Getting the Band Back Together: A Homer's Guide to Free Agency

[Mike LeSage]

DiamondCentric has released its ranked list of the top free agents. It’s a beautiful tool with lots of options for sorting and filtering – it will also get regular updates throughout the free agency period, so be sure to check in on it regularly. On my first pass-through, I could not help but notice a handful of names that have already left their mark in Toronto. For today, these are the guys I’m most interested in.

The best part of any heist movie is when they assemble a crew with varying specialized skills that come together with the intent of a common goal. Could the Blue Jays leverage their insider knowledge of some of the top names available to get things back on track for the 2026-27 season? If Terry Benedict had the Commissioner’s Trophy, you know these would be the first guys Danny Ocean put in a call to.

No. 3 - Bo Bichette

Right now, Bo Bichette is only a potential free agent. He signed a three-year, $126 million deal with the Mets last year, but he holds an opt-out that he needs to formalize within five days of the end of the World Series. I can’t imagine walking away from $84 million, but maybe Bichette has seen that the grass isn’t always greener. The Jays had a terrible 2026, but the Mets had a worse one. Maybe Bichette would be open to a reunion? His 18 home runs this season would have placed him second on the Jays, and his time playing third base, while not a resounding success, wasn’t an unmitigated disaster either. Plus, Toronto should have an opening at the DH position, and we’ve seen what Bo can do on just one leg.

No. 19 - Kevin Gausman

Kevin Gausman only made nine starts with the Cubs after being traded at the deadline for Brett Bateman. He went 4-2 with Chicago and sported a 2.50 FIP over 50 innings pitched. He isn’t the same ace that he was the first time he signed here, but last season proved the old adage true: You can never have enough pitching. Gausman can bring that veteran presence to the back end of the rotation and has the added bonus of still having a house in the city –  at least for now. What an easy transition it would be for him to come back!

No. 23 - Ty France

Just last year Ty France won a Gold Glove with Toronto. Sure, he only appeared in 37 games and first base is occupied for the next generation, but the Blue Jays have always liked positional flexibility and again, with a roughly vacant DH spot, there will be more opportunities for rest days and general flexibility. France clubbed 21 home runs in 2026, which again, would have been good for second best on the offense-strapped Jays. I wouldn’t put him at the top of the priority board, but I would also have no problem welcoming France back to Toronto for another playoff run.

No. 36 - Robbie Ray

Almost a year younger than Gausman and still in possession of some elite off-speed stuff, Robbie Ray could be another option for a veteran presence at the back end of the rotation. It’s been six seasons since Ray won the Cy Young here, but perhaps the nostalgia of the best season of his career combined with a rotation that looks great on paper for 2027 could bring Ray back.

No. 45 - Daulton Varsho

The expectations for what Daulton Varsho's bat could do last year never lined up with the batting profile we saw. His Savant page is about as blue as it gets, but his range as a fielder remains elite. Simon Li looked at the Jays' outfield depth, and especially with the emergence of Brett Bateman, it seems hard to envision a way that Varsho could make his way back onto the team. 

Off the Board 

• George Springer, Jameson Taillon, Yimi Garcia, Max Scherzer, Shane Bieber

There could be a retirement or two to celebrate in this group. Of course, who better to have in a heist than the guy that is coming back ‘for just one more job’? Outside of Springer, there are a handful of veteran pitchers that have established differing levels of love with the city and its fans. I feel like Scherzer would be welcomed back with open arms if he returned to chase down Justin Verlander on the all-time strikeout list. On the other hand, most fans would be forgiven if Taillon’s 10 innings of work here were not remembered at all and his ‘return’ felt more like a new signing. 

On a halfway serious note, if the Jays are going to be competitive next season, they’re going to have to do it with a mix of signings, both new and familiar. Regardless of who they are targeting, the DiamondCentric free agent tracker will be the place to stay on top of it all!

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