The Blue Jays have moved on from Myles Straw, declining their $8 million club option on the outfielder and sending him into free agency.
Straw will still collect a $1.75 million buyout, and the Guardians are on the hook for that payment as part of the 2025 trade that brought him to Toronto. The Jays also handled a batch of roster housekeeping as they prepared their 40-man roster, reinstating José Berríos, Jake Bloss, Bowden Francis, Cody Ponce, Addison Barger, Anthony Santander and Jonatan Clase from the 60-day injured list.
Toronto did not formally announce an option call on Berríos, but the expectation is that he did not opt out of the final two years of his contract. The club also outrighted right-hander CJ Van Eyk off the 40-man roster and noted that outfielder Rudy Martin Jr. elected free agency after being outrighted last week.
Straw’s time in Toronto covered the last two seasons, and the move for him originally came out of a salary-dump deal. The Guardians included international bonus pool space so the Blue Jays could make a stronger run at Roki Sasaki.
That plan didn’t pay off when Sasaki chose the Dodgers, but Straw ended up giving Toronto useful value as a depth outfielder. In 2025, he hit .262/.313/.367 and drew strong defensive marks for a pennant-winning club.
This season was quieter at the plate, though he still filled the role of a dependable fifth outfielder and was viewed as a strong clubhouse presence.
His offense opened the 2026 season on a decent note. Through the end of April, Straw was batting .277/.327/.383, and if that level had held, Toronto might have had a tougher call on the option.
Instead, his bat faded in the middle of the summer. He finished with a .241/.304/.342 line in 330 plate appearances, even after a late rebound over the final two months.
What Straw still brings is obvious: speed, defense and the ability to handle all three outfield spots. At age 32, he should find a big league deal somewhere, just not at the $8 million price tag Toronto was facing. A return to the Blue Jays is still possible, and clubs such as the Yankees, Royals, Reds, Giants, Phillies and even one of his former teams in Houston could make sense for a glove-first center fielder.
Van Eyk’s removal from the roster also trimmed Toronto’s count to 37. The 28-year-old right-hander, a former second-round pick, made his major league debut in July.
He started one game and worked out of the bullpen four times, giving up eight runs, seven earned, over 11 2/3 innings. Most of his season came at Triple-A Buffalo, where he posted a 4.02 ERA with solid control and a 16.4% strikeout rate across 112 innings.
Because he has played parts of seven minor league seasons, he can now elect minor league free agency after coming off the 40-man roster.
In Other News...
Blue Jays Fans Just Turned Hazel Mae Into A Halloween Icon
Halloween in Toronto had a distinctly Blue Jays flavor this year, and one of the most recognizable faces around the club was right in the middle of it. Fans dressed up as Sportsnet on-field reporter Hazel Mae, leaning into her signature red pantsuit and even carrying a Sportsnet microphone, a tribute that fit neatly alongside other costumes inspired by players and memorable game moments.
Mae noticed the attention and shared photos of the fan getups on her social media, adding her own response to the unexpected honor. It was the kind of playful, very baseball-specific nod that says as much about how closely Blue Jays fans follow the team as it does about the people who cover it, and it left one funny little question hanging in the air about just how far the tribute really goes. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Have A Real Opening In This High Stakes Free Agent Chase
The Blue Jays head into the offseason with more than $80 million in payroll space, and that kind of flexibility usually puts them in the middle of just about every meaningful free-agent conversation. Toronto is expected to be active, and one name that fits both the clubs need and its appetite for impact is Tarik Skubal, a pitcher whose recent run of strong performance has made him one of the more intriguing arms on the market.
There is also a small but notable connection already in place. Skubal has been training this offseason with Bowden Francis, giving the Blue Jays a little extra familiarity in a chase that figures to draw plenty of attention. Francis remains on the comeback trail from Tommy John surgery, with a return not expected until 2027, so Torontos pitching picture is still very much in flux as the front office weighs how aggressively to pursue a high-end addition. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Could Find Rotation Value In A Risky Familiar Name
Nick Pivetta is suddenly on the market, and that alone makes him a name worth circling for a Blue Jays club that could use more rotation certainty. The right-hander still showed strong performance metrics when he was on the mound, which is why his profile remains interesting even after a season interrupted by health issues.
For Toronto, the appeal is obvious if the medicals check out. The Jays need innings and upside, and Pivetta could fit as the kind of lower-cost gamble that sometimes pays off in a pitching market where proven arms are rarely cheap. The question now is whether a team looking for value can feel comfortable enough to move quickly. [Read more 🡒]