The Toronto Blue Jays are just hours away from starting the 2025 campaign. With the Baltimore Orioles in town and Toronto starting the season at home for the first time in a while due to the renovations and the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, expectations are all over the place for a team that is looking to get back on track after a dismal 2024 season.

It’s ‘#lightsupletsgo’ for the Blue Jays this season, and with the Opening Day roster set in reality, there remains some paperwork to be completed behind the scenes.

The Blue Jays right now have a full 40-man roster, and this includes Alek Manaoh and Angel Bastardo being on the 60-day IL. Of the Opening Day roster, three players still require a spot on the 40-man because they were in camp as non-roster invitees or were in spring training on MiLB deals: Alan Roden, Myles Straw, and Jacob Barnes.

Roden and Straw played their way onto the roster, with both likely benefitting from Daulton Varsho starting the season on the IL. The Blue Jays’ prospect was one of the hottest bats in spring training, while Straw had a solid showing in his own right, earning a spot on the roster over Addison Barger and Steward Berroa. The Jays decided to keep Barnes for the active roster to start the year, sending Ryan Yarbrough packing to the free-agent market (where he then immediately signed with the Yankees). He did not have the strongest spring, but he and Richard Lovelady were the last two names to make the bullpen.

Looking at the players who are out of options, the club will have to DFA Tommy Nance or trade him away, as he is out of MiLB options. So, there is one opening. Zach Pop and Ryan Burr are also out of options but both pitchers will start the year on the IL, so the Jays can delay that DFA decision for now unless the club wants to cut ties with either to clear two more spots.

With the current roster, a few names do stick out as potential options to be removed from the 40-man roster:

The two names that stick out the most are Lucas and Robertson, as both pitchers are a little further down the depth charts compared to the likes of Tate and Walker. Tate will likely find his way back to the big leagues shortly, as he is just down in the minors to get some reps because he signed late into the spring. So Lucas and Robertson seem like the top names for the DFA decision. Pop is also one name to consider, especially since he is out of options. The Canadian has struggled to carve out a role in the bullpen this spring, and while he will start the season on the injured list, the club may decide to cut ties and test him through the waiver wire. Burr seems to be safer candidate from the axe compared to the other arms on this list.

Berroa also makes this list, and it’s not because of his play, but more so toward that the club is just very top-heavy when it comes to players who can suit up in the outfield. The Jays are already carrying a couple of extra outfielders in Straw, Nathan Lukes, and Davis Schneider on the roster, while Addison Barger, Jonatan Clase, and Joey Loperfido are waiting down in the minor leagues. Berroa seems like a distant name compared to some of the pitchers they could axe, especially since Berroa likely doesn’t pass through waivers unclaimed, but his name is in the mix.

Another way to clear up a spot is to place Adam Macko on the 60-day IL as the pitcher deals with a knee injury. His injury timeline is a bit up in the air, but if the prognosis is a longer recovery, then moving him to the 60-day IL makes the roster cut to just one player for at least the time being.

With two spots needed on the 40-man considering Nance will be DFA’d, there are still some decisions to be made before first pitch today at 3:07 pm.