Leo Morgenstern

According to The Athletic’s Mitch Bannon, the Blue Jays have “increased their efforts to recruit [Kyle] Tucker.” He adds that “Toronto’s interest in the 28-year-old is clear,” noting that the Jays have become “more aggressive” in their pursuit. To that point, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet reports that the team has had “recent dialogue” with Tucker regarding the “parameters” of a contract. While recent reports seem to suggest that the Blue Jays would prefer Tucker to Bo Bichette, Nicholson-Smith writes that dialogue also “remains open” between the Jays and their long-time shortstop. Asked about the possibility of re-signing Bichette today during Kazuma Okamoto's introductory press conference, general manager Ross Atkins had this to say: "If there’s an opportunity to think about improving the organization, we’re going to always lean into creative ways to do so" (per Nicholson-Smith). Featured image courtesy of Kyle Ross, Imagn Images. View full rumor

Earlier this winter, Jays Centre contributor Bob Ritchie estimated that the Blue Jays made $36.9 million in revenue from their share of the gate receipts from the 2025 postseason. Of course, as Bob acknowledged, there were several more sources of revenue related to the postseason that he did not have enough information consider, including the TV and radio broadcasts. On Monday, a new report from the Financial Post offered more clarity as to just how much money the Jays brought in from their run to the World Series. An estimate from a National Bank of Canada analyst suggests “the MLB playoff run was worth over $100 million” in revenue for Blue Jays ownership. I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s still a conservative number. After all, there are so many ways a playoff run can indirectly increase a team's revenue. For example, I wonder if that $100 million estimate includes the ad revenue Rogers brought in from all the extra traffic the Sportsnet website and YouTube channel were surely getting last October. Not to mention, the monetary benefits of a deep postseason run don’t go away when the postseason ends. In addition to all the extra tickets and TV/streaming packages the Blue Jays/Rogers will be able to sell, consider how much more the Jays can charge their advertisers in 2026. That $100 million is really just a jumping-off point. With that in mind, it’s hardly surprising that Toronto has already committed more than $300 million to free agents this winter. And with a projected payroll that’s still only $21 million higher than it was last season (per RosterResource), it really is believable that this team is still in the market for top free agents Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette. Can the Blue Jays become the Dodgers of the north? I say, why the heck not? Featured image courtesy of Nick Turchiaro, Imagn Images. View full rumor

The Blue Jays will introduce Kazuma Okamoto at a press conference today at 1:00 pm ET. Joining Toronto's new free agent signing will be his agent, Scott Boras, and Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins. One topic that's likely to come up at the presser is Okamoto's position. He was primarily a third baseman in NPB but also has experience at first base and in the outfield. Opinions about his skills at the hot corner range, with some evaluators believing he'll be just fine at the position in MLB and others suggesting he really belongs at the cold corner instead. As for his outfield defense, one source told The Athletic's Will Sammon that Okamoto "could be helpful in the outfield, given the right situation with limited ground to cover." On Monday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today wrote about Okamoto and the Blue Jays. He mentioned that the Jays "still want to add another power hitter" and that they "remain fully engaged in talks" with top free agents Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette, and Alex Bregman. That lines up with additional reporting that suggests the Blue Jays aren't necessarily done making moves. Nightengale also threw in an interesting new nugget. "Their preference," he writes. "Is to make Okamoto a superutility player." It makes sense that the Blue Jays wouldn't want to lock Okamoto into one position. After all, they have two other capable third basemen, Addison Barger and Ernie Clement; a full-time first baseman, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.; and several options for the corner outfield, including Barger, Anthony Santander, Nathan Lukes, and George Springer. Being ready to play numerous positions will help Okamoto get as many at-bats as possible, and more lineup flexibility is never a bad thing from a team perspective, either. The question, however, is whether or not Okamoto is a strong enough defender to be able to handle such a role. Evidently, the Blue Jays think so. Either that, or they liked his bat (and his price) too much to pass up on him, and they're going to find a way to make things work defensively. Featured image courtesy of Darren Yamashita, Imagn Images. View full rumor

