TORONTO -- One day after the slowest guy on the team stole his first career base, the smallest guy on the team launched two home runs over the left-field wall.
The 2025 Blue Jays just never run out surprises, do they?
Myles Straw's first career two-homer game was the latest must-see moment in Toronto’s wild, wacky and completely unexpected season. The Blue Jays’ 14-2 win over the Rangers was built on another classic, all-around effort from the best team in the American League, but that only gets you so far. It’s these bursts of the unexpected that have made the Blue Jays who they are, a special team that’s quickly capturing a country.
“It’s sick out there,” Straw said. “There’s 40,000 people here every day at this point. It’s something like I’ve never seen before, so props to them. We love playing behind them. We talk about them all the time in the clubhouse and in the dugout, how special it is to get this many people here on a daily basis.
Straw took care of the big business Saturday, first breaking the game open with a three-run shot and later giving the Blue Jays the cushion that let Eric Lauer and the bullpen coast. Home runs No. 3 and 4 tie Straw’s career high for a single season, too. This has never been his game, but he wore the costume of a power hitter well for two hours on an August afternoon.
It’s remarkable how this season has played out for Straw. He was brought over to the Blue Jays in a January trade that quickly went from curious to confusing, but the awkward introduction was no fault of his own.
The Blue Jays took on Straw and his remaining contract from the Guardians in exchange for international bonus pool money, a move the Blue Jays made as a last-minute lunge to load up for their pursuit of Japanese sensation Roki Sasaki. Once Sasaki signed with the Dodgers, though, it looked like the Blue Jays were left holding the bag. Besides, Straw spent 2024 stuck in Triple-A, and even when you factor in the cash that the Guardians kicked in, the Blue Jays took on just over $10 million in Straw’s contract. He wasn’t even on the 40-man roster, and entering Spring Training, it didn’t look like he would be any time soon.
“It’s a blessing to be here every single day,” Straw said. “I talk to guys about how special this team is, how great this city is and the whole setup we’ve got here. It’s been a blast here. I love this place. I love the people. I love everything about it. I don’t take a day for granted here. I love everything about it.”
Well, it’s mid-August now, and Straw (0.9 WAR) has been more valuable than Sasaki himself (-0.2 WAR), still on the IL with a right shoulder impingement. You never know where a season will take you.
In the early days of the season, Straw’s path to the roster was his defense, which has long been his calling card. With Daulton Varsho needing some extra time to rehab from his 2024 shoulder surgery, Straw stole a spot on the roster by batting .400 in Spring Training. Eventually, Anthony Santander was on the IL, too, then Varsho joined him there with a hamstring injury. Add all of that up, plus George Springer taking more DH days, and there’s always been just enough oxygen for Straw. He’s been this roster’s great survivor.
“He’s been outstanding,” John Schneider said. “I remember in Spring Training, we had him in Group B with the younger guys and he handled that well, then just did his thing. He’s a pretty integral piece of our clubhouse. He’s tight with everybody.”
Two weeks from rosters expanding by one hitter and one pitcher -- likely opening the door for Joey Loperfido to return -- it looks like Straw is here to stay. He’s tied for 12th among all MLB outfielders with a +7 Fielding Run Value and finished Saturday batting .260 with a .666 OPS. Add in some speed on the bases and you’ve got a valuable role player, even on a team with World Series aspirations like the Blue Jays.
We’re a long way from January now, a long way from the days when Straw didn’t make much sense on this roster and didn’t have much of a role. We’re much closer to October, and Straw is yet another reason the Blue Jays are headed there.