2024 MLB Winter Meetings: Dec 8th-12th
The Winter meetings is where the Blue Jays need to start making significant moves.
The Blue Jays are going to need to cut some of their payroll if they want to comfortably bring in Soto and extend Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
These are the two biggest steps to Toronto's playoff run in 2025.
But they can't do this with George Springer on their payroll as the highest-paid player.
Toronto is going to need to find any way possible to get him off their roster.
Springer has been far from a beneficial piece for the Jays, so finding a trade partner is going to be tough.
In order for the Blue Jays to make a move, they're going to eat some salary and need to attach prospects to Springer to a smaller market team.
The possibilities would be endless for the players that Toronto could pursue to replace Springer, but the more important piece of the puzzle would be getting him, his struggling bat and his huge salary off the team during this years winter meetings.
A Springer plus prospects trade to the now Sacramento Athletics for LF/DH Brent Rooker would be Ideal.
Rooker got some playing time in 2023 where he he slashed .246/.329/.488 with 30 home runs in 526 plate appearances, along with a 9.3 BB% and a 32.7 K%.
He was even better in 2024, as he slashed .293/.365/.562 with 39 home runs in 614 plate appearances, along with a 9.6 BB% and a 28.8 K%.
Among qualified hitters in the league, Rookers' 164 wRC+ ranked as the seventh-highest, slightly below Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s 168 wRC+.
Sometimes all a player needs is an opportunity and some at bats, with George Springer taking up a lot of DH at bats due to various injuries over the years, the 29 year old Rooker would be a great replacement offensively and financially.
According to Sportrac Brent Rooker is set to earn $3.5 Million in 2025.
35 year old George Springer is set to earn $24.1 Million which Toronto would certainly have to eat a large chunk of his salary plus prospects to make a trade work going forward.
A trade like this can free up a little more salary room for Soto, a Vladdy extension or even a pivot move if the Jays don't land Soto.
Can Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins make a trade like this work?
This fan sure hopes so.