According to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, the Toronto Blue Jays are still seen as the frontrunners to sign top free agent Kyle Tucker, even after signing Kazuma Okamoto. "Toronto remains the favorite to land Tucker," explains Feinsand, relaying information from sources. However, he adds that "the Mets can't be counted out." As for the Yankees, Feinsand believes Bellinger is their preferred target, presuming they're "prepared to spend big" at all. Adding fuel to this fire, FanSided's MLB insider Robert Murray also believes the Blue Jays remain a suitor for Tucker: "He is one of the options that they're considering, and they're one of the teams that he's considering as well." On the flip side, Sportnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith suggests that, while the Jays aren't likely to rule anything out, they no longer look like the very best candidate to give Tucker the long-term deal he's looking for. "Now I would say that's the Mets," he adds. Having said that, Nicholson-Smith does speculate that Tucker and the Blue Jays could be more likely to strike a deal if he's willing to sign a shorter contract with a high average annual value. What do Blue Jays fans think about the team going all-in to sign Kyle Tucker? Would you only do it on a shorter-term deal? Or would you rather the Jays forget Tucker and prioritize Bo Bichette? Chime in with your thoughts below. Featured image courtesy of David Banks, Imagn Images. View full rumor

The Toronto Blue Jays made their four-year, $60 million contract with NPB star Kazuma Okamoto official on Sunday, just before his posting window closed. A six-time NPB All-Star, Okamoto was one of the top hitters on the free agent market. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== To make room for Okamoto on their 40-man roster, the Jays designated right-handed pitcher Paxton Schultz for assignment. The 28-year-old has been in the organization since May 2021, when he arrived from the Brewers as the player to be named later to complete the Derek Fisher trade. The Jays had acquired Fisher two years earlier in a deal that sent Aaron Sanchez, Joe Biagini, and Cal Stevenson to the Astros. (You can read more about active Blue Jays trade strings at this link.) Schultz made his MLB debut with Toronto in 2025, pitching to a 4.38 ERA and 3.83 xERA over 24.2 innings. He struck out 28 batters (25.5%) and walked only eight (7.3%). In his very first outing, Schultz threw 4.1 innings of scoreless relief against the Mariners, striking out eight of the 16 hitters he faced. Unfortunately, he never looked that sharp again. Following a mid-summer IL stint with middle finger inflammation, the righty only made one more appearance for the major league club, a scoreless inning on August 24. He was recalled once more in September but did not pitch in a game, nor did he pitch for Toronto in the playoffs. With all that in mind, it's not a shock to see Schultz DFA'd. He gave the Blue Jays some good innings in 2025, but roster spots are a valuable commodity. The Jays have significantly improved their pitching staff this offseason, not only with the likes of Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce, and Tyler Rogers, but also more promising depth arms like Chase Lee and Spencer Miles. Eventually, Schultz became the odd man out. If Schultz clears waivers, the Blue Jays will be able to outright him to the minors and keep him in their organization. However, considering the promise he flashed in 2025, it wouldn't be surprising to see another team put in a claim. Featured image courtesy of Dan Hamilton, Imagn Images. View full rumor

In a Bluesky post about free agent Kazuma Okamoto, Sportsnet reporter Ben Nicholson-Smith noted that the Blue Jays have a big presence in the Pacific Rim and make it a point to learn about all free agents coming from NPB and the KBO. However, their level of interest in Okamoto in particular is not currently clear. One way or another, we'll soon find out if the Jays are going to sign the six-time NPB All-Star; his posting window closes on Sunday at 5:00 pm. If the Blue Jays don't sign Okamoto, it might take a little longer to find out if they'll sign another free agent bat. To that point, Nicholson-Smith mentioned that it's "not a lock" they sign a bat at all. Toronto has been linked to many of the top hitters on the free agent market, including Bo Bichette, Kyle Tucker, and Alex Bregman. Nicholson-Smith confirms that the Jays are still "in contact" with representatives for all three of those players as well as "others," although he does not specify who those others might be. All that to say, Nicholson-Smith isn't suggesting that the Blue Jays wouldn't love to add another impact bat to their lineup. His point is simply that they might not be planning to do so at all costs. What do Jays fans think about this rumor? Will you consider the offseason a disappointment if the team doesn't sign one of the top free agent bats? Voice your thoughts in the comments below. Featured image courtesy of Brad Penner, Imagn Images. View full rumor

