<p>It&#8217;s been over two months since major league free agency opened, and there still remain several intriguing players available. Unlike say, NFL free agency, where players seem to ink deals with teams within a few-day span, the MLB offseason can be more of a slow burn.  The Blue Jays remain in play for the most intriguing name remaining, prized Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki. Other players like Alex Bregman, Anthony Santander, and Pete Alonso represent significant additions for teams looking to improve their offense. There were twenty Canadian players in the majors last season, several of which have already been on the move this offseason. Longtime left-handed starter James Paxton retired, Josh Naylor was traded to the Diamondbacks, and a trio of pitchers have signed free-agent deals (Jordan Romano with the Phillies, Mike Soroka with the Nationals, and Zach Pop with the Blue Jays). One Canadian was able to truly cash in during free agency, as Tyler O&#8217;Neill inked a three-year, $49.5 million deal with the Orioles which included multiple opt-outs.</p>
<p>Let&#8217;s take a look at three Canadians who remain unsigned, all of whom should be able to help a major league team next season.</p>
<h2><strong>Nick Pivetta &#8211; RHP</strong></h2>
<p>The Victoria, British Columbia-born Pivetta has a chance to surpass the deal that O&#8217;Neill signed, as he represents one of the best-starting pitchers remaining. The six-foot-five right-hander has an interesting pitching profile, with his high strikeout and low walk numbers indicating that he should be better than his numbers indicate. His FIP has been lower than his ERA in seven of his eight big league seasons. The reason for Pivetta&#8217;s struggles has been the long ball. Among pitchers with 140 innings pitched last season, his 1.73 HR/9 was the highest in the major leagues. Moving away from playing his home games at Fenway Park should help this figure come down, but the reality is that he&#8217;s a fly ball pitcher who will likely always give up some home runs. https://twitter.com/PitchingNinja/status/1773907879726047413 The strikeout stuff and relative consistency over his career will likely net him a three-year deal in the $50 million range. The Toronto Blue Jays and Atlanta Braves have been rumoured to be interested in the 32-year-old&#8217;s services, with both teams&#8217; interest hinging on whether they&#8217;d be willing to <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/how-qo-penalties-might-impact-blue-jays-interest-in-nick-pivetta">give up a draft pick</a> or not.</p>
<h2><strong>Cal Quantrill &#8211; RHP</strong></h2>
<p>Quantrill&#8217;s stock may be at an all-time low this offseason. He struggled mightily with the Rockies in 2024, holding a 4.98 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, and 6.7 K/9, while leading the majors in walks with 69. Rockies pitching statistics need to be taken with a grain of salt, but the reality is that the Port Hope, Ontario native&#8217;s numbers weren&#8217;t much different while pitching on the road. Last month, I wrote about how Quantrill may be a <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/news-and-notes-second-baseman-hyeseong-kim-set-to-be-posted-after-american-thanksgiving">good fit to convert to a relief pitcher</a>, like his father Paul was for the better part of 14 major league seasons. The soon-to-be 30-year-old was last used primarily out of the bullpen back in 2020, with his numbers indicating some potential for better results. He may be able to add a few ticks onto his sinking fastball, which could allow his other pitches to play up. A significant commitment from a team may be unlikely for Quantrill this offseason. However, he should have some relief value while providing a team with starting pitching depth while trying to refind his rhythm on a one-year pact. https://twitter.com/Lucasparmenter0/status/1819570491277140180 <strong>Abraham Toro, UT</strong> The Longueuil, Quebec-born Toro has bounced around over the last six seasons, with stints on four different teams. He has never been a guy who has wowed offensively, with his .638 career OPS showing that both his on-base skills and power are below average. There are some positives of Toro&#8217;s game that should allow him to stick around the major leagues for the next few years. One standout tool showcased on his <a href="https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/abraham-toro-647351?stats=statcast-r-hitting-mlb">Baseball Savant</a> page is his ability to put the ball in play. He was in the 88th percentile in Whiff% while placing in the 78th percentile in K%. His ability to play first, second and third base adequately also allows him to provide some versatility off the bench. He started strong for the A&#8217;s last year before fizzling out towards the back end of the campaign. Toro may need to settle for a minor league deal this offseason, but it would not be surprising if he found his way onto a major league roster at some point during the 2025 season.</p>
