TORONTO — In a recent move, the Toronto Blue Jays have secured a significant $2 million allocation in their international signing bonus pool from the Cleveland Guardians. This acquisition is aimed at enhancing their chances to sign Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki. The trade also involves bringing in outfielder Myles Straw, who has not been performing up to expectations.
To balance the financials of the transaction, Cleveland will transfer $3.75 million to Toronto. This amount partially offsets the $14.75 million that Straw is guaranteed over the last two years of his five-year, $25 million contract. In return, the Guardians will receive either a player to be named later or cash.
With the recent trade, Toronto’s international signing pool has increased to $8,261,600. They have yet to sign any players since the new signing window opened on Wednesday, leaving them with the full amount available for pursuing Roki Sasaki.
Sasaki, a talented 23-year-old right-hander, is also on the radar of the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres. He has until Thursday to finalize a deal with a Major League Baseball team. As an international amateur, he may only sign a minor league contract, following the same bonus pool regulations as Latin American prospects.
In contrast to Toronto’s status, the Dodgers hold the 29th position in international signing pools at $5,146,200, just ahead of the Guardians, whose pool sits at $4,908,600 after the trade. Meanwhile, the Padres have a pool amounting to $6,261,000. Despite these opportunities, the Dodgers and Blue Jays have not yet signed any international amateurs, while the Padres have completed three signings, each with bonuses of $10,000, which do not contribute against their pool.
Straw’s contract includes salaries of $6 million for this year and $7 million in 2026, along with a guaranteed $1.75 million buyout associated with a 2027 team option. In a structured deal, Cleveland will remit $1 million in 2024, another $1 million in 2026, and $1.75 million as the 2026 season concludes.
Straw signed a long-term deal in April 2022; however, his performance has been disappointing, with a batting average of just .221, failing to hit any home runs, and gathering only 32 RBIs along with 21 stolen bases that season. In 2023, he managed a slightly better average of .238 but still only recorded one home run, 29 RBIs, and 20 steals. After struggling, Straw was assigned to Triple-A Columbus last April, where he posted a batting average of .240 with three home runs, 47 RBIs, and 30 steals. He was called back up to the Guardians in September, but his time on the field resulted in just one hit in four at-bats over seven games.
