It was a fairly disappointing offseason for the Toronto Blue Jays. They were linked to Shohei Ohtani until the very end before the two-way phenom signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. They recently watched third baseman Matt Chapman leave in free agency and sign with the San Francisco Giants.
The Blue Jays were able to make some big moves though, such as signing veteran Justin Turner. Toronto is looking to make a playoff push once again during the '24 campaign. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, and Kevin Gausman will lead the charge, but there are two players on this team who can make a pivotal impact.
Without further ado, here are two Blue Jays bold predictions for the upcoming 2024 season.
Justin Turner makes All-Star team
Turner, 39, signed with Toronto after spending the 2023 season with the Boston Red Sox. The signing wasn't exactly a huge move, but it gave Toronto a veteran leader.
However, Turner offers more than just veteran leadership. This is a player who quietly enjoyed a strong season in Boston. The two-time All-Star slashed .276/.345/.455/.800 and added 23 home runs and 31 doubles.
Turner is listed as Toronto's DH on the depth chart, via MLB.com. With Ohtani now in the National League, making the All-Star team as a DH will be much more realistic in the American League.
Turner should fit well in this talented Blue Jays lineup. He should receive no shortage of good pitches to hit with opponents set to focus on Guerrero and Bichette. As a result, Turner could produce even better numbers than his 2023 season, which may just lead to his third career All-Star selection.
Alek Manoah bounces back, earns Cy Young consideration
Manoah had a down 2023 season without question. He entered the campaign with lofty expectations but struggled mightily. Manoah finished the season with a 5.87 ERA across 87.1 innings pitched.
However, Manoah finished third in American League Cy Young voting in 2022 after finishing the year with a 2.24 ERA. He still features the ceiling of one of MLB's better pitchers.
Reports have suggested that Manoah looks good in spring training so far, and he's far too talented of a pitcher to struggle like he did in 2023. Look for Alek Manoah to reestablish himself as an All-Star in 2024.
Follow Us
Subscribe