bob Melvin, who has now taken on the role as San Francisco's skipper.

The Blue Jays also want Chapman back, although Heyman noted that the third baseman already rejected a nine-figure offer from Toronto before. TSN's Scott Mitchell provided a Nov. 10 report on that front.

"The Jays haven't given up hope that Matt Chapman doesn't find the massive contract he's hoping for in free agency and would take something in the neighbourhood of $100 million over four or five years.

"Considering he already turned down more than that from Toronto in the form of a long-term extension, it still seems unlikely that the Jays get their all-world defensive third baseman back, but it's not a foregone conclusion."

Chapman, who turns 31 next April, is a four-time Gold Glove and two-time Platinum Glove winner. The seven-year MLB veteran hit .240 (.755 OPS) with 17 home runs and 54 RBI last season.

Chapman began the 2023 season on fire with five home runs, 21 RBI, a .384 batting average (1.152 OPS) and 17 runs in his first 27 games.

The rest of the 2023 campaign didn't go nearly as well, with Chapman hitting just .205 (.659 OPS) alongside 12 homers and 33 RBI in 113 games. Chapman also suffered a sprained middle finger that kept him out for nearly three weeks in last August and early September.

Chapman was still excellent defensively, however, winning yet another Gold Glove. His efforts helped the Blue Jays reach the playoffs following an 89-win season.

Ultimately, Chapman is an above-average offensive player and a fantastic defensive one, and that should make him highly coveted on the free-agent market. A contract over $100 million seems inevitable despite his second-half struggles. It's just a matter of where he finds the best deal at this point.

The Toronto Blue Jays reportedly have "strong interest" in signing free-agent outfielder Cody Bellinger.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported the Blue Jays plan to pursue Bellinger as they seek a left-handed bat for their lineup.

Bellinger is coming off a surprising return to form in 2023, hitting .307./356/.525 with 26 home runs and 97 runs batted in with the Chicago Cubs. After winning the 2019 NL MVP at age 23, Bellinger's performance fell off a cliff. He battled a combination of injuries and ineffectiveness to hit 203/.272/.376 over a 295-game sample size. His 41 home runs over that timeframe were fewer than the 47 he hit during his MVP campaign.

The Cubs signed Bellinger to a one-year contract with a mutual option for the 2024 season last winter, and he far exceeded anyone's expectations. While the power numbers did not return to 2019 form, he drastically cut his strikeout rate and proved to be a quality first baseman when moved out of the outfield.

Of course, not all of the underlying numbers are strong. Bellinger's hard-hit percentage was actually the lowest of his career, and his average exit velocity was also a career-worst. Over a larger sample, one would expect Bellinger's numbers to regress from his 2023 rebound and head back down to earth.

That won't matter for Bellinger's bank account, as he's a 28-year-old hitting free agency after a stellar season. He's almost certainly going to cash in with Toronto, Chicago or any other team willing to fork over a long-term deal.

The Toronto Blue Jays announced that they and All-Star second baseman and outfielder Whit Merrifield declined their mutual $18 million contract option for the 2024 season, according to Sportsnet.

That decision means the 34-year-old Merrifield will become a free agent this offseason on the heels of another strong campaign.

Merrifield, who is a three-time All-Star, spent the first six-plus seasons of his career with the Kansas City Royals before getting traded to the Blue Jays in 2022.

In 2023, Merrifield appeared in 145 games for the Jays and slashed .272/.318/.382 with 11 home runs, 67 RBI, 66 runs scored and 26 stolen bases.

He also continued to showcase his valuable defensive versatility, making 84 appearances at second base and 84 in the outfield as well.

Merrifield was 27 when he made his Major League debut with the Royals in 2016, but he managed to go from minor league journeyman to multi-time MLB All-Star.

During his time in KC, Merrifield led the American League in stolen bases in 2017, 2018 and 2021 with 34, 45 and 40, respectively. He also led the AL in hits in 2018 and 2019 with 192 and 206, and he led the AL with 10 triples in 2019 and with 42 doubles in 2021.

On top of that, Merrifield didn't miss a single game from 2019 through 2021, making him one of the most reliable and durable players in baseball.

Merrifield's consistency wavered a bit in 2022, as he hit just .240 with six homers, 42 RBI, 51 runs and 15 steals in 95 games for the Royals before getting traded to Toronto.

