Starting pitcher Dylan Cease, closer Louis Varland and third baseman Kazuma Okamoto are up for All-MLB squads.
This season wasn't the one the Toronto Blue Jays envisioned when it began the year.
The Blue Jays made it all the way to Game 7 of the World Series and won their first American League pennant since 1993. They pushed to return to the dance and had an eventful free agency.
However, a series of injuries and regressions resulted in Toronto finishing the year with a 79-83 record and a last-place finish in the AL East, the team's second last-place finish in three years.
Even still, several of the Blue Jays' top performers are up for end-of-season awards.
The list of nominees for All-MLB teams were announced Monday, and three Toronto players were included: starting pitcher Dylan Cease, third baseman Kazuma Okamoto and closer Louis Varland.
Cease is one of 29 starting pitchers who could be selected, Varland is one of 20 relievers up for the honors and Okamoto is one of 11 third basemen who could be selected to the All-MLB team.
Here's an overview of all three players and the seasons they had:
Louis Varland, closer
Varland was arguably the most dominant player on the Toronto roster throughout the season.
The 28-year-old took over the team's primary closer duties after being moved from a setup man to an arm in a closer-by-committee approach.
Varland finished his season with a 1.27 ERA and struck out 97 batters in 78 innings of work across 71 appearances. He had five holds and 35 saves in 37 opportunities. He'll likely receive several votes for the American League Relief Pitcher of the Year award when it's announced. He led the majors in ERA among qualified pitchers.
Dylan Cease, starting pitcher
Cease was one of the big free agent additions for the Blue Jays this season. He was signed to a seven-year, $210 million deal after a two-year stint with the San Diego Padres.
The 30-year-old righty, who'll likely earn several Cy Young votes, looked worth every dollar of that $210 million contract and established himself as the undisputed ace of the Jays rotation and was the starting pitcher for the American League in the All-Star Game. He finished his first season with Toronto with a 2.40 ERA and fanned 239 batters in 169 innings pitched across 29 starts.
Kazuma Okamoto, third base
Okamoto was another free agent addition for the Blue Jays. He signed a four-year, $60 million contract this offseason after he was posted for free agency by the Yomiuri Giants of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball.
The 30-year-old slashed .232/.310/.452 with a .762 OPS in 159 games and hit 26 doubles and 33 home runs with 92 RBIs. His homers and RBIs led Toronto this season and were second and fifth in the major leagues, respectively, among third basemen.
Fans can vote for All-MLB teams at the following link:
