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MLB, Baseball Herren, USA Atlanta Braves at Boston Red Sox May 16, 2025 Boston, Massachusetts, USA Boston Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman 2 runs out of the dugout before the start of a game against the Atlanta Braves at Fenway Park. Boston Fenway Park Massachusetts USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xEricxCanhax 20250516_jhp_qe2_0126
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MLB, Baseball Herren, USA Atlanta Braves at Boston Red Sox May 16, 2025 Boston, Massachusetts, USA Boston Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman 2 runs out of the dugout before the start of a game against the Atlanta Braves at Fenway Park. Boston Fenway Park Massachusetts USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xEricxCanhax 20250516_jhp_qe2_0126
Toronto’s off-season has turned into a huge balancing act, and Alex Bregman sits tall at the thick of it. Now, on the surface, the math is simple—bring a big bat and ensure the lineup is balanced. And according to the news, they are still in the sweepstakes.
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Jeff Passan, for example, at the Michael Kay Show revealed, “I don’t think the Blue Jays are done. I think they’re going to get a big bat. Not sure if that’s Kyle Tucker or Alex Bregman or Bo Bichette or multiple of them.” Even Ken Rosenthal reminded fans that while Bregman was once a backup plan, now he is more of an essential.
Two big bats? That would take the Jays right into World Series contention. Much like the uproar that happened last season when everyone thought Soto in the Mets changed the game for them. Even though that was far from the case.
But this has risks, because it can shake the very core that got them to the finale last season.
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credits: MLB.COM
Jim Riley of BALLCAP Sports questioned the obvious.“So this is an interesting scenario, because if we’re moving Bregman up the importance ladder, what does that potentially mean for Kyle Tucker? … And if they go get Kyle Tucker and they don’t bring back Bo Bichette, do they go get Bregman? Do they have the money for that?”
Because at the end of the day, the Jays have already spent a lot on Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce, and more contracts. These big bats would amount to a lot. Plus, at the heart of Riley’s question is a debate—Bo Bichette isn’t optional; he is a foundation. Bichette changed roles after being back from surgery and led the team to the World Series. If Bregman, with all the “La La Land” buzz, comes, then it might affect Bichette and his role in the team.
Meanwhile, another name that’s been important for the Jays in the WS run is Eric Lauer. He had cemented himself as a postseason hero. He tossed 4⅔ scoreless innings in the 18th-inning game 3 thriller against the Dodgers. So Jays risk losing key names, if they suddenly go get not one but two big bats. Ross Akins needs to tread carefully.
Plus, adding Bregman to the mix would shuffle this deck more. Nathan Lukes might have to go to the fourth outfield, and Bichette, if he comes back, could move positions. For Atkins, one thing is for sure—the goal is not just landing a star. But it is to preserve the important core of the team from last season while plotting a move forward.
Talking of a plan forward—Jays have other moves to make too!
Dodgers and Blue Jays set for another showdown
The Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays have given us one of the most entertaining World Series matchups of the past two decades in 2025. But, well, their rivalry is far from over. It’s gone from October baseball to the free-agency market now.
Both teams entered the winter knowing one thing—they needed bullpen help. Both did the moves necessary, like the Dodgers snatching Edwin Diaz from the Mets and the Blue Jays signing Tyler Rogers. But even while those are solid moves, neither of the front offices seems ready to stop there.
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That’s where Pete Fairbanks enters the conversation.
FanSided’s Christopher Kline thinks that the Jays should move quickly and get the Tampa Bay Rays closer before LA, like usual, gets to him first. And it does make sense, because while Fairbanks might not dominate the headlines, he has quietly become one of the most reliable late-inning arms in the league.
Last season he saved 27 games and posted a 2.83 ERA—that’s the kind of production that these win-now teams need.
As far as fit goes, Fairbanks fits well in both the bullpen. In Los Angeles, with the Dodgers, he would be a high-end setup man in front of Diaz. In Toronto, he would do more like anchor the bullpen and push Jeff Hoffman into a comfortable role.
After adding Rogers, Fairbanks would give the Blue Jays a cover of stability at the back end. And let’s be honest—bullpen inconsistency has haunted the Toronto Blue Jays. Now they have the money and will to spend it, so Fairbanks makes all the sense.
Just big bats won’t help, right?