He closed 2022 on a high note by hitting .281 in 44 games with the Jays, and he parlayed that into a true return to form in 2023, resulting in his third career All-Star selection.

For his career, Merrifield is a .284 hitter with 90 home runs, 470 RBI, 588 runs scored and 201 stolen bases. He figures to be a popular target in free agency.

Merrifield is a strong contact hitter with speed who can thrive at the top or bottom of any lineup, plus he is something of a utility player who can give his next manager no shortage of options on a day-to-day basis.

If the Blue Jays are unable or unwilling to re-sign him in free agency, Merrifield could prove to be a huge loss for a team that has made the playoffs in two straight seasons and three of the past four.

The Toronto Blue Jays will not be making a managerial change for the 2024 season.

General manager Ross Atkins told reporters Saturday that manager John Schneider would be returning as the team's manager in 2024, despite the team's early exit from the postseason at the hands of the Minnesota Twins.

Schneider pulled starting pitcher José Berríos in Game 2 in the fourth inning despite the Berrios having only thrown 47 pitches and not surrendering a run.

Yusei Kikuchi, who had not made a relief appearance all season, came in and allowed two runs to score and the Blue Jays eventually fell 2-0.

Schneider took over managerial duties midway through the 2022 season and has been pretty successful, leading Toronto to two consecutive postseason appearances. He is 135-101 as the Blue Jays manager and had been extended to a three-year contract prior to the 2023 season.

However, this success has not translated to the postseason as Toronto has been swept in the Wild Card round in both seasons. This comes despite significant talent on the roster and a payroll that ranked seventh in MLB heading into the season.

This Blue Jays team has been knocking on the door of postseason success, qualifying in three of the past four seasons. However, the team is still seeking it's first series victory since 2016 and contends in a difficult division that leaves little room for error.

Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider made the baffling decision to pull starting pitcher José Berrios in the fourth inning after tossing just 47 pitches in a 2-0 loss to the Minnesota Twins in Game 2 of the American League Wild Card Round.

While speaking with reporters after the loss, which resulted in Toronto being eliminated from the postseason, Blue Jays infielder Whit Merrifield said he didn't agree with Schneider's decision.

"I hated it, frankly," Merrifield said. "It's not what cost us the game, but it's the kind of baseball decisions that are taking away from managers and baseball, at this stage of the game."

Star slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. also told reporters after the loss that "everybody was surprised" by Schneider's decision to turn to the bullpen early.

Berrios entered the fourth inning having tossed three scoreless innings while striking out five batters and allowing just three hits. He walked Royce Lewis to open the fourth inning before being pulled in favor of Yusei Kikuchi.

Lewis eventually came around to score and Kikuchi allowed the next three batters to reach base as the Twins scored two runs, which was all they needed to complete the sweep of the Blue Jays.

Schneider discussed his decision to pull Berrios in his postgame press conference, via Sportsnet:

We had a few different plans in place. José was aware of it. He had electric stuff, tough to take him, and I think with the (way) that they're constructed, you want to utilize your whole roster and it didn't work out. You can look at it broadly and say it didn't work out because they scored two runs when we did make a change, you can also look at the fact that it didn't work out because we didn't take advantage of at-bats we had with runners in scoring position.

You can sit here and second guess me, second guess the organization, second guess anybody.

While the decision to pull Berrios was puzzling, the Toronto offense was abysmal on Wednesday night, managing just nine hits and failing to get any momentum going. Ultimately, the offense shoulders just as much blame for the team's failure, if not more.

The Blue Jays now enter the offseason with questions about what could have been, in addition to questions about how they can build a true title contender in an increasingly difficult American League.

The Miami Marlins are officially playoff-bound.

The team controlled its own destiny going into Saturday and needed a victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates to clinch a spot in the postseason. With a 2-2 score entering the sixth inning, the Marlins needed a push.

They got it.

YOUR 2023 MIAMI MARLINS ARE POSTSEASON BOUND. pic.twitter.com/AgSmJ3K2k6

— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) October 1, 2023

The postseason picture gets a little bit clearer!

The @Marlins have #CLINCHED! pic.twitter.com/BEd9vUvuKI

— MLB (@MLB) October 1, 2023

The Marlins tacked on five runs in the final four innings to cruise to a 7-3 victory. This marks the Marlins' second playoff appearance since 2020 and the fourth in franchise history. This is only the third time the team has made the playoffs in a 162-game season, with the previous two appearances ending in World Series titles.

