New Blue Jays given extended runway to make name for themselves

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In the waning outs of a game that was lost much earlier in the day, the Blue Jays’ batting order on Wednesday in Baltimore read like a who-is-that, maybe even to the team’s most fervent fans.

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As the host Orioles were putting the final touches of a 10-4 win to take the four-game series, 3-1, there was Jose De Los Santos, Joey Loperfido, Leo Jimenez, Spencer Horwitz, Ernie Clement, Steward Berroa, Davis Schneider, Addison Barger and Brian Serven all in the game.

Realistically, it remains to be seen how many of the aforementioned will be with the big-league team when opening day 2025 begins. Assuming even a few of the above players stick, it’s questionable if any emerge as positional stalwarts.

Therein lies the greatest challenge facing the franchise as it pivots to next season, knowing the balance of this season amounts to an extended stretch of evaluation, whether it’s internal orinvolves the players on the field.

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When eight players are traded for essentially prospects and the symbolic white flag is raised, allowing players an opportunity to showcase their talents on the big-league stage is all the Blue Jays have to offer at this point.

“I’m disappointed that we’re here, it’s unacceptable that we’re here and I’m sorry to our fans for that.”

Those were the words expressed by GM Ross Atkins when the club held a Zoom call with the media in the immediate aftermath of Tuesday’s 6 p.m. trade deadline.

In the two games played post-trade deadline, the Blue Jays were outscored 16-6 by the O’s.

At least the Jays were able to enjoy an off-day in New York on Thursday before the schedule, and likely the losing, resumes in the Bronx with a three-game weekend series against the Yankees.

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An off-day awaits next Monday before Baltimore visits the Rogers Centre to begin a three-game series on the following night.

“We did not want to be at this point where we are, trading players away,” said Atkins. “It’s a disappointing time in my career and where we are as an organization, but we switched to getting better and switched to focusing on reshaping the group that is here, an already very talented group that we want to build around.

“We feel that we’ve done so, adding players who are close to the major leagues, or in the major leagues, who can help us win more baseball games in the coming years.”

For the time being, it’s giving an extended runway to the likes of a Loperfido, one of three players acquired from the Houston Astros in the package acquired for starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi.

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In his debut Wednesday, Loperfido started in left field, batted second in the order and recorded a hit on a sharp liner in the ninth inning. He struck out swinging in his first two at-bats.

“This is a really great opportunity for me,” said Loperfido in Baltimore. “Talking to the staff, I’ll have a lot of opportunities to play. As a younger player, that’s all you can ask for.

“I know I’ll get my opportunities and I know I’ll make the most of them. This is a great clubhouse of guys. I’m happy that I’m here. I’m looking forward to playing here.”

Even if he does flourish, the best outcome likely involves Loperfido serving in the role as a fourth outfielder.

There’s always the possibility of Loperfido being traded amid the uncertain times facing the Blue Jays as they try to figure out what they have and what they need going forward.

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Only the Chicago White Sox, Seattle Mariners and Washington Nationals have hit fewer home runs than the Blue Jays.

Loperfido did hit 25 homers in the minors last season.

Among the areas that need to be addressed involves run production following a couple of futile and foolish years geared up for run prevention.

Atkins knows the lineup must be better. Replenishing a thin farm system was just the beginning.

“This was the first step towards that,” he added when reflecting on the dizzying five-day stretch when the Blue Jays made all of their deals. “There are several ways to make acquisitions, which we will continue to have to do. We’re going to have to add in free agency and via trade.

“We just increased the likelihood of doing that by creating more depth and increased flexibility. The versatility and the dynamic athleticism that we’ve acquired to complement the pieces who are here was a big part of our goal. We feel we’ve accomplished that.”

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There was no talk or thought of trading Vladimir Guerrero Jr., or Bo Bichette, both of whom are eligible for free agency following the 2025 season.

“Not close,’’ said Atkins. “It was never our intention to trade either one of them.”

One or both will be extended or perhaps one or both will be traded, perhaps as early as this off-season.

Either way, the roster reset at the trade deadline likely means the Blue Jays are well-positioned for next season’s competitive balance tax, which does have its benefits. Asked specifically about baseball’s version of a luxury tax, Atkins said the team finds itself “on the razor’s edge.”

He then added the following: “Hopefully, that will be something we can navigate as a secondary benefit.”

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The benefit of having two high-end pending free agents in Kikuchi and reliever Yimi Garcia is the return the Blue Jays were able to receive. Jonatan Clase stole 79 bases in the minors and it’s just a matter of time before the player outfielder the Jays acquired in the Garcia deal with the Mariners is wearing a Toronto uniform.

The other acquisition of note is pitcher Jake Bloss, who was also part of the Kikuchi deal with Houston.

In Wednesday’s series finale against the Orioles, the only two every-day players who were healthy to start the game were Guerrero and George Springer. The competitive spirit in each was clear to see, both showing their frustration following a bad called strike.

“You want to see some guys play, but you also want to make sure that we’re doing things the right way,” said manager John Schneider. “You watch George play, you watch Vlad play, they’re all going about it the right way. That’s first and foremost.

“Then you want to just put guys in spots where they can hopefully have some success. Some guys, not everyone, are going to get a little bit more runway than others and you want to just see what they’re all about. Not just the swing, the throw, the pitch, whatever it is, it’s how they’re doing with the day-to-day, with the group, all that kind of stuff.”

The auditions resume in the Big Apple.

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