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With Edwin Diaz off the board, what do the Blue Jays do now?
The hits keep coming for the Toronto Blue Jays. Toronto was hit with the biggest disappointment an athlete can face with falling short of MLB‘s ultimate prize – a Game 7 World Series defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Jeff Hoffman’s blown save has increased speculation that the Blue Jays are in on the closer reliever market. Edwin Diaz, Pete Fairbanks, and Robert Suarez are just three names that have been tied to Toronto.
On the heels of getting bad news on the Bo Bichette situation that could spell the end of his tenure with the team, they are handed bad news on the closer front.
In the middle of the Winter Meetings in Florida, the Dodgers announced a new signing. Will Sammon was the first to report that Diaz and the Dodgers have agreed to a $69 million, three-year contract. While it may seem like the Blue Jays dodged (pun intended) a bullet by avoiding that large payday, it presents different issues for the team.
Now that the NL Reliever of the Year is off the market, the Blue Jays turn their attention elsewhere. Unfortunately, that’s where the problems begin.
Toronto Blue Jays Face Steep Competition For Robert Suarez
While Diaz is off the market, another top closer is still available. Suarez has been recently linked to the Blue Jays.
Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith reported Toronto’s interest in addition to a couple of other teams.
“They’ve been showing some interest in Robert Suarez, the top free-agent reliever not named Edwin Diaz, but it’s too soon to say whether there’s meaningful traction on that front,” Nicholson-Smith reported on December 8th. “For now, include the Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers, and New York Mets in a group of teams at least monitoring Diaz, Suarez, and the high-end relief market.”
With the Dodgers off the board with their big commitment to Diaz, that leaves the Blue Jays to contend with the New York Mets for Suarez. One source reports that the Mets are turning to Suarez now that they failed to re-sign Diaz.
“Sources: #Mets have shifted their focus to closer Robert Suárez,” the user MoccBomb reported on X on December 9th, 2025.
Because the Mets lost out on Diaz, it’s reasonable to think that they will pursue Suarez with the same fervor they chased Diaz.
After Edwin Diaz & Robert Suarez, Who Can the Blue Jays Turn To?
The worst-case scenario from this situation would be the Blue Jays striking out on Diaz AND Suarez. If that scenario comes to pass, do the Blue Jays have any other options to explore?
The Blue Jays have been linked to Fairbanks in the past. However, his Raynaud’s syndrome will significantly affect his effectiveness once October begins. That should pause Toronto’s pursuit of him.
One veteran closer they could turn to is Kenley Jansen. They may be in the latter years of his career, but the 38-year-old recorded 29 saves in 2025. He is 24 saves shy of the 500 career saves milestone.
Last year, he joined the Los Angeles Angels on a one-year deal worth $10 million. According to Spotrac, Jansen is currently worth $13.7 million on the market.
Brad Keller is another option to explore. A career starter, he joined the Chicago Cubs bullpen and enjoyed a career year as a result. Kyle Finnegan is another veteran option who collected 24 saves in 2025 between the Detroit Tigers and Washington Nationals.
If the Blue Jays lose Suarez to the Mets, they will need to shop for the best bargain. Additionally, that bargain will need to have the experience or upside to challenge Hoffman for the closer position.
Caleb Kerney Caleb covers the NHL for Heavy.com. He has covered professional hockey since 2022, including bylines at Dobber Prospects, The Hockey Writers, and The Hockey News. More about Caleb Kerney
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