Offseason Roster Thread 2025-26

[G-Snarls]

1 hour ago, Eat My Shatkins said:

Varsho had 20 this season with half a seasons worth of PAs

And do we really think Springer is going to go into the tank again next season?

Could easily have 5 guys hit 30+ bombs next year. I don't think anyone would fall out of their chairs in surprise if it happened.

Yes I can see 20-30 for those guys barring injury. Prob on the higher end for Varsho.  

And we know Vladdy and Santander have 40+ potential 

That plus all the good contact guys is a good offense 

[GoBlue41]

I just want to make sure Bo is back. Can just imagine how the season ends if both Springer and Bo could run.....

I wanna see Vlad and Bo stick together. What other top duos through the years were together like Bo and Vlad have been and will continue to be if Bo signs? 

[jmomcc]

10 hours ago, abola2121 said:

Forget Skubal, the FO should make a serious effort to sign Imai instead. 

Yea he would be awesome to get. I'd love to win one of those battles at some point. 

[jaysblue]

12 hours ago, Eat My Shatkins said:

How good do we think Barger is going to be next year?

Dude struggled hard the last couple months of the season but then demolished the post season like a stud against some of the best pitching on the planet.

We looking at 35 bombs, 130 wRC+ and 3.5 fWAR season incoming?

Barger reminds me of Shawn Green. I think he'll have a 40+ HR season at some point. 

[jaysblue]

A lot depends on what they do with Bo and their infield. If Bo is brought back, you can keep Gimenez at SS, Clement at 3B and Barger can stick in RF. 

I would definitely look at bringing back Bo for Adames type money to play second base. Keeping him and Vladdy together feels right and from a marketing perspective as well. 

I don't want Lukes starting in the OF, though I guess if money starts to become tight, you can probably platoon him and Schneider in left. 

The Jays need another front of the rotation starter + an innings eater. Maybe Walker can tap into something with Cease or maybe Bieber accepts his player option after not looking that extremely dominant during the regular and Postseason, which I would be okay with. 

No issue bringing back Bassitt. I even suggested a couple of days ago, would even love to bring him back as a reliever, since he looked great in a BP role during the Postseason. As for Scherzer, need to let him walk and you can't rely on him for more than 15 or 20 starts anyways over 162 games. He did make some big starts in the Postseason, so will give him that. Wouldn't be a bad guy to pickup at the halfway point but he likely signs with a team this winter instead of pulling a Roger Clemens. 

Keep Lauer around for depth in case one of their other starters go down. Would love to see them try Francis in relief and maybe he works his way into being a key BP piece in 2026. 

Keep adding some high K/9 arms to the pen hopefully, with some better control. 

 

[Landry_25]

11 minutes ago, jaysblue said:

Barger reminds me of Shawn Green. I think he'll have a 40+ HR season at some point. 

He made a wicked adjustment between end of RS and playoffs. Went from black hole back to/beyond July barger. Always a power threat though he’s a tank 

[jmomcc]

We are sitting about 225 projected right now assuming they cut Dillon Tate. That includes projected arb as well. That also includes 16m if Bieber doesn't opt out. If he does, that's 209m so about 46m short of last year's budget. 

Probably not enough to sign bo and two starters but an increase in budget for this year would not be crazy, you'd think.

I'd pitch ownership on a decent increase 2026 and 2027. Money is coming off the books in both years.  

The berrios, gimenez and hoffman contracts seem like problems on some level.  Eye test to me Gimenez always seems like he should be able to hit. 

[Laika]

Salt in the wound. Jays robbed of multiple Gold Gloves. 

[bronson44]

Ernie Clement uses a Mizuno Mauricio Dubon uses a Rawlings-utility GG Maikel Garcia uses a Rawlings-3B GG Vladdy Guerrero Jr. uses a Wilson Ty France uses a Rawlings-1B GG Marcus Semien- Rawlings 2B GG

Copied from a tweet I saw but funny that

[Stangstag]

1 hour ago, bronson44 said:

Ernie Clement uses a Mizuno Mauricio Dubon uses a Rawlings-utility GG Maikel Garcia uses a Rawlings-3B GG Vladdy Guerrero Jr. uses a Wilson Ty France uses a Rawlings-1B GG Marcus Semien- Rawlings 2B GG

Copied from a tweet I saw but funny that

Just a little bit suspicious 

[bronson44]

It's ridiculous that the main sponsor has a vested interest in the winners

[glory]

2 hours ago, jmomcc said:

We are sitting about 225 projected right now assuming they cut Dillon Tate. That includes projected arb as well. That also includes 16m if Bieber doesn't opt out. If he does, that's 209m so about 46m short of last year's budget. 

Probably not enough to sign bo and two starters but an increase in budget for this year would not be crazy, you'd think.

I'd pitch ownership on a decent increase 2026 and 2027. Money is coming off the books in both years.  

The berrios, gimenez and hoffman contracts seem like problems on some level.  Eye test to me Gimenez always seems like he should be able to hit. 

I think some of the team’s more questionable contracts could bounce back next season (Gimenez, Santander, Hoffman) but they probably should consider trying to shed money somewhere. I mentioned Straw earlier. If his 2025 season made his 2026 salary more palatable for other teams then he’s a logical one. I don’t think he’s a 90 wRC+ bat again, and Lukes as a 4th OF (even with limited CF defense) is the better option. Berrios is another one but I can’t imagine he’s movable with his contract. Hoffman is coming off a negative WAR season where he gave up the 2nd most home runs for a reliever in baseball and gave up probably the most embarrassing home run in World Series history, so can’t imagine there’s a market there either.

Rogers probably just needs to go Steve Cohen this winter and then see what happens with the CBA next winter. Shedding salary doesn’t seem like a plausible option.

 

[jmomcc]

6 minutes ago, glory said:

I think some of the team’s more questionable contracts could bounce back next season (Gimenez, Santander, Hoffman) but they probably should consider trying to shed money somewhere. I mentioned Straw earlier. If his 2025 season made his 2026 salary more palatable for other teams then he’s a logical one. I don’t think he’s a 90 wRC+ bat again, and Lukes as a 4th OF (even with limited CF defense) is the better option. Berrios is another one but I can’t imagine he’s movable with his contract. Hoffman is coming off a negative WAR season where he gave up the 2nd most home runs for a reliever in baseball and gave up probably the most embarrassing home run in World Series history, so can’t imagine there’s a market there either.

Rogers probably just needs to go Steve Cohen this winter and then see what happens with the CBA next winter. Shedding salary doesn’t seem like a plausible option.

 

Straw is a club option in 2027, so i'm not sure its worth trying to lose that 8 million. Its not enough money to make any real effort imo. 

If Berrios can hold up as an inning eater in the regular season, then I think he will be fine for at least one year. But yea its a problem after. 

[bluejaysinternNo5]

I might be taking crazy pills but I have a feeling we are going to spend big this winter. We know they've been right in the mix for Ohtani, Soto, Cole etc. Is a payroll of 280 - 300 M out of the question? I hope not.

[Laika]

What is the deal with Berrios, anyway? 

Never saw him all playoffs. Was he even with the team? Any reporting? 

 

[BTS]

It's going to be interesting to see how the bullpen is handled There are some choices to make early in the offseason. 

Locks

Hoffman, Varland, Garcia, Rodriguez, Nance (no options)

Probables

Fisher (has options), Little (options)

That's like 7 pretty good arms likely being looked at as MLB guys in 2026 before the offseason even starts, and doesn't include Fluharty who has options as well. That's a lot of bodies, and it creates interesting decisions on a few guys:

Possible Cuts 

- Is Sandlin tendered a contract? Expected 2M arb award and he doesn't really stand out among the current guys. 

- Tate almost certainly non-tendered. 1.7M arb salary, no options, and sucks

- What happens with Burr? He's looked good here and is only expected to make 800K via arb, but he's out of options and his shoulder injury is a big deal. 

- Bruihl DFA'd at some point this offseason to open up a roster spot? Tough to keep an arm like that around when you can't option him. 

 

 

[Jonn]

3 hours ago, bronson44 said:

Ernie Clement uses a Mizuno Mauricio Dubon uses a Rawlings-utility GG Maikel Garcia uses a Rawlings-3B GG Vladdy Guerrero Jr. uses a Wilson Ty France uses a Rawlings-1B GG Marcus Semien- Rawlings 2B GG

Copied from a tweet I saw but funny that

With so many defensive metrics available publicly more than ever they really need to start showing their work on how they make these decisions. I believe they use metrics to determine the final 3. But coaches and managers vote for the winners. But if that’s the case how do they get it so consistently wrong.

[jmomcc]

19 minutes ago, Laika said:

What is the deal with Berrios, anyway? 

Never saw him all playoffs. Was he even with the team? Any reporting? 

 

I thought i saw him in the dugout once in the CS but not sure .

[jmomcc]

16 minutes ago, BTS said:

It's going to be interesting to see how the bullpen is handled There are some choices to make early in the offseason. 

Locks

Hoffman, Varland, Garcia, Rodriguez, Nance (no options)

Probables

Fisher (has options), Little (options)

That's like 7 pretty good arms likely being looked at as MLB guys in 2026 before the offseason even starts, and doesn't include Fluharty who has options as well. That's a lot of bodies, and it creates interesting decisions on a few guys:

Possible Cuts 

- Is Sandlin tendered a contract? Expected 2M arb award and he doesn't really stand out among the current guys. 