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<p>It's been over two months since major league free agency opened, and there still remain several intriguing players available. Unlike say, NFL free agency, where players seem to ink deals with teams within a few-day span, the MLB offseason can be more of a slow burn.  The Blue Jays remain in play for the most intriguing name remaining, prized Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki. Other players like Alex Bregman, Anthony Santander, and Pete Alonso represent significant additions for teams looking to improve their offense. There were twenty Canadian players in the majors last season, several of which have already been on the move this offseason. Longtime left-handed starter James Paxton retired, Josh Naylor was traded to the Diamondbacks, and a trio of pitchers have signed free-agent deals (Jordan Romano with the Phillies, Mike Soroka with the Nationals, and Zach Pop with the Blue Jays). One Canadian was able to truly cash in during free agency, as Tyler O'Neill inked a three-year, $49.5 million deal with the Orioles which included multiple opt-outs.</p>
<p>Let's take a look at three Canadians who remain unsigned, all of whom should be able to help a major league team next season.</p>
<h2><strong>Nick Pivetta - RHP</strong></h2>
<p>The Victoria, British Columbia-born Pivetta has a chance to surpass the deal that O'Neill signed, as he represents one of the best-starting pitchers remaining. The six-foot-five right-hander has an interesting pitching profile, with his high strikeout and low walk numbers indicating that he should be better than his numbers indicate. His FIP has been lower than his ERA in seven of his eight big league seasons. The reason for Pivetta's struggles has been the long ball. Among pitchers with 140 innings pitched last season, his 1.73 HR/9 was the highest in the major leagues. Moving away from playing his home games at Fenway Park should help this figure come down, but the reality is that he's a fly ball pitcher who will likely always give up some home runs. https://twitter.com/PitchingNinja/status/1773907879726047413 The strikeout stuff and relative consistency over his career will likely net him a three-year deal in the $50 million range. The Toronto Blue Jays and Atlanta Braves have been rumoured to be interested in the 32-year-old's services, with both teams' interest hinging on whether they'd be willing to <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/how-qo-penalties-might-impact-blue-jays-interest-in-nick-pivetta">give up a draft pick</a> or not.</p>
<h2><strong>Cal Quantrill - RHP</strong></h2>
<p>Quantrill's stock may be at an all-time low this offseason. He struggled mightily with the Rockies in 2024, holding a 4.98 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, and 6.7 K/9, while leading the majors in walks with 69. Rockies pitching statistics need to be taken with a grain of salt, but the reality is that the Port Hope, Ontario native's numbers weren't much different while pitching on the road. Last month, I wrote about how Quantrill may be a <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/news-and-notes-second-baseman-hyeseong-kim-set-to-be-posted-after-american-thanksgiving">good fit to convert to a relief pitcher</a>, like his father Paul was for the better part of 14 major league seasons. The soon-to-be 30-year-old was last used primarily out of the bullpen back in 2020, with his numbers indicating some potential for better results. He may be able to add a few ticks onto his sinking fastball, which could allow his other pitches to play up. A significant commitment from a team may be unlikely for Quantrill this offseason. However, he should have some relief value while providing a team with starting pitching depth while trying to refind his rhythm on a one-year pact. https://twitter.com/Lucasparmenter0/status/1819570491277140180 <strong>Abraham Toro, UT</strong> The Longueuil, Quebec-born Toro has bounced around over the last six seasons, with stints on four different teams. He has never been a guy who has wowed offensively, with his .638 career OPS showing that both his on-base skills and power are below average. There are some positives of Toro's game that should allow him to stick around the major leagues for the next few years. One standout tool showcased on his <a href="https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/abraham-toro-647351?stats=statcast-r-hitting-mlb">Baseball Savant</a> page is his ability to put the ball in play. He was in the 88th percentile in Whiff% while placing in the 78th percentile in K%. His ability to play first, second and third base adequately also allows him to provide some versatility off the bench. He started strong for the A's last year before fizzling out towards the back end of the campaign. Toro may need to settle for a minor league deal this offseason, but it would not be surprising if he found his way onto a major league roster at some point during the 2025 season.</p>
<hr />
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<div data-property-id="324" data-promotion-id="18983" data-context="web-content-promocard"><a href="https://betway.com/en/sports/grp/baseball/usa/mlb">All Toronto Blue Jays odds are provided by MLB Betting Site Betway!</a>
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