Blue Jays Brass reflects on Fall Classic loss and what comes next

World Series loss remains an open wound as roster decisions loom

Early Thursday afternoon at a Rogers Centre press briefing, in the wake of what had been a dramatic and internationally historic World Series Game 7 loss to the Dodgers, the Blue Jays braintrust spoke. The Game 7 loss, hailed as one of the great games in Fall Classic history, remains a sleep-depriving open wound for Jays president Mark Shapiro, even five days later. The Blue Jays front office duo held an annual end-of-season availability on clubhouse level, deep in the bowels of a quiet stadium.

Memories of the 5-4, 11-inning loss in Game 7 remain pervasive, not just with the two Jays decision makers, but across Canada. It was less than a one-minute walk to the spot in left field where Will Smith’s 11^th inning blast off Shane Bieber sailed over the fence, ending an unlikely dream of the Jays first Fall Classic win since 1993. In fact, Shapiro, batting leadoff at the podium on this day, admitted he had not even been emotionally able to look at the field since he walked away on Saturday night.

One clear takeaway from the 90-minute media session, with Shapiro as leadoff hitter at the mic, followed a half hour later by GM Ross Atkins, is, with regard to these two and their forever negative profiles, is that there seems a breakthrough of sorts, in the perception of media and fans towards the reviled front office team. There was not a single mention by any of the assembled media about their Cleveland background. Nary a sideways glance, a smirk or a sarcastic question, followed by a knowing smile that had always seemed a built-in part of this day from year to year.

In fact, it remained to Shapiro, himself, to bring up ghosts of Cleveland past. He was asked what may have taken him aback about this particular World Series loss. He said what took him back was more on his mind than what took him aback.

Shapiro recounted his previous experience as Cleveland’s farm director in 1997, when the Indians also lost a Game 7 of the World Series in 11 innings, this time to the Marlins. In that case it was closer Jose Mesa who blew the save in the ninth and it was an error by second-baseman Tony Fernandez with one out in the 11^th that set up the walkoff hit by Edgar Renteria. Other than that one Shapiro mention, Cleveland on this day remained just a rust-belt city on the shores of Lake Erie. That unimaginative fall-back criticism has followed the Jays’ duo since replacing Alex Anthopoulos in 2016.

Shapiro, before the first question in his regular Q&A with media, took the opportunity to deliver an emotional eight-minute monologue, with very few, if any, written notes. He spoke of his deep ties to this team, to this organization, this fanbase, this city and this country. A career MLB executive, who grew up as the son of a top player-agent began by describing his love of baseball and how he was affected by mid-October moments in Toronto, spent out at a park with his family and the family dog, before heading to Seattle, after losing Game 2 of the LCS to the Mariners. Shapiro spoke of his reaction to that experience from that point, leading to his realization of what this post-season journey meant to a country, with it growing as the WS roll accelerated.

“It was what people (I encountered and who emailed) recognized about this team,” Shapiro said. “Because, I can tell you, having been involved with winning teams, or having friends that work in a variety of sports, fans cheer winning, regardless of who’s on the field. Everybody likes to win.

“But when you hear everyone uniformly pointing out the same attributes and characteristics, traits that we work so hard as an organization to instill. When they notice how authentically a group of teammates love and care for each other. When they notice how genuinely those players want for the fans to win. Genuinely and deeply for the fans to win. When (fans) recognize their toughness.

“It’s tough to have your backs against the wall. This is a group that almost savoured having its back against the wall. They notice that toughness, that grit, that resilience, that determination and ultimately what it meant to be a teammate. It wasn’t just that the team won, it’s how they won. It was what they stood for as they did it.”

Bo Bichette and Free agency

Shapiro was asked about any negotiations with Bo Bichette, now a free agent. Why had there been no progress. Was there a plan to wait and come in later? They should have some sort of home field advantage, after six-plus years with the Blue Jays, since making his debut in Kansas City back at the trade deadline in 2019. After all, he and Vlad Guerrero Jr. have been together as Blue Jays prospects, rookies and now stars for the last 10 years. There is a natural friendship, a bond, but that does not mean a hometown discount just to stay with Vlad. In pro sports, money speaks at the highest volumes. Bo has waited this long for free agency he will not sign a deal with the Jays without a full exploration of the free-agent market to determine his worth.

The Jays, on the other hand, have a better understanding of what they are willing to spend on Bichette, a hits-machine, with limited defensive metrics. They probably have a better idea of his value on the open market than do Bo and his representatives. It will likely end up, according to early projections, being something like eight years, between $200-220 million. The Jays can afford that, but would be smart to shrug shoulders and let the early market play itself out before entering with their best.

“There’s no shoulder shrug when it comes to players like Bo,” Shapiro bristled. “We’re just starting to put together an off-season plan and that (Bo negotiation) will be part of an off-season plan. That’s something that when Ross is ready, he will address.”

That leads to the elephant-in-the-room question for the Blue Jays and how they might handle a delicate situation with Bichette, who has been a shortstop since high school but may need to change. Clearly, the Jays have a real love of run prevention. That leads to Bo and his role. Fans clearly saw the Jays and noticed their late-season run with Andres Gimenez at shortstop. Gimenez is signed for four more years at $86.3M. Then they saw that when Bo gallantly came back and was added to the World Series lineup, it was his idea to do anything they wanted and that included being DH or even playing second base. The bottom line is Jays now realize that they are a better defensive team with Bo at second and Gimenez at short.

It would seem, then, that for Bichette to be comfortable re-signing, the Jays would need to match whatever elevated term and AAV may have been offered elsewhere, and then perhaps would need to add another year. He would also need to agree to a Marcus Semien role change, bringing his superior offence to the right side of the diamond as a second baseman. That would give the Jays (and Bo) the best chance to return to the Fall Classic, moving forward. That will likely not happen and Bo will likely go where he can play shortstop, but the Jays must take their best shot under that scenario. If he chooses to leave, they have versatility where they can look to spend that money they allocated for Bo elsewhere — second, third, or corner outfield.

“We’ll see,” Atkins responded when asked about suggesting a position change to Bo. “The great thing about our current alignment is we have flexibility, beyond how it impacts Bo. We have multiple players who can play multiple positions and that’s a good starting point.”

Free agency and Shane Bieber’s $16M player option

The first significant roster move announced by the club came, in a news release, hours before Thursday’s availability, accompanied by other, minor, 40-man roster moves. Righthander Shane Bieber quite surprisingly, if viewed as a stand-alone, chose to opt in on a $16-million player option, he had brought with him from Cleveland.

The decision was shocking in that the player-option had included a $4M buyout, meaning that if the 2020 Cy Young winner had chosen to become a free-agent, he would have been able to obtain more term, maybe up to a three-year deal, and more dollars. He could add that $4M buyout to any money he would have made with another team. A logical conclusion is that the Jays are trying to lock the 28-year-old up for three-plus years, or that he wanted to stay with a one-year contract and try and prove that he is whole again, then try again as a free agent after 2026. He loved the Blue Jays clubhouse and may want to run it back for a full season.

“The conversations were pretty straight forward with us,” Atkins said of Bieber, easily skating figure-8’s around the question of continuing long-term negotiations. “It was the decision to stay here which was a positive outcome for us., Shane was more than we could possibly have hoped for. On a key stretch coming off that (Tommy John) procedure (early in 2024), it was truly remarkable what he accomplished. Speaking to his decision, I don’t want to do (any details), but we’re really glad that he made it.”

Rotation and 2026 pitching staff

In a rotation that all of a sudden looks far deeper and more reliable, Bieber joins Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage and a healthy Jose Berrios giving the Blue Jays a Top 4 that will earn $58.5M. The final spot, if spring training started tomorrow, would be competed for between Eric Lauer and Louis Varland.

It seems obvious listening to Atkins speak that there will be a tremendous effort made to add at least one, perhaps two legitimate starters in the off-season, either via free agency, the international player market, or a trade.

The bullpen, like Achilles following his heel surgery, will need the most rebuild and re-thinking. Atkins left the door open to the question of whether Jeff Hoffman will automatically return in the role of closer. He said he had already spoken to Hoffman about that. If so, the Jays did not waste any time since the series only ended last Saturday. The former Jays draft pick will be earning $12.7M in 2026.

The early eight-man bullpen core might include Hoffman, Yimi Garcia ($7.5M), Yariel Rodriguez ($7.0M) Nick Sandlin (Arb), Mason Fluharty, either Lauer or Varland and two more. Brendon Little’s status is up in the air. A dark horse name to remember is 2024 Rule 5 selection, RHP Angel Bastardo, injured for all of 2025. He boasts a good fastball and great changeup. Rules state he will need three months on the Jays 2026 active roster or else be offered back to the Red Sox.

International World Series Implications

Early broadcast indicators, if you include Japan, Canada and the U.S.A., are that this was the most watched World Series, internationally, since 2017 between the Astros and Dodgers and the best Game 7 ratings since 1991 when Jack Morris and the Twins beat John Smoltz and the Braves. That could have tremendous implications for the Jays on the Pacific Rim and the Asian free-agent market, giving Toronto a recognizable profile in recruiting the next generation of Japanese and Korean stars.

Up until now, the Jays have been perceived as perennial bridesmaids in their pursuit of Japanese stars. Earnest and sincere, just not making the cut. As examples, think Yu Darvish, Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki and others.

After what amounted to a 10-day World Series infomercial on what it might be like playing MLB in Canada, there seems no downside for the Blue Jays when it comes to dreaming of a gameplan in pursuing their next Asian free agent target. This winter there are several position players and a couple of desirable pitchers that will likely be made available by their Japanese teams. Could the Jays be suitors?

“That’s hard to say,” Atkins said of the first truly International World Series, with its record viewing numbers making inroads in the Asian market. “I think (Toronto is) an attractive destination for the background. It just happens to be six hours further (from their homes). I think not quite as heavily populated (with particularly Japanese) as the west coast of the United States. But I don’t think it’s going to hurt.”

Other Contract news

And finally, some internal, non-player, contract news. Shapiro’s contract is expiring this year. He and the Rogers group had agreed to postpone details and any announcement of what is a slam dunk, until after the Series. The option year for manager John Schneider was already picked up for 2026 and they are working on an extension that could be affected by Schneider’s finish in the AL Manager of the Year announcement, in which the skipper is one of three finalists.

As for bench Coach Don Mattingly, he is stepping away from the Blue Jays dugout where he has been at Schneider’s side, in various roles, since 2023. He said it was for more timne with family, but is expected to hook on with another MLB team. The rest of the coaching staff, according to Atkins, has been invited to return.

Stay tuned. It should be an interesting off-season for the American League champions.