An Ideal Blue Jays Offseason

[Bryan Jaeger]

This offseason will be harder to predict with a lockout looming. Some teams will hesitate to spend on high-value free agents, but others won't. However, after an unexpectedly disappointing season, the Toronto Blue Jays have clear holes to fill. 

They also have key in-house decisions to discuss. Can Anthony Santander and Addison Barger be trusted to stay healthy, and if so, can they bounce back from abysmal performances the last time they were on the field? How does Vladimir Guerrero Jr. find his bat again? Is it time to make a change in the middle infield, as Ernie Clement became a liability both offensively and defensively during the second half of the 2026 season?

Luckily, general manager Ross Atkins has never been shy about making big moves or spending money. I expect Toronto to be extremely aggressive in getting their guys once a new CBA is agreed upon, and here are the obvious moves the Blue Jays need to make. These moves still give Atkins plenty of room to add depth pieces where needed.

Free agent market values are from Spotrac, and arbitration projections are from MLB Trade Rumors.

1. Seiya Suzuki 

The need to add a big power bat isn’t a surprise after Toronto finished last among MLB teams in runs and home runs this past season. They needed another power bat in the middle of the order all season long, and now they also need to replace George Springer’s production after he entered free agency. 

Santander and Barger should be healthy for spring training, but the team can’t simply enter next season hoping they’ll bounce back. Include Guerrero in the hopeful bounce-back category, too. Too many “hopefuls” among the team’s big bats make adding a power bat a high priority.

Offensively, the free-agent market is weak. Seiya Suzuki and Randy Arozarena are the top options, and either would be a solid addition. Although Brett Bateman and Nathan Lukes have shown signs of being solid big leaguers, the Blue Jays need an All-Star-caliber outfielder. Santander and Barger are also viable options, but I’ve already shared why the team can’t have full confidence in them. 

Toronto has only had three outfielders named All-Stars in the last 10 years: George Springer (2022), Teoscar Hernández (2021), and Michael Saunders (2016). Suzuki would bring that caliber of player to the team. The Blue Jays have connections to him, as he played against Kazuma Okamoto in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball, and the two played together in this year’s World Baseball Classic. 

Toronto hasn’t had good luck signing the top offensive free agents over the last few offseasons. They were among the final teams vying for Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto, and Kyle Tucker before they signed mammoth contracts elsewhere. This year, the Blue Jays don’t need a top pitching free agent, so they can focus their attention on Suzuki. 

Plus, he won’t cost as much as Ohtani, Soto, or Tucker. According to Spotrac, Suzuki is projected to make $27.5 million annually, though he’ll likely sign for more with several teams bidding against each other.

My prediction: Blue Jays sign Suzuki to a four-year, $130 million contract (may need to add a fifth year and another $30 million to pull ahead).

2. Upgrade in the Middle Infield

The Blue Jays need to add another bat, and the middle infield is the perfect spot to upgrade. Clement is arbitration-eligible and is 30, which could make him a non-tender candidate. However, MLB Trade Rumors projects his arbitration salary to be just $7.6 million next season. That’s a low price to keep a utility infielder in case of injuries and hopefully get a glimpse of his 2025 postseason form in a platoon role.

However, there are bats available that can add some pop. I recently wrote about trade candidates the Blue Jays could add in the middle infield, including CJ Abrams and Zach Neto. In free agency, Brandon Lowe and Jazz Chisholm Jr. are the top names. They’re projected to earn $22.4 million and $17.4 million annually, respectively. 

Lowe is three years older than Chisholm, but he provides a more consistent bat. On the flip side, Chisholm gives you upside as a 30-30 candidate. Their gloves were similar last season at second base, with both posting around a .980 fielding percentage but a high OAA (outs above average). 

Another option is Luis Arráez, since we know the Blue Jays like their contact hitters. However, this offense needs to start implementing more speed. That’s why I like Chisholm or a trade to upgrade the team’s middle infield. I’m predicting a big bat will come via a trade, with a top pitching prospect (Nolan Perry or Ricky Tiedemann) as the prized trade chip. 

