TORONTO — Building a deep, strong MLB roster can be an act of pessimism.
While optimism is what we hear publicly, kicking into overdrive in the warm glow of Spring Training, good front offices obsess over what could go wrong and how they can stay one step ahead of that.
“If ____ happens, are we covered?”
Look at the Blue Jays’ bullpen in 2024. When things went wrong, the team wasn’t covered, and it turned into a long, painful season for that group. Adding at least two legitimate relievers is atop the Blue Jays’ list this offseason, but Toronto’s rotation is in the same spot it’s been for a few seasons now.
The starting five look strong, but beyond that, there’s reason to worry … which means there’s reason to act.
Toronto’s veteran rotation — led by Kevin Gausman, José Berríos and Chris Bassitt — has been dominant at times. Even when this group isn’t at its best, it is still plenty reliable, an incredible luxury that few other organizations have. Most important of all, this group has been healthy. There’s more than luck involved here, particularly among the three veterans who have made durability an art form, but the Blue Jays are long overdue for a season where they’re nine or 10 starters deep.
This is why, even though the rotation doesn’t look like the Blue Jays’ most glaring need, the club has already begun to target that market.
Source: https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/