3 offseason moves the Toronto Blue Jays must make after early playoff exit

1. Make Trevor Bauer consider a big offer

Leaving aside a rough postseason in Game 2 of the ALWS against Tampa Bay (seven runs on eight hits in 1.2 innings), Hyun Jin Ryu was everything the Blue Jays hoped he’d be this year, with a 2.69 ERA, a 9.7 K/9 and a 2.3 BB/9 over 12 starts (67 innings). But a lack of good options behind him in the rotation pushed the trade deadline acquisitions of Robbie Ray and Taijuan Walker in an effort to make the postseason.

Bauer’s possible free-agent destination will be (and already is, thanks to his Twitter activity) a big storyline. He may be looking for a short deal, as he seems ready to embrace being a “hired gun” for a team trying to win immediately. The Blue Jays may be a step or two (or more) away from being a World Series contender, but they can make a strong case for skipping some steps in 2021 with a bold offseason.

Bauer is the favorite to win the NL Cy Young Award after leading the Senior Circuit in ERA (1.73) for the Cincinnati Reds. He is sure to be open to all options in free agency, and as Rosie DiManno of The Toronto Star suggested, the Blue Jays should not be afraid to make a pitch. Finding a team to take Tanner Roark’s $12 million for next year (the final year of his deal) and/or declining Chase Anderson’s $9.5 million option would open up more payroll space for a pursuit of Bauer.

The way Walker pitched for them down the stretch (1.37 ERA in six starts), re-signing him seems like a strong possibility for the Blue Jays. In terms of outside free agents, perhaps pursuing a reunion with Marcus Stroman will be on the radar. But they could pursue bigger avenues to add a starter too, and that starts with making Bauer consider an offer that legitimately competes in the market for his services.