As a consequence, the Chicago Cubs were eliminated from playoff contention. This ended an otherwise great season from the franchise that saw it exceed expectations and hang in the postseason race to the bitter end.

Current Playoff Picture

American League

No. 1 seed Baltimore Orioles (100-60), first-round bye

No. 2 seed Texas Rangers (90-71), first-round bye

No. 3 seed Minnesota Twins (87-74) vs. No. 6 seed Houston Astros (89-72)

No. 4 seed Tampa Bay Rays (98-63) vs. No. 5 seed Toronto Blue Jays (89-72)

National League

No. 1 seed Atlanta Braves (104-57), first-round bye

No. 2 seed Los Angeles Dodger (99-62), first-round bye

No. 3 seed Milwaukee Brewers (91-70 vs. No. 6 seed Arizona Diamondbacks (84-77)

No. 4 seed Philadelphia Phillies (89-72) vs. No. 5 seed Miami Marlins (84-76)

Full Standings 

AL East

1. Baltimore Orioles**: 101-60

2. Tampa Bay Rays*: 98-63; 3.0 GB

3. Toronto Blue Jays*: 89-72; 12.0 GB

4. New York Yankees: 82-79; 19.0 GB

5. Boston Red Sox: 77-84; 24.0 GB

AL Central

1. Minnesota Twins**: 87-74

2. Detroit Tigers: 77-84; 10.0 GB

3. Cleveland Guardians: 76-85; 11.0 GB

4. Chicago White Sox: 61-100; 26.0 GB

5. Kansas City Royals: 55-106; 32.0 GB

AL West

1. Texas Rangers*: 90-71

2. Houston Astros: 89-72; 1.5 GB

3. Seattle Mariners: 87-74; 3.0 GB

4. Los Angeles Angels: 72-89; 18.0 GB

5. Oakland Athletics: 50-111; 40.0 GB

AL Wild Card

1. Tampa Bay Rays *

2. Toronto Blue Jays *

3. Houston Astros *

NL East

1. Atlanta Braves**: 104-57

2. Philadelphia Phillies*: 89-72; 15.0 GB

3. Miami Marlins*: 84-76; 19.5 GB

4. New York Mets: 74-86; 29.5 GB

5. Washington Nationals: 70-91; 33.0 GB

NL Central

1. Milwaukee Brewers*: 91-70

2. Chicago Cubs: 83-78; 8.0 GB

3. Cincinnati Reds: 82-79; 9.0 GB

4. Pittsburgh Pirates: 75-86; 16.0 GB

5. St. Louis Cardinals: 70-91; 21.0 GB

NL West

1. Los Angeles Dodgers**: 99-62

2. Arizona Diamondbacks*: 84-77; 15.0 GB

3. San Diego Padres: 81-80; 18.0 GB

4. San Francisco Giants: 79-82; 20.0 GB

5. Colorado Rockies: 58-103; 41.0 GB

NL Wild Card

1. Philadelphia Phillies *

2. Miami Marlins*

3. Arizona Diamondbacks*

*Indicates playoff berth clinched

**Indicates division clinched

Full Standings at MLB.com

The Marlins weren't the only team with a chance to clinch Saturday. The Arizona Diamondbacks, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers and Toronto Blue Jays all had a chance to clinch positions based on tonight's results while the Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds were fighting to remain in the hunt.

With a 6-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners, the Texas Rangers became the first team in the AL West to clinch at least a wild-card spot.

POSTSEASON BOUND! #StraightUpTX pic.twitter.com/dKIsKjRj4M

— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) October 1, 2023

The Toronto Blue Jays also clinched a playoff position as a result, sending them back to the postseason for the third time in the past four seasons.

The job starts now. #NextLevel

We’re going back to the Postseason 🔥 pic.twitter.com/gj9YW1l9NK

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) October 1, 2023

In the National League, the Reds saw their postseason push fall short with a loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. This meant that the Arizona Diamondbacks officially earned a spot in the playoffs as well.

The chaos continues.

YOUR #DBACKS ARE BACK IN THE POSTSEASON!!! pic.twitter.com/V3qHANtj5H

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) October 1, 2023

The NL postseason picture is now officially set, with seeding being the only logistic to be figured out.

