3 Toronto Blue Jays who won't survive the MLB Winter Meetings and why

The Toronto Blue Jays began investing in the 2025 season about six months ago. They dictated their entire trade deadline approach to maximize their ability to win in 2025. Now the offseason is here and Toronto is expected to be one of the biggest spenders in the entire league.

They're in the market for superstar outfielder Juan Soto and any other top free agent they can land. But if they're landing all the top players they're targeting, they're going to need to part ways with a few players, preferably the more expensive ones. Toronto won't hesitate to make the necessary moves to catch the New York Yankees in the loaded American League East.

Who are the players most likely to end up off the Blue Jays roster by the end of MLB's Winter Meetings?

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3. 3B/OF Charles McAdoo

The Blue Jays are going to be targeting some of the top names in the class. But what happens if they whiff on their top targets?

They'll have a backup plan and that plan likely includes swinging a few trades. The Chicago White Sox have both their ace Garrett Crochet and their center fielder Luis Robert Jr. expected to be dealt this winter. Toronto could take a shot at both of them. The St. Louis Cardinals have a multitude of players they could move including Ryan Helsley, Nolan Arenado and Sonny Gray.

With Toronto expected to make a move, they would have to move a package of prospects to acquire the talent they want. Looking at their revamped top prospects, it's utility man Charles McAdoo who stands out as the most likely to be moved.

McAdoo, 22, slashed .279/.364/.479 as he tore his way through three levels of the minor leagues last year. He's a stud with the bat and he's a versatile defender. It's exactly the kind of prospect that it would take to land one of the big trade pieces on the market.

2. RHP Chris Bassitt

The Blue Jays could be in the market to add a starter this winter. There's potential they pursue a guy like Max Fried while also putting a bid in for one or two of the Japanese pitchers coming over to the big leagues this winter. Either way, the idea is going to be to bolster their starting rotation, which already has some serious promise on it.

One of the players they could consider shipping off, both to take advantage of his value and to clear money for free agents, is the right-hander Chris Bassitt. Personally, I felt as though the Blue Jays should have traded him at the deadline last season, but they opted to hold onto him since he was under contract through 2025. Now he's an expiring contract and Toronto could find much better options for the same price tag, especially in this off-season's loaded free agency class.

This one is far from a guarantee, but it's still a move that I feel Toronto should make. Ultimately, they likely won't move him unless they're blown away by a trade offer. His value should go up after the top pitching free agents sign as well. If Toronto acquires a top free-agent arm, expect to see Bassitt traded away soon after.

1. OF George Springer

The Blue Jays are going to need to cut some of their payroll if they want to comfortably bring in Soto and extend Vladimir Guerrero Jr. These are the two biggest steps to Toronto's eventual World Series victory they're trying to pursue. But they can't do this with George Springer on their payroll as the highest-paid player.

The Blue Jays are going to need to find any way possible to get him off their roster. Springer has been far from a beneficial piece for Toronto, so finding a trade partner is going to be tough. In order for the Blue Jays to make a move, they're going to need to attach prospects to Springer to ship him to a team like the White Sox or the Miami Marlins.

Toronto could work with these smaller market teams that would be willing to eat Springer's contract just to gain a few top-30 prospects in the deal. It would make sense for both sides, but more importantly, it would free up a ton of money and open a spot in the outfield for either Soto, Teoscar Hernandez or Robert.

The possibilities would be endless for the players that Toronto could pursue to replace Springer, but the more important piece of the puzzle would be getting him, his struggling bat and his huge salary off the team over the next few weeks.