Blue Jays not planning to have "full rebuild" next season: report

Barring a historic turnaround, the 2024 edition of the Toronto Blue Jays is going through the type of baseball season that no fan enjoys.

With a record of 45-54, while sitting in last place in the American League East, Toronto’s offseason hopes of contending for the World Series this year seem like they’re all but lost.

But according to ESPN’s Buster Olney, the franchise is looking at trying to be competitive in the near future rather than tear apart the roster in favour of younger prospects.

“The Toronto Blue Jays have signaled to other teams that they intend to try to win in 2025 rather than to go through a full rebuild, and this is being interpreted by some other teams as an assertion that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, each eligible for free agency after ’25, won’t be moved this summer,” Olney wrote in an article with a co-byline alongside Jesse Rogers.

Blue Jays fans have known all too well a sense of vague optimism over the last few years, only to be met with an overwhelming wave of crushing defeat. The franchise has crashed out of the playoffs in first-round sweeps in three of the past four years and has yet to win a single playoff game since the 2016 ALCS.

“Two rival officials say their sense is the Jays would listen to offers for any player but would have to be overwhelmed. Toronto has indicated to other teams that it is ready to move players who will be free agents at the end of this year, such as pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, catcher Danny Jansen and reliever Yimi Garcia, who may become one of the most sought-after names on this year’s market,” Olney continued.

The MLB trade deadline is set for July 30.

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