If there's one thing that Aaliyah taught us, it's that if at first you don't succeed, you can dust it off and try again. It's advice the Toronto Blue Jays need to take, because after coming tantalizingly close to the franchise's first World Series title since 1993, there's no time for a pity party if MLB's only Canadian team wants to get back to the Fall Classic.
There are many reasons to be optimistic about the Jays' chances next year. First has to be Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who ascended even beyond his usual superstar stratosphere to become a one-man wrecking crew. Vladdy finished the postseason with a ridiculous .397 average and 1.289 OPS, and would be making room in his trophy case for the World Series MVP right now if Isiah Kiner-Falefa had just slid head first in the 9th inning of Game 7.
Trey Yesavage, a September call-up, came out of nowhere to look like the heir apparent to Paul Skenes' title as the best young pitcher in baseball. Yesavage made only three regular season starts, then won that many games in the playoffs, including a Game 5 gem in which he struck out 12 Dodgers while allowing only one run in seven innings.
Yesavage will enter next season as the unexpected ace of the staff, and he'll have some help after Shane Bieber picked up his $16 million player option on Tuesday. The former Guardians ace was expected to explore free agency, but he must have enjoyed his few months with the team so much that he chose to come back for at least another year.
The Jays traded Khal Stephen, the No. 5 prospect in the organization, for Bieber at this summer's trade deadline. The 2020 AL Cy Young winner was a major factor in stabilizing Toronto's rotation down the stretch, as he pitched to a 3.57 ERA while going at least five innings in each of his seven regular season starts.
In the playoffs, he was just as important, picking up a win with six strong innings against the Mariners in the ALCS after Seattle jumped out to a 2-0 series lead. Blue Jays manager John Schneider wasn't afraid to throw him into the toughest situations, as he got the ball in Game 7 of that series and then beat Shohei Ohtani in Game 4 of the World Series to even things at 2-2. He even warmed up in that 18-inning Game 3 marathon, but the game ended on Freddie Freeman's walk-off homer before he got the chance to come in.
Bieber took the loss in an epic Game 7 after he gave up Will Smith's Series-winning homer in the 11th inning, and now he wants to run it back for a chance at redemption. The Blue Jays need to follow his lead.
The Blue Jays must be aggressive to make another World Series push
Competition in the American League is going to be fierce next season. The Mariners, with their outstanding starting pitching and home run champ Cal Raleigh, will be back. So will Bieber's old team, the Guardians, after a stunning late-season surge.
Within the AL East, Toronto will be besieged from all directions. The Yankees will be in the mix, as they always are, and the Red Sox will be a major threat with their young core led by baseball's No. 1 prospect, Roman Anthony. Even the Rays and Orioles are likely to bounce back after subpar years.
To capture the pennant and get one step farther, the Blue Jays need to be willing to do whatever it takes. We've seen in recent years that they've been interested in free agents such as Ohtani but have fallen short of closing the deal. This winter, they need to make sure that doesn't happen again.
Our own Chris Landers highlighted a few players the Jays should make a push for. At the top of the list is Bo Bichette, who was nearly the Game 7 hero with his early three-run homer off Ohtani. He's set to be a free agent after spending his entire seven-year career in Toronto, and with his career .294 average, he's not going to be cheap.
Many expected Game 7 starter Max Scherzer to retire, but given that he's said, “I’m 41 years old and I never thought I could love baseball this much ... I can’t see how that’s the last pitch I’ve ever thrown," it seems likely that the 41-year-old free agent will be back.
Scherzer is a future lock for the Hall of Fame, but his durability issues in recent years mean that Jays general manager Ross Atkins will need to fortify the rotation with much more than just Mad Max. Chris Bassitt pitched well in multiple roles and would be one good option. Looking elsewhere around the league, Dylan Cease, Shota Imanaga, Framber Valdez and Zac Gallen are just a few of the options who could provide a major boost. Atkins could also make a splash in the bullpen by adding someone like Edwin Diaz, Devin Williams or Robert Suarez.
Getting Bieber back before hot stove season even kicks off is a huge win for the Jays, and one they need to take advantage of by opening their checkbook. Losing the World Series hurts, but never getting back would hurt even more. It's time to dust it off and try again.