Toronto Blue Jays primed for big year with strong roster

The Toronto Blue Jays narrowly missed out on the playoffs in 2021, but they look primed for a big year in 2022.

In a year where the Toronto Blue Jays played out of three different ballparks across both the USA and Canada, they finished in fourth place of the American League East Division with a 91-71 record – placing them just one win back of the 92-70 Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees in second and third place respectively.

With the team missing out on the playoffs by just one win, the Blue Jays have made some off-season moves that could have them primed for a strong year that should see them tip into the playoffs this time around.

After a couple of unsettled years, forced to play away from their regular home at Rogers Centre, the club have rewarded team manager Charlie Montoyo with a contract extension through the 2023 season, with reports suggesting a pair of options that could see him stick around even longer have been included.

Having that security will do much to help the Blue Jays in 2022, including the security of playing a full season in front of home fans at Rogers Centre for the first time since 2019.

With Montoyo’s extension has come the additions of some big name players that should help the team progress forward, including the blockbuster trade with the Oakland Athletics that saw four prospects exchanged for three-time Golden Glove winner and 2018 Overall Defensive Player of the Year third baseman Matt Chapman.

Pitcher Kevin Gasuman, the fourth overall selection of the Baltimore Orioles in the 2012 Draft, signed a five-year, $110 million deal with the Blue Jays in free agency – something that has also helped to alleviate the loss of 2021 Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray, who has moved on to the Seattle Mariners for similar terms.

Along with the strong additions this off-season, the Toronto Blue Jays have had seven players currently on the roster named to MLB.com’s Top 100 Players Right Now list – with Chapman (83) and Gausman (74) joining named opening day pitcher Jose Berrios (97), two-time Silver Slugger outfielder Teoscar Hernandez (65), three-time All-Star George Springer (33), 2021 All-Star shortstop Bo Bichette (32) and last season’s MVP runner-up Vladimir Guererro Jr (8).

The Toronto Blue Jays roster is already stacking up in an impressive way, and yet it appears as if the team are determined to continue improving – with reports suggesting that they are pushing quite hard for a trade with the Cleveland Guardians for third baseman Jose Ramirez, who came in at 15 on the Top 100 list.

If the Blue Jays add Ramirez, then expectations would certainly be high for the team’s success in 2022, but even if a deal is unable to be worked out, there is still plenty of reasons to be excited for what Montoyo and Co are able to do this season already.