For the first time in quite a while, it feels hard to say goodbye to the old year to welcome in the new, at least from a Blue Jays perspective. The 2025 Blue Jays gave us so many reasons to love them, and who knows if 2026 will be the same? That being said, every new year brings new possibilities. Who knows? Maybe the next 365 days will be even better than the last for our boys in Blue Jays blue. Many of DiamondCentric's top free agents remain unsigned, and plenty of exciting trade candidates are still available, too. Hopefully, the Blue Jays aren't done surprising us this offseason as they look to build another World Series contender for 2026. With that in mind, here are three things I'd like to see the Toronto Blue Jays strive for in the new year. Sign a Big Bat The Blue Jays have already had a productive offseason, but all their additions so far have been for the pitching staff: Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce, and Tyler Rogers. Now, it's time to turn to the offense. As my colleague Jim Scott suggested yesterday, it's possible that Toronto's position player group could perform better in 2026 than in 2025, even without any additions. Yet, I don't just want the Jays to be good this year. I don't just want them to be better than they were last year. I want them to be the best team they can possibly be. The Blue Jays built up a ton of momentum with last year's playoff run, and they need to keep building on it. As I've written before, GM Ross Atkins has never been in a better position to convince ownership to spend, and he's never been in a better position to convince star free agents to pick Toronto. In my heart of hearts, of course I want Bo Bichette back, but I'll be happy with another star addition – especially if it's Kyle Tucker. What I won't be happy with is the Blue Jays going into 2026 without addressing the Bichette-shaped hole in their lineup. Make a Difficult Trade (or Two) I don't want to say goodbye to anyone from last year's team, which is why I'm glad I'm not Ross Atkins. He hasn't given himself much of a choice. The Blue Jays have too many starting pitchers. I value depth as much as the next guy, but I also value roster flexibility and having numerous back-end bullpen options. Simply put, I just don't see how this team can go into 2026 with all seven of Cease, Ponce, Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, Trey Yesavage, José Berríos, and Eric Lauer on the roster. Needless to say, Cease and Ponce aren't going anywhere. Neither should Yesavage. Gausman and Bieber could be dealt, but really, it's Berríos or Lauer who makes the most sense. Unlike Berríos, Lauer has already demonstrated he can thrive in a swingman role. What's more, Berríos holds more value as a starter, presuming the Blue Jays eat some of the money remaining on his contract. So, that's why Berríos's name has come up most often in trade rumors over the last several weeks. Presuming the Blue Jays follow through with resolution number one, they're also going to have a logjam on the position player side. If they sign Bichette, Tucker, Alex Bregman, etc., they're almost certainly going to have to trade one of Nathan Lukes, Davis Schneider, Myles Straw, or Addison Barger. Again, it won't be easy to part with any of those guys, but a team only has so much playing time to go around. Win the World Series Yes, I know this is a lot to ask. Of course it is. But the 2025 Blue Jays already came as close as a team can come to winning a World Series without actually winning a World Series. So, if I'm setting goals, I don't really have a choice but to set my sights on the ultimate prize. It's not as if it's unrealistic. Sure, the Dodgers still look like the favorites for another year in a row. Yet, as things stand, I don't see why the Blue Jays can't be the favorites to repeat as AL champions. And if they make it back to the Fall Classic, I don't see any reason why they can't win it all. View full article

According to a report from Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors, the Blue Jays have agreed to a two-year minor league contract with right-hander Josh Winckowski. He was cut by the Red Sox earlier this offseason. Winckowski, 27, will now return to the organization that selected him in the 2016 draft. He played the first four seasons of his professional career in the Blue Jays' system before he was traded to the Mets and Red Sox in quick succession during the 2020-21 offseason. The righty would go on to make his MLB debut for Boston in 2022. Since then, he has thrown 242.1 big league innings, all for the Red Sox, pitching to a 4.20 ERA and 4.36 xERA. After spending much of the 2025 season on the injured list with elbow inflammation, Winckowski underwent an internal brace procedure in December (per Adams). That will keep him out for most of 2026, which explains the two-year minor league contract, but Adams notes that Winckowski hopes to return before the end of the season. Adams also mentions that the Blue Jays are planning to stretch Winckowski back out as a starter. He started 14 games as a rookie in 2022 but has primarily worked as a reliever since. However, he did start three games at Triple-A in 2025 and a handful of games at both the Triple-A and MLB levels the year before. Winckowski was the second pitcher the Blue Jays inked to a two-year minor league contract on New Year's Eve. Earlier in the day, they came to terms on a similar deal with fellow right-hander Nic Enright. Featured image courtesy of Nathan Ray Seebeck, Imagn Images. View full rumor

