With the Jays locking up Marco Estrada with a two-year, $26M deal on Friday, the club has filled one of the key holes that exist heading into the offseason.
Bringing back Estrada, who was arguably the club’s best pitcher throughout the season and delivered an amazing performance in the clutch during the American League Championship Series, gives Toronto three-fifths of a starting rotation heading into Spring Training, leaving two spots to be filled either by free agent and trade acquisitions or by promoting Robert Osuna and/or Aaron Sanchez from the bullpen.
As much as he latter is a real possibility, Kansas City’s success with a lights out bullpen should give the Jays (and everyone else in the league) pause when it comes to believing you can find better than what you have on the open market. The best bet for the club might be to turn Sanchez and Osuna into their own 8-9 combo and turn their focus to filling the rotation and the rest of the pitching staff from the free agent ranks.
Taking that approach, here’s a look at some of the players the Blue Jays could target this offseason.
Jordan Zimmerman: the 29-year-old went 13-10 with a 3.66 ERA for the Nationals last season, which would be a very good season for some, but was actually Zimmerman’s worst in the last five years. He’s got good control (1.16 career WHIP) and would be a strong No. 2 for Toronto, though the elevated home run totals last year are a little worrying.
Yovani Gallardo: while he’s not the front-line starter he was earlier in his career with the Brewers, Gallardo would be a solid middle-of-the-rotation guy, plus signing him means he can’t give Toronto fits like he did last year.
Cliff Lee: after missing all of last season, the former Cy Young winner would be a low-risk option to look at in Spring Training. Kick the tires, see what he’s got and go from there. If he’s healthy and capable of contributing, he’d be a crafty veteran to add to a relatively young core.
J.A. Happ: a familiar face after spending two-plus seasons in Toronto before getting traded last winter, Happ is the kind of lefty swingman every team needs. He was very good in Pittsburgh to close out the year and could be a valuable arm similar to Estrada entering last year.
Trevor Cahill: after a terrific year in 2010, Cahill struggled mightily until heading to the bullpen with the Cubs late last year. Still just 27, he’s another guy that could play the Estrada role for the club this year as a guy expected to hold down a spot in the bullpen, but who could be promoted to the rotation if everything went well and he was needed.
Tyler Clippard: you can never have enough lefties in the bullpen and Clippard is one of the best in the business, even if he season didn’t end that way with the Mets in the World Series. Imagine how great it would be to have Clippard and Brett Cecil available on a nightly basis?
Ryan Webb: the Jays simply didn’t have enough power arms they could count on in the playoffs. Webb’s the kind of guy that fits nicely in a sixth/seventh inning role – he throws hard, has a career ERA under 3.50 and posted a 1.14 WHIP last season in 40 appearances for Cleveland. Add him into a ‘pen with Osuna, Sanchez and Cecil and you’ve got a good mix.
Come back tomorrow for a look at position players the Blue Jays could target.
