The Toronto Blue Jays got here agonizingly near a World Collection title this season. Toronto was up three video games to 2 over the Los Angeles Dodgers. After dropping Recreation 6, the Blue Jays had a wholesome lead within the deciding Recreation 7. The Dodgers tied issues up with one out within the prime of the ninth inning. The Blue Jays had the bases loaded with one out and had been in regards to the width of a cleat away from profitable within the backside of the ninth.
As an alternative, the Dodgers capitalized with a house run within the eleventh. Regardless of runners on first and third within the backside half of the inning, the Blue Jays grounded right into a double play. The Dodgers acquired to have fun on Toronto’s house area.
Sorry for rehashing that, Blue Jays followers. However there’s excellent news in that this offseason is beginning off with an enormous transfer: Toronto and star pitcher Dylan Stop agreed to a seven-year, $210 million contract. It is the fifth-largest contract for a pitcher in MLB historical past.
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Solely World Collection MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto ($325 million), Gerrit Cole ($324 million), Stephen Strasburg ($245 million), and Max Fried ($218 million) have bigger total-value contracts amongst pitchers.
Stop turns 30 in December and has been a strong starter for a lot of his profession. Over the previous 5 years, his wins above alternative is fourth amongst pitchers. He completed within the prime 5 in Cy Younger voting in each 2022 (second) and 2024 (fourth).
The Padres provided a qualifying provide price $22.025 million for the upcoming season. Nevertheless, Stop turned that down in hopes of a bigger deal—and he acquired it. The $30 million per yr is a wholesome elevate over the Padres’ provide, and the long-term safety of the contract can pay Stop all through most of his 30s.
For the reason that World Collection, Blue Jays followers have alternated between questioning what may need been and what’s but to return. This signing will not assist overcome this yr’s grief, but it surely ought to construct much more pleasure for subsequent yr.
