Yanks Go Yard Radio Show Rewind: 2016 Toronto Blue Jays Preview

On this episode of the YGY Radio show, we looked at the reigning AL East champions, the Toronto Blue Jays

On this week’s episode of the Yanks Go Yard Radio Show, we continued our look at the State Of The AL East, a series in which we will preview the 2016 season for the other teams in the division. On our most recent episode, we took a look at last year’s division champions, the Toronto Blue Jays.

More from Yanks Go Yard

• MLB Network Radio host thinks Yankees should shell out for Dansby Swanson
• Guy who caught Aaron Judge record HR ball cost himself tons of money in auction
• Did Yankees fans bully Hal Steinbrenner into signing Aaron Judge, Carlos Rodón?
• Andrew Benintendi-White Sox deal proves Yankees were right to prioritize Carlos Rodón
• Twins already bailing on Gary Sánchez emphasizes Yankees’ trade failure

The Blue Jays were one of the surprises in baseball last year as they made it to the postseason for the first time since 1993. After acquiring ace pitcher David Price and shortstop Troy Tulowitzki in midseason deals, Toronto was one of the best teams in baseball. In the second half of the year, the Blue Jays were 48-23 and they ended up running away with the AL East. They would eventually make it to the ALCS and lose to the eventual champion Kansas City Royals in six games.

As for what has happened this past offseason, the Blue Jays have a new general manager in Ross Atkins and a new president in Mark Shapiro. Price is now the ace in Boston, but the Blue Jays did add starting pitching by re-signing Marco Estrada, signing J.A. Happ to a three-year deal and trading for A’s pitcher Jesse Chavez. Plus, they added to their bullpen by trading outfielder Ben Revere to the Washington Nationals for Drew Storen.

More from Yankees News

• Guy who caught Aaron Judge record HR ball cost himself tons of money in auction
• Did Yankees fans bully Hal Steinbrenner into signing Aaron Judge, Carlos Rodón?
• Andrew Benintendi-White Sox deal proves Yankees were right to prioritize Carlos Rodón
• Twins already bailing on Gary Sánchez emphasizes Yankees’ trade failure
• New Yankees No. 2 Carlos Rodón hates Astros, dominates them

To talk more about Toronto’s offseason, I spoke with Keegan Matheson, the editor of Jays Journal. Keegan and I talked about whether or not Marcus Stroman can be the ace that the Blue Jays need after losing Price and what the expectations are for Aaron Sanchez as he goes from a reliever to a starter this season.

One issue that I really wanted to ask Keegan about was the open competition that is going on for the closer job. I asked him about who he thought would be the closer on Opening Day and if it was a surprise that the team would acquire Storen to have him compete with 21-year-old Roberto Osuna for the closer role.

After discussing some of the prospects to watch this season in the Toronto system, Keegan and I talked about some of the position battles he is watching this spring, the likelihood of Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion re-signing with the Blue Jays this season, predicting a win total, and I got Keegan’s reaction to the comments about Bautista said by Goose Gossage in an interview with ESPN last Thursday.

Next: Judge, Lindgren In First Round Of Yankee Cuts

Tune in Thursday night at 9 PM ET as we continue the State Of The AL East series by looking at the Boston Red Sox with the help of Drew Peabody from BoSox Injection.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE YANKS GO YARD RADIO SHOW!!!