According to ESPN's Alden González, the Blue Jays have agreed to a two-year minor league contract with reliever Nic Enright. Enright, 28, finally made it to the majors in 2025, after cancer treatment derailed his career from 2022-24. The right-hander threw 31 innings for the Guardians in his rookie campaign, pitching to a 2.03 ERA and 3.75 xERA. He collected his first MLB win, hold, and save, while striking out 30 and limiting opponents to a .618 OPS. Unfortunately, Enright hit the injured list in September and underwent Tommy John surgery in October, ending his 2026 season before it could begin. Hence, the two-year minor league contract: He'll spend next season rehabbing in the Blue Jays organization, and, hopefully, he'll be ready to compete for a role with the team in 2027. Featured image courtesy of Jerome Miron-Imagn Images. View full rumor

Blue Jays star George Springer was among the MLB players included on Team Puerto Rico's 35-man preliminary roster for the upcoming World Baseball Classic. However, Antolín Maldonado Ríos of Puerto Rican newspaper El Nuevo Día reports that Springer will not play in the tournament after all. According to the report, "Springer atribuyó su decisión a una lesión." ("Springer attributed his decision to an injury.") Presumably (read: hopefully), this is not a new injury issue, and Springer simply wants as much time as possible to fully recover from the various ailments that he played through this past year. Springer is eligible to play for Puerto Rico, the United States, and Panama in the World Baseball Classic, but he has never participated in the tournament. Featured image courtesy of Nick Turchiaro, Imagn Images. View full rumor

My DiamondCentric colleague Greggory Masterson has written some excellent articles about trade trees over at Twins Daily. Most recently, he drew a line linking Michael Cuddyer, Minnesota’s first-round pick in 1997, to a couple of current Twins, Austin Martin and Simeon Woods Richardson. Inspired by his writing, I wanted to trace the lineage of some recent Blue Jays trades. However, I was less concerned with the more broad-ranging concept of the “trade tree” and more interested in what I’m calling “trade strings.” The term “trade tree” is often used to describe, in the words of Harold Hutchison at Brewer Fanatic, “the future transactions stemming from any given trade.” In other words, as long as the tree starts with a trade, it can include transactions beyond just trades. For instance, I could draw you a line from Marco Scutaro to present-day Paxton Schultz. The Blue Jays traded for Scutaro in 2007 and later drafted Aaron Sanchez as a compensation pick for losing Scutaro to free agency. In 2019, the Jays traded Sanchez, Joe Biagini, and Cal Stevenson to the Astros for Derek Fisher, and in 2021, the Jays and Brewers swapped Fisher and Schultz. On the other hand, a trade string, as the name implies, needs to be a string of trades – and only trades. Sixteen players on Toronto's 40-man roster became Blue Jays via trade. I've listed them all below, in the order in which they joined the organization: Paxton Schultz Bowden Francis José Berríos Adam Macko Daulton Varsho Braydon Fisher Jonatan Clase Jake Bloss Joey Loperfido Tommy Nance Andrés Giménez Myles Straw Shane Bieber Louis Varland Brandon Valenzuela Chase Lee Most of these players aren't part of a trade string at all, meaning that no one they were traded for also joined the Blue Jays via trade. Take a look: Bowden Francis Blue Jays career: 62 games, 0.4 fWAR (2022-present) The Blue Jays acquired Bowden Francis and Trevor Richards from the Brewers in exchange for Rowdy Tellez. The Blue Jays selected Rowdy Tellez in the 2013 MLB Draft. Daulton Varsho Blue Jays career: 365 games, 7.3 fWAR (2023-present) The Blue Jays acquired Daulton Varsho from the Diamondbacks in exchange for Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Gabriel Moreno. The Blue Jays signed Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Gabriel Moreno as international free agents in 2016. Braydon Fisher Blue Jays career: 52 games, 0.8 fWAR (2025-present) The Blue Jays acquired Braydon Fisher from the Dodgers in exchange for Cavan Biggio. The Blue Jays selected Cavan Biggio in the 2016 MLB Draft. Jonatan Clase Blue Jays career: 41 games, 0.0 fWAR (2024-present) The Blue Jays acquired Jonatan Clase and Jacob Sharp from the Mariners for Yimi García. The Blue Jays signed Yimi García as a free agent in 2021. Tommy Nance Blue Jays career: 50 games, 0.8 (2024-present) The Blue Jays acquired Tommy Nance from the Padres in exchange for cash considerations. The Blue Jays acquired cash considerations from ticket sales, TV revenue, loonie dog nights, etc. Andrés Giménez Blue Jays career: 101 games, 1.0 fWAR (2025-present) The Blue Jays acquired Andrés Giménez and Nick Sandlin from the Guardians in exchange for Spencer Horwitz and Nick Mitchell. The Blue Jays selected Spencer Horwitz in the 2019 MLB Draft and Nick Mitchell in the 2024 MLB Draft. Shane Bieber Blue Jays career: 7 games, 0.3 fWAR (2025-present) The Blue Jays acquired Shane Bieber from the Guardians for Khal Stephen. The Blue Jays selected Khal Stephen in the 2024 MLB Draft. Louis Varland Blue Jays career: 23 games, 0.2 fWAR (2025-present) The Blue Jays acquired Louis Varland and Ty France from the Twins in exchange for Kendry Rojas and Alan Roden. The Blue Jays selected Alan Roden in the 2022 MLB Draft and signed Kendry Rojas as an international free agent in 2020. Chase Lee Blue Jays career: N/A The Blue Jays acquired Chase Lee in exchange for Johan Simon. The Blue Jays signed Johan Simon as an international free agent in 2020. However, the Blue Jays aren't without any active trade strings. Here's what we've got: Two-Trade Strings The following three Blue Jays were all acquired via trades, and at least one of the players the Blue Jays traded to acquire them was also acquired via trade. Paxton Schultz Blue Jays career: 13 games, 0.1 fWAR (2025-present) The Blue Jays acquired Paxton Schultz from the Brewers as the player to be named later in exchange for Derek Fisher. The Blue Jays acquired Derek Fisher from the Astros in exchange for Aaron Sanchez, Joe Biagini, and Cal Stevenson. The Blue Jays selected Aaron Sanchez in the 2010 MLB Draft, Joe Biagini in the 2015 Rule 5 draft, and Cal Stevenson in the 2018 MLB Draft. José Berríos Blue Jays career: 139 games, 8.0 fWAR (2021-present) The Blue Jays acquired José Berríos from the Twins in exchange for Austin Martin and Simeon Woods Richardson. The Blue Jays acquired Simeon Woods Richardson and Anthony Kay from the Mets in exchange for Marcus Stroman and cash. (The Blue Jays selected Austin Martin in the 2020 MLB Draft) The Blue Jays selected Marcus Stroman in the 2012 MLB Draft. Brandon Valenzuela (feat. Jake Bloss & Joey Loperfido) Valenzuela's Blue Jays career: N/A Bloss's Blue Jays career: N/A Loperfido's Blue Jays career: 84 games, 0.4 fWAR (2024-present) The Blue Jays acquired Brandon Valenzuela from the Padres in exchange for Will Wagner. The Blue Jays acquired Jake Bloss, Joey Loperfido, and Will Wagner from the Astros in exchange for Yusei Kikuchi. The Blue Jays signed Yusei Kikuchi as a free agent in 2022. The Three-Trade String The following Blue Jay was acquired via trade, and the player the Blue Jays traded to acquire him was acquired via trade, and the player the Blue Jays traded to acquire the player the Blue Jays traded to acquire him was also acquired via trade. Adam Macko Blue Jays career: N/A The Blue Jays acquired Adam Macko and Erik Swanson from the Mariners in exchange for Teoscar Hernández. The Blue Jays acquired Teoscar Hernández and Nori Aoki from the Astros in exchange for Francisco Liriano. The Blue Jays acquired Francisco Liriano, Reese McGuire, and Harold Ramírez from the Pirates in exchange for Drew Hutchison. The Blue Jays selected Drew Hutchