The Winter Meetings have come and gone, and aside from a Rule 5 pick, the Toronto Blue Jays roster remains unchanged. The Jays addressed their offseason priority ahead of the meetings by signing starting pitchers Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce. In Orlando, they laid the groundwork for future moves.
“I think we crossed off the most pressing thing in addressing the rotation,” Jays assistant GM Mike Murov said. “Beyond that, we’re engaged on a lot of things. It’s nice to be in a position where key players actually want to talk to you and are optimistic about the direction of the organization. So that’s opened a lot of conversations.”
Here are some final Blue Jays notes coming out of the meetings, including free-agent bullpen options, Andrés Giménez’s future position and the team’s selection in the Rule 5 draft:
Lots of options left in the relief market
If the Jays keep plugging obvious holes, their next move may be signing a leverage reliever. Toronto is essentially looking to upgrade the role Seranthony Domínguez filled after the trade deadline last year. Even with Yimi García returning from injury and Louis Varland set to stay in the bullpen, Toronto seeks one late-inning weapon to pitch in big spots, potentially the ninth inning.
The Jays have already watched many late-game options come off the board, with Edwin Díaz, Kyle Finnegan and Gregory Soto the latest late-inning relievers to sign. However, the bullpen market is pretty deep this winter. Even beyond the top remaining free-agent reliever, Robert Suárez, there are plenty of pitchers left who fit Toronto’s need: Brad Keller, Luke Weaver, Tyler Rogers and Pete Fairbanks are a few. It’s likely the Jays sign at least one pitcher from this tier. They’re competing with teams such as the Miami Marlins, New York Mets and New York Yankees in the leverage relief market.
Giménez staying ready for shortstop
Giménez’s defensive position for 2026 is still undecided.
The status of Bo Bichette, who could return to Toronto as a second baseman or shortstop, is the clear holdup. As the Jays wait on Bichette and other top free agents to sign, Giménez is preparing to play whatever middle infield position the Jays require, general manager Ross Atkins said.
“He’s preparing as if he could play both,” Atkins said. “Which means, from a mindset standpoint, he’s thinking more about shortstop at this point. But we’re going to stay in touch with him on a weekly basis.”
With just 15 regular-season games at shortstop in the last three seasons, more of Giménez’s offseason work is being dedicated to shortstop, for now. And with three Gold Gloves and a Platinum Glove at second base, the 27-year-old doesn’t need much practice at his regular position, second base. He even graded out as a positive defender at shortstop in that brief sample late last year, per Statcast, so it’s clear Giménez could take his elite defence to short if the Jays require. However, until Bichette signs in Toronto or elsewhere, Giménez’s 2026 position won’t be finalized.
Jays add upside righty in Rule 5 draft
Spencer Miles logged just 16 innings over the last three minor-league seasons, but the Jays took a shot on him in the Rule 5 draft, selecting him from the San Francisco Giants’ minors.
The right-hander, who possesses a power sinker in the upper 90s, missed significant time due to a back injury and Tommy John surgery over the last few years. Returning late last year in the Arizona Fall League, Miles touched 98.4 mph and struck out 12 batters in 8 ⅔ innings. The Jays, Murov said, liked what they saw.
“Relative to most of the players that you talk about in this process,” Murov said, “who have floated up through the mid- and upper-minors, he has not accomplished that, but we think there’s a chance that he comes in and really clicks with the weapons he has.”
The 25-year-old right-handed pitcher will have an opportunity to crack the Blue Jays bullpen, Murov said. There’s no guarantee he makes the Jays roster, but Toronto thinks he has a shot.
“If he’s able to post on a consistent basis,” Murov said, “and keep the command and keep the stuff, then he’s a useful pitcher on any team. So we are hopeful that we see that version of him, and if we do, it’s gonna be easy to keep him.”
Like all Rule 5 picks, Miles must stay on the Blue Jays’ 26-man big-league roster all season or be returned to the team he was selected from.
The Jays didn’t lose any players in the major-league portion of the Rule 5 draft, though some viewed 23-year-old outfield prospect Yohendrick Pinango as a potential selection for other clubs.
“Selfishly,” Murov said of Pinango, “it’s nice to be able to keep players that we view as very talented, which we think he is.”
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