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Toronto Blue Jays: the 10 biggest mistakes in Blue Jays history

By David Salituro

DENVER, COLORADO - SEPTEMBER 18: Starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard #34 of the New York Mets throws in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on September 18, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO - SEPTEMBER 18: Starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard #34 of the New York Mets throws in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on September 18, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
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ST. PETERSBURG – AUGUST 31: Outfielder Vernon Wells #10 of the Toronto Blue Jays watches his team against the Tampa Bay Rays during the game at Tropicana Field on August 31, 2010 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by J. Meric/Getty Images)
ST. PETERSBURG – AUGUST 31: Outfielder Vernon Wells #10 of the Toronto Blue Jays watches his team against the Tampa Bay Rays during the game at Tropicana Field on August 31, 2010 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by J. Meric/Getty Images) /

Blue Jays mistake No. 4: The Vernon Wells extension

Following the 2006 season, Vernon Wells had all the makings of the Blue Jays’ next franchise superstar.

His acrobatic catches in center field won him three straight Gold Glove Awards. He hit 32 home runs and drove in 106 that season with a .899 OPS; only Carlos Delgado had a higher OPS for the club in the previous six seasons. His 6.2 WAR was the best for the franchise since Delgado in 2000.

Three years earlier, Wells had hit 33 home runs with 117 RBI as a 24-year-old, making him the youngest player in franchise history to reach those milestones. After his All-Star 2006 season, the Blue Jays rewarded him with a seven-year, $126 million extension.

But he never reached those totals again. He hit just 16 homers in 2007. In 2009, he hit 15 while his average plummeted from .303 to .260. A rebound 2010 season, when he joined Delgado, Joe Carter, and Fred McGriff as the only players in franchise history with three 30-home run seasons, allowed General Manager Alex Anthopoulos to send him to the Los Angeles Angels for Mike Napoli and Juan Rivera.

Wells hit just .226 over the final three seasons of his career, two with the Angels and one, his final year, with the New York Yankees. He still made nearly $70 million over those three years, thanks to that magical 2006 season that he never came close to matching.

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