The Blue Jays are now saddled with an $11 million contract and player they don't need
It would appear that an act of desperation caused Ross Atkins to get played by his old team.
On Friday, it was announced that the Blue Jays had swung a trade with the Guardians for $2M in extra international bonus pool money, as well as outfielder Myles Straw. Cleveland was trying to unload the 2022 gold winner and agreed to give up the $2M - which the weren't going to use anyways - if Toronto agreed to take on the centre fielder's contract. This now leaves the Jays with a player - and a contract - they don't particularly need.
Although Cleveland agreed to send $3.75M to Toronto to partially cover Straws contract, the Blue Jays are still on the hook for roughly $11MM. All this for a player who played a total of seven games and had four at bats in 2024.
While Straw has great defensive ability and can steal bases, he is .244 hitter with six career home runs. And while he can probably make a transition to left field, his primary position is centre, a place currently occupied by reigning gold glove winner Daulton Varsho. Even with Varsho scheduled to miss the first couple of weeks of the seasons, the Jays have better alternatives including Nathan Lukes, Joey Loperfido, Jonatan Clase and even potentially George Springer.
So now the Blue Jays front office is left scratching its head, still searching for answers after another free agent let them down. All the while continuing to engage in talks with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. And now they have an $11MM minor league guy on their roster. This wasn't in Ross Atkins' playbook.
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