The Toronto Blue Jays made a significant move on Friday by acquiring struggling outfielder Myles Straw along with $2 million in international signing bonus pool allocation from the Cleveland Guardians. This strategic trade aimed to enhance their roster just as the team sought to bolster its prospects for signing Roki Sasaki, a highly sought-after pitcher from Japan. However, shortly after the deal was announced, Sasaki took to Instagram to declare his commitment to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the reigning World Series champions, leaving the Blue Jays empty-handed in that pursuit.
In the details of the trade, Cleveland will be transferring $3.75 million to Toronto, which will help alleviate part of the financial burden associated with Straw’s existing contract. He is guaranteed $14.75 million over the last two years of a five-year deal worth $25 million. In return, the Guardians will either receive a player to be named later or cash considerations.
With the transaction, Toronto’s international signing pool has increased to $8,261,600, a move that seemed promising given that they had not yet signed any international players since the opening of the signing period on Wednesday, making the entire pool available for Sasaki. Unfortunately for the Blue Jays, the talented 23-year-old right-hander opted to turn down offers from them as well as the San Diego Padres, the other team in contention for his signing.
Sasaki had until the following Thursday to finalize a deal with a Major League Baseball franchise. Under MLB rules, he is classified as an international amateur and is thus limited to signing minor league contracts, which are governed by the same bonus pools that apply to Latin American players.
Interestingly, the Dodgers ranked near the bottom of the international signing pool at 29th, totaling $5,146,200, a figure that had increased following the trade with Cleveland, which left them with only $4,908,600. San Diego’s pool was noted to be slightly higher at $6,261,000. Despite these circumstances, the Dodgers and Blue Jays had not yet engaged in signing any international amateurs, while the Padres had only inked three players for minimal bonuses that do not count against the pool.
Regarding Myles Straw’s contract, he will earn $6 million in the current year, rising to $7 million in 2026, with a $1.75 million buyout available for a team option in 2027. Cleveland’s payment schedule to Toronto includes $1 million for this year, another $1 million in 2026, and $1.75 million to wrap up the financial transition at the end of 2026.
Straw’s performance had been less than stellar, as he recorded a batting average of just .221, hit no home runs, collected 32 RBIs, and stole 21 bases in 2022. His follow-up season in 2023 was only marginally better, with a .238 average, one home run, 29 RBIs, and 20 steals. After a rough start, he was assigned to Triple-A Columbus last April, where he posted a .240 average, three home runs, 47 RBIs, and 30 stolen bases. Following his brief stint in Triple-A, he was called back up in September but managed to achieve only one hit in four at-bats across seven games.
