I’d like to briefly discuss some potential free agents that the Toronto Blue Jays could sign.

The following players could make an impact with the team:

Ervin Santana.  Santana is an All-Star pitcher who threw a no hitter in 2011.  He is an eight year major league veteran, playing with the Los Angeles Angels (2005-2012), and the Kansas City Royals (2013.)  He has a career record of 105–90, with 1,328 strikeouts and an E.R.A. of 4.19

Ubaldo Jiménez García.  García is a seven year MLB veteran with a career record of 92-75.  He has 1,172 strikeouts and a 3.92 E.R.A.  He has played for the Colorado Rockies and the Cleveland Indians.  García pitched a no-hitter in 2010.

Matt Garza.  Garza is a seven year veteren, playing with the Minnesota Twins, Tampa Bay Rays, Chicago Cubs, and Texas Rangers.  Garza has post season experience and was elected the M.V.P. of the American League Championship Series (A.L.C.S.) in 2008.  He also has pitched a no-hitter in 2010 and has a record of 67–67 with 1,001 strikeouts, and a 3.84 E.R.A.

Bronson Anthony Arroyo.  Arroyo is a 14 year veteran having played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Red Sox, and Cincinnati Reds.  He has a record of 138–127 with 1,479 strikeouts, and a 4.19 E.R.A.  Arroyo won the World Series in 2004 with the Red Sox, and a Gold Glove award in 2010 with the Reds.

Masahiro Tanaka.  Tanaka would require the Blue Jays to pay his current team, the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in Japan, in order to sign him.  However, it would be worth the money as reports indicate that he is a great pitcher, and has a record 99–35 with 1,238 strikeouts, and a 2.30 E.R.A. in five years.

Nelson Cruz.  Cruz is a potential designated hitter for the Blue Jays as well as a back up outfielder.  He has a .268 batting average, 774 hits (including 157 home runs), and 489 R.B.I.  He set records in 2011 for the most home runs (six) and runs batted in (13) in the 2011 A.L.C.S. enroute to the the A.L.C.S. M.V.P.

Kendrys Morales.  Morales is a D.H. and first baseman.  He is a switch hitter with a career .280 batting average, 102 homeruns, and 345 R.B.I.

John Buck.  Buck previously played for the Blue Jays in 2010, and has a .234 average, with 824 hits (including 133 homeruns), and 485 R.B.I. in nine years.

The Blue Jays need starting pitching. Some of the pitchers available, including Arroyo and Tanaka, could help the Jays to win games next year.

The Blue Jays need a solid catcher, and could have gone after A.J. Pierzynski.  However, Pierzynski signed with the Red Sox.  John Buck, a proven starting catcher, is available and could help the Blue Jays but not as much as I would have expected Pierzynski to have done.  The Blue Jays could also use either a first baseman or D.H. as well.  Adam Lind has shown signs of a chronic back issue in the past and as such the Blue Jays could do with someone who could play first base, or move Edwin Encarnación to first and sign a D.H.

It will be interesting to see what moves the Blue jays make.   But they certainly do have have to make some changes if they truly want to make some improvements.  We will certainly have to wait an see.