However, the NL was not the only league to have the season set on Saturday. The final dagger came as the Astros defeated the Diamondbacks 1-0 to clinch a spot in the postseason and eliminate the Mariners.

Our annual October tradition.#Ready2Reign pic.twitter.com/76FODJfntZ

— Houston Astros (@astros) October 1, 2023

This means that the AL playoff picture is set as well, but the final day of the regular season is set to be a little more interesting. The Astros and Rangers still have a division to settle and tomorrow's results will determine that.

Toronto Blue Jays star slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. underwent an MRI on his right knee Wednesday night after being left out of the team's 6-1 win over the New York Yankees, per Keegan Matheson of MLB.com.

The team described the potential injury as "right knee discomfort," with manager John Schneider telling reporters that Guerrero felt off during his pre-game hitting routine.

"He's grinding, I think," Schneider told reporters before Wednesday's game. "His knee's barking a little bit. Nothing patellar or anything. Just kind of dealing with the length of the season. So we got him out of there (Monday)."

He also said at the time he thought Guerrero might serve as the designated hitter for the game, though ultimately he was scratched.

Any injury to Guerrero is a huge blow for a Blue Jays team (85-67) fighting for its playoff life. Toronto is currently in the No. 2 Wild Card berth in the American League, and that's as high as they'll get with the Tampa Bay Rays (93-60) comfortably ahead of them.

Behind them, however, both the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners are each 84-68 and just one game back. And if either of those teams catches the Houston Astros (85-68) in the AL West, it'll be the Astros gunning for a Wild Card berth.

In essence, the Blue Jays are one of three teams fighting for two final Wild Card berths. It promises to be an exciting close to the regular season.

Guerrero, 24, is one of the reasons the Blue Jays are battling for a postseason berth in the first place. The young star is hitting .264 with 24 homers, 90 RBI, 71 runs and a .781 OPS.

No, he hasn't come close to replicating his epic 2021 campaign (.311 with 48 homers, 111 RBI, 123 runs and a 1.002 OPS, all easily career highs and good for a runner-up finish in the AL MVP voting behind only two-way marvel Shohei Ohtani). But he's still a feared bat in the middle of Toronto's order, leading the team in homers and RBI.

And without him, Toronto's already tenuous playoff hopes will be dealt a major blow.

Two-time MLB home run leader José Bautista will officially retire from Major League Baseball as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Blue Jays announced Bautista will sign a one-day contract to retire with the franchise.

Blue Jay FOREVER 💙#JoeyBats will sign a one-day contract and retire a Toronto Blue Jay! pic.twitter.com/XrxGlHPZ1h

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) August 11, 2023

Bautista became a superstar with the Blue Jays after bouncing around the league with six different teams in his first four seasons, including five as a rookie in 2004.

Originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2000, Bautista was a Rule 5 draft pick by the Baltimore Orioles after the 2003 season. He opened 2004 with the Orioles, was claimed on waivers by the Tampa Bay Rays midway through the year, got traded to the Kansas City Royals after 12 games.

The Royals traded Bautista to the New York Mets, who immediately dealt him to the Pirates. He was finally able to stick with the Pirates for a few years before Toronto acquired him in August 2008.

After a fairly modest 2009 season, Bautista had a breakout year in 2010 with a .260/.378/.617 slash line and an MLB-high 54 homers. He followed that up by leading the league with 43 homers and a .608 slugging percentage.

Bautista made six consecutive All-Star appearances from 2010 to '15. He helped the Blue Jays end the longest playoff drought in North American pro sports in 2015 when they won the AL East for the first time in 22 years.

The 2015 postseason also saw Bautista provide one of the most iconic moments in MLB history by flipping his bat upon hitting a three-run homer to break a 3-3 tie in Game 5 of the ALDS against the Texas Rangers.

Bautista and the Blue Jays made the ALCS in back-to-back years in 2015 and 2016. His final year with the club was 2017 and he had stints with the Atlanta Braves, Mets and Philadelphia Phillies in 2018.

Despite not appearing in a game after the 2018 season, Bautista had yet to officially retire. ESPN's Jeff Passan reported in 2020 that Bautista had some hopes of returning to the big leagues as a two-way player, though Bautista later dismissed the idea.

Bautista is Toronto's all-time leader in wins above replacement (38.3) and ranks second in homers (288).