Where Blue Jays stand ahead of Winter Meetings

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Howdy! This is Julia Kreuz filling in for Keegan Matheson, who is getting a well-deserved break before jumping right into Winter Meetings action. Speaking of which, here’s everything you need to know about where the Blue Jays stand before the Meetings kick off on Sunday.

The early days of the Blue Jays’ offseason have been marked by some familiar buzzwords. Now, they have a prime chance to turn “opportunity” and “flexibility” into actionable goals.

The Blue Jays enter the Winter Meetings -- set for Sunday to Wednesday in Nashville, Tenn. -- with clear needs and a bevy of ways to address them. There are a few internal options to fill the vacancies at third base and left field, and the club’s prospect pool should also open some doors on the trade market.

As for the free-agent scene, expect Toronto to be heavily involved once again. The Blue Jays have enough payroll flexibility to go after the big-ticket items (though Shohei Ohtani remains a long shot), and if the past three years or so have shown anything, it’s that top free agents are willing to buy into the club’s contender status.

“There’s a lot of different ways to think about roster construction,” general manager Ross Atkins said on Tuesday in Toronto. “Every opportunity is unique, and we are one of the few markets, I believe, that have the ability to be nimble.”

In other words, it’s time to get creative. Ahead of a potentially defining season, the Blue Jays have work to do at this year’s Winter Meetings.

Key events
Sunday: HOF Contemporary Era ballot results released (Cito Gaston, Davey Johnson, Jim Leyland, Ed Montague, Hank Peters, Lou Piniella, Joe West and Bill White)
Tuesday: Draft Lottery
Wednesday: Rule 5 Draft

Blue Jays' needs
The starting point would be third base and left field, but Atkins alluded to the possibility of having those vacancies filled from within.

That may be especially relevant for the hot corner, as the free-agent market looks thin beyond the departing Matt Chapman, with Jeimer Candelario and Gio Urshela sliding in as the most sensible options for the Blue Jays. Internal candidates include Davis Schneider, Santiago Espinal, Cavan Biggio and Ernie Clement. Top prospects such as Addison Barger (No. 5) and Orelvis Martinez (No. 2) may end up competing for the job in Spring Training, too.

Plugging that hole internally would allow the Blue Jays to paint with a wider brush in the outfield. Daulton Varsho will likely move to center field full-time if Toronto doesn’t re-sign Kevin Kiermaier, which would vacate a spot at left. The Blue Jays could then swing for Cody Bellinger, the left-handed-hitting free agent who was named the National League Comeback Player of the Year. Or if you want to get real bold, why not make an offer for the Padres’ Juan Soto?

Run scoring and power turned out to be the Blue Jays’ undoing in 2023, so the club will likely look for guys who can do damage as it addresses its positional needs.

Potential trade candidates
Bo Bichette “is our shortstop moving forward,” Atkins said on Tuesday. Of course, that doesn’t rule out a deal involving the 25-year-old, whose name headlined the rumor mill last week. But Atkins’ statement indicates the Blue Jays are committed to Bichette with two seasons left on the three-year deal that bought out his remaining arbitration time.

On the Major League level, super-utility players such as Espinal and Biggio might be interesting assets. The Blue Jays won’t shy away from dealing top prospects, either. Big league-ready guys like Spencer Horwitz (No. 16) might come into play here.

Prospects to know
LHP Ricky Tiedemann (No. 1 prospect): Shoulder and biceps injuries limited Tiedemann to 44 Minor League innings in 2023, as the Blue Jays showed an abundance of caution with their prized pitching prospect. Still, the 21-year-old Tiedemann -- who was named Pitcher of the Year in the 2023 Arizona Fall League -- is a candidate to make the Majors next season.

INF Orelvis Martinez (No. 2 prospect): Patience and pitch selection are still the key factors with Martinez. The 22-year-old significantly cut down his strikeout rate at Double-A New Hampshire last season, and he posted solid numbers in 55 games at Triple-A Buffalo following a promotion in July. In the interest of adding some pop to the lineup, Martinez’s effortless power is something to watch for the Blue Jays.

INF Addison Barger (No. 5 prospect): Barger’s Triple-A season was a bit up and down, as he missed all of May with right elbow inflammation, but he remains one of the most exciting prospects in the Blue Jays’ system. The 24-year-old has shown on-base and power potential, and his athleticism may open avenues in the outfield as well.

Rule 5 Draft
The Blue Jays are unlikely to make a selection on Wednesday.

Notable prospects left unprotected by Toronto include outfielder Will Robertson, catcher/outfielder Zach Britton, right-hander Dahian Santos (No. 11), righty CJ Van Eyk, first baseman Rainer Nunez and outfielder Dasan Brown (No. 29). All six players will be available for other teams to select in the MLB portion of the Rule 5 Draft.

Burning question
What is the likelihood the Blue Jays will sign Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bichette to long-term contracts?

Those talks dominated a good portion of the past couple of offseasons, even after the Blue Jays reached that arbitration-buyout deal with Bichette. This time around, we have yet to hear much about Toronto’s impetus to lock its pair of star infielders for the long haul.

It’s true that Vlad’s production has taken a well-documented dip since his AL MVP runner-up season in 2021, but he still has the talent and potential to change the course of a game (or a season, or a contention window). Bichette, meanwhile, has continued to rise up as one of the most prolific hitters in the Majors.

Extending cornerstone players such as Vlad and Bo is about more than guaranteeing a larger contention window. It would also provide the Blue Jays with some valuable clarity on payroll, allowing them to plan ahead as well as get creative with their roster construction.