I think this is where Atkins gets creative. He’s going to bring in Abrams, who will move to shortstop, allowing Andrés Giménez and Clement to platoon at second. The Blue Jays like to trade for players with team control, and they would get two seasons with Abrams. His arbitration projection is $10.2 million, bringing a 30-30 candidate to Toronto at a cheaper price tag than Chisholm.

My prediction: Abrams comes over via trade. 

3. Two End-of-Rotation Arms

The Blue Jays lose Max Scherzer and Shane Bieber to free agency. Reinforcements aren't close to returning, with José Berríos and Bowden Francis not expected back until mid-season, best-case scenario. However, they have three top-end pitchers in Dylan Cease, José Soriano, and Trey Yesavage. They will also have Cody Ponce returning from the ACL injury he suffered in his first start this past season. This stability gives the team the luxury of not needing to battle for top arms like Tarik Skubal, Michael King, or Sonny Gray.

The Blue Jays can settle for cheaper innings eaters that have shown signs of staying healthy. Durability was a massive issue in the starting rotation in 2026. That need could lead to a reunion with Kevin Gausman. He loves Toronto, and Toronto loves him, so it just makes sense.

Yes, he had his worst season since 2019, posting a 4.51 ERA. However, this team wants a back-end starter to eat innings, which is exactly what Gausman does. He’ll be 36 next year, but he’s thrown at least 174 innings in six straight seasons and hasn’t shown signs of slowing down under the hood. If he can throw around 150 innings and post, at worst, a high-3.00s ERA, that’s a massive win. His market value is projected at $20 million annually, which is fine if he stays healthy and is decent on the mound.

The Blue Jays have promising prospects that look ready to make the jump to the big leagues, but you feel more comfortable easing them in during the season instead of relying on them all season long. To avoid thin depth, I like the idea of taking a chance on another veteran arm who can be a project piece. 

That piece is Jeffrey Springs. Adding him gives your rotation a southpaw, and he knows the AL East well. He pitched exceptionally for four seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays. However, the last two of those seasons were injury-plagued, and he pitched only 48 innings over that span. The Rays then traded Springs to the Athletics after the 2024 campaign. 

The last two seasons have been less than ideal, but he’s been pitching in a minor league ballpark at home. On the road, he’s been better than at home, posting 3.45 and 5.36 ERAs over those seasons, respectively. Springs's main appeal is that he can eat innings, pitching at least 142 frames in each of the last two seasons. 

His high ERA this season was due to several struggles. The lefty has seen his velocity drop since undergoing Tommy John surgery in April 2023. He has also failed to reach a 20 percent strikeout rate in a full season since then. Springs also struggled with control last season, posting a nine percent walk rate, his highest since 2019. He has only an $8.2 million market value, making him a cheap veteran arm to see if he can bounce back after leaving Sutter Health Park. If he struggles, the Blue Jays can dip into their prospects or look for a free agent arm mid-season.

My prediction: Blue Jays re-sign Gausman to a two-year, $40 million contract and sign Springs to a one-year, $8 million contract.

4. A High-Leverage Reliever

The Blue Jays bullpen was a strength down the stretch in 2026. They have a phenomenal closer in Louis Varland and an eighth-inning setup man in Tyler Rogers. They need someone who can hold a lead in the seventh inning. Spencer Miles is projected for that role right now, but he was outstanding in a long relief role this past season.

There are several high-leverage arms available. However, I’m looking at Bryan Abreu. He’s been exceptional over the last five years, pitching at least 60 innings in each season. He’s also been a whiff machine with at least a 29.9 percent strikeout rate in each of those campaigns. 

Last season, Abreu’s 3.73 ERA was a blemish on his otherwise outstanding resume; he owns a 2.56 ERA over the last five seasons. His $10.9 million market value would be worth the price tag if he returns to posting sub-2.00 ERAs and repeats his high strikeout rate.

My prediction: Blue Jays sign Abreu to a three-year, $35 million contract.

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