- Tate almost certainly non-tendered. 1.7M arb salary, no options, and sucks

- What happens with Burr? He's looked good here and is only expected to make 800K via arb, but he's out of options and his shoulder injury is a big deal. 

- Bruihl DFA'd at some point this offseason to open up a roster spot? Tough to keep an arm like that around when you can't option him. 

 

 

Sandlin has a different arm angle so might be worth keeping. Burr is making the minimum so if you like him, i'd keep him. 

I'd say Tate is cut and Bruhl is cut maybe. 

There was a video out before last season about bullpen to starter candidates and hoffman was one of the names. I wonder if they would try it with him or varland. He has 4 pitches. Could he be a 5th starter?
 

 

[Pendleton]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/11/mlb-rumors-top-trade-candidates-offseason.html 

 

MLBTR Top 40 off season trade candidates. Right away drawn to the idea of adding a pair of Cardinals from near the top of the list.  Brendan Donavan has the exact type of high contact approach and positional utility that would fit in so well with what we're doing here (or anywhere really for that matter). Sonny Gray would really solidify the top of the rotation behind Gaus and Trey, assuming we could get them to eat a sizable chunk of his 40M commitment. 

 

Looking at the FA market for starting pitching, I think there's the potential for a lot of mistakes to be made. Gray for one year at ~ 25 million seems like a much lesser risk than throwing that kind of money around on longer term deals in this pitching market. 

[R.O.]

My dream video game offseason:

 

• Trade Berrios to a team needing an innings eater that can't attract high-end FAs
• Trade Springer (I know) to a team wanting his veteran magical dust
• Re-sign Beiber to a team friendly deal
• Re-sign Bo to play 2b
• Sign a high-end SP
• Sign either Schwarber or Tucker (hopefully Tucker)
• Trade Hoffman
• Sign 2 of the available closers

[jmomcc]

1 hour ago, R.O. said:

My dream video game offseason:

 

• Trade Berrios to a team needing an innings eater that can't attract high-end FAs
• Trade Springer (I know) to a team wanting his veteran magical dust
• Re-sign Beiber to a team friendly deal
• Re-sign Bo to play 2b
• Sign a high-end SP
• Sign either Schwarber or Tucker (hopefully Tucker)
• Trade Hoffman
• Sign 2 of the available closers

there's no way we trade springer and no one would want berrios. 

He is intetesting because his stuff numbers degenerated for years even though his velo only really hard dropped this year. Its definitely possible that he played hurt this year. 

He's also 31. Maybe being left off the playoff roster could lead him to some tinkering this offseason to see if he can get back to closer to 2020 berrios. 

[Jimcanuck]

21 hours ago, Eat My Shatkins said:

How good do we think Barger is going to be next year?

Dude struggled hard the last couple months of the season but then demolished the post season like a stud against some of the best pitching on the planet.

We looking at 35 bombs, 130 wRC+ and 3.5 fWAR season incoming?

Yep.  He's Gruber 2.0

[Omar]

Starters for 2026

Gausman

Yesavage

Berrios

Varland ( give him the shot)

5th starter TBD

Focus the energy on relief arms

Sign Bo for playing 2b if he is amenable.  If not put in Clement and get Belli to round out the starting lineup.

= Another ALCS

[hanton]

Well at least there won't be fans asking for an IKF extension lol

[Jimcanuck]

Re-sign Bo if he agrees to be the 2B.  That puts Barger in the OF and Ernie at 3B.

Santander / Lukes can platoon.

Re-sign Bassitt as an RP, stick Fish in Buffalo.

Sign Gallen as SP3.  Gausman, Yesavage, Gallen, Berrios, Lauer, with Francis in Buffalo is fine to start off.

[harvey16]

What type of contract does everyone think Bo will command? Does 8/$200M get it done? Or you think some teams will give him more money longer term deal?

[Jimcanuck]

4 minutes ago, harvey16 said:

What type of contract does everyone think Bo will command? Does 8/$200M get it done? Or you think some teams will give him more money longer term deal?

8/240 is the BA prediction

Adding a couple of player opt outs could lower the total value

[BTS]

6 minutes ago, Jimcanuck said:

Re-sign Bassitt as an RP, stick Fish in Buffalo.

 

People keep saying this, but SPs tend to have a lot of pride in that role, and I don't think a guy who's been making 30+ effective starts a year is going to accept that he's a reliever now. Someone will pay Bassitt 2/30 or something to bolster their rotation. Maybe more than that. 

[Omar]

Just now, Jimcanuck said:

8/240 is the BA prediction

Yeah based on his age he should easily eclipse what Semien got as a 2b.