Blue Jays Mets
The Blue Jays and Mets: A Tale of Two Franchises in Crisis Baseball’s Toronto Blue Jays and New York Mets entered the 2023 season with soaring expectations and crushing disappointments.
Both franchises, backed by deep-pocketed ownership and star-studded rosters, were poised as playoff contenders.
Yet, as the season unfolded, systemic flaws, managerial missteps, and front-office miscalculations derailed their campaigns.
This investigative piece dissects the parallel struggles of these teams, revealing deeper issues in roster construction, player development, and organizational culture.
Thesis Statement Despite significant financial investments and high-profile acquisitions, the Blue Jays and Mets failed to meet expectations due to flawed roster construction, inconsistent player performance, and leadership instability exposing systemic weaknesses in their organizational strategies.
Roster Construction: A House Built on Sand? The Blue Jays and Mets entered 2023 with aggressive offseasons.
Toronto signed Chris Bassitt and Kevin Kiermaier, banking on veteran stability, while the Mets committed over $400 million to retain Brandon Nimmo, Edwin Díaz, and Justin Verlander.
Yet, both teams suffered from glaring imbalances.
For Toronto, the offense once a powerhouse stagnated.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
and Bo Bichette regressed in key metrics, while the team ranked near the bottom in clutch hitting.
The Mets, meanwhile, relied too heavily on aging stars.
Verlander and Max Scherzer, both over 38, showed decline, and injuries exposed a thin pitching depth.
- The Blue Jays’ wRC+ (weighted runs created) dropped from 113 in 2022 to 105 in 2023 (FanGraphs).
- The Mets’ rotation ERA ballooned from 3.
62 in 2022 to 4.
45 in 2023 (Baseball-Reference).
Critics argue both teams prioritized marquee names over sustainable depth a recurring issue in modern baseball’s win-now culture.
Player Development: The Missing Link While the Mets and Blue Jays spent lavishly in free agency, their farm systems failed to supplement the roster.
Toronto’s top prospect, Ricky Tiedemann, battled injuries, leaving the rotation reliant on underperforming veterans.
The Mets’ once-vaunted system, depleted by trades, produced few impact players.
- The Athletic’s Keith Law ranked Toronto’s farm system 18th in 2023, noting a lack of high-ceiling bats.
- The Mets’ Francisco Álvarez provided hope, but Brett Baty’s struggles underscored developmental gaps.
Unlike Tampa Bay or Houston who consistently integrate young talent these teams leaned on expensive stopgaps, a strategy that backfired.
Leadership Instability: A Revolving Door of Managers and Executives The Mets’ chaotic 2023 saw Buck Showalter fired after one season, replaced by rookie manager Carlos Mendoza.
Toronto’s John Schneider faced scrutiny for questionable bullpen decisions, fueling speculation about his future.
- Former GM Jim Bowden (The Athletic) criticized the Mets’ reactive, not proactive leadership.
- Blue Jays players reportedly questioned Schneider’s in-game tactics (Sportsnet).
Instability trickles down: the Mets’ front office, led by Billy Eppler (who later resigned amid controversy), lacked a coherent vision, while Toronto’s Ross Atkins faced backlash for failing to address lineup deficiencies.
Financial Recklessness or Necessary Gamble? Steve Cohen’s Mets ($355 million payroll) and Rogers Communications’ Blue Jays ($210 million) bet big on short-term success.
Yet, both teams missed the playoffs raising questions about fiscal responsibility.
- Supporters argue that spending is necessary in competitive markets.
- Critics cite the Dodgers’ balanced approach as a better model.
The Mets’ midseason sell-off (trading Verlander and Scherzer) admitted defeat, while Toronto’s refusal to rebuild left them in mediocrity.
Conclusion: A Cautionary Tale for Modern Baseball The Blue Jays and Mets exemplify the perils of over-reliance on free agency without a strong developmental backbone.
Their struggles highlight a broader MLB trend: teams must balance star power with sustainable growth.
As both franchises enter pivotal offseasons, the lesson is clear money alone can’t buy championships.
Without structural reforms, they risk repeating the same mistakes.
In an era where analytics and player development dominate, the Mets and Blue Jays serve as case studies in how not to build a contender.
The road ahead demands humility, patience, and a willingness to change or risk fading further into irrelevance.