Myles Straw’s debut season as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays has been a rousing success.
Many fans and pundits were critical of the Blue Jays’ decision to take on Straw’s contract, given that the team was unable to sign Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki.
Straw struggled over the past few seasons and was waived by the Cleveland Guardians early in the 2024 campaign. Expectations weren’t particularly high for Straw to emerge as a valuable contributor for the Blue Jays heading into 2025.
Fast forward a few months, and Straw has become the perfect depth piece for a contending ball club.
Myles Straw had 8 career home runs across 664 games entering today.
He’s hit 2 homers in the first 3 innings! pic.twitter.com/fKwdMLKvjN
— MLB (@MLB) August 16, 2025
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Straw has produced his best offensive season since 2021, while also providing elite defensive play in whatever outfield spot he’s been asked to patrol. The 30-year-old ranks in the 96th percentile in Baseball Savant’s outs above average metric and is tied for 12th among all MLB fielders with 14 defensive runs saved.
Straw’s value was on full display in a recent victory over the Minnesota Twins. The Blue Jays used Straw as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the eighth inning, before sending him out to right field for the top of the ninth. Straw immediately made his impact felt, running down a liner into the gap to record a crucial first out in a one-run game that the Blue Jays eventually won. Having Straw on the roster has helped the Blue Jays maintain their defensive prowess, with Gold Glove centre fielder Daulton Varsho missing extended stretches of time due to shoulder and hamstring injuries.
Teams that have success in the postseason almost always have a versatile piece available off the bench that can provide value on both sides of the ball. Straw has hit left-handed pitching well this season, slashing .282/.328/.376 with nine extra-base hits and an OPS+ (103) above league average.
It’s easy to imagine Straw stealing a base in a big moment, coming up with a clutch hit, or making a big defensive play when the lights are the brightest in the postseason.
Straw has relished his time as a Blue Jay and getting the opportunity to play in front of a packed house at Rogers Centre.
“It’s a blessing to be here every single day,” Straw said, according to MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson. “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.”
Straw has accumulated 1.5 WAR, according to FanGraphs, and 2.3 WAR, per Baseball Reference. Most models calculate one win above replacement as being worth $8 million. That means Straw has been well worth his $6.4 million salary this season, and the Blue Jays probably feel fine about the prospect of having Straw on the books for $7.4 million in 2026 if he’s able to produce anything approaching the value he’s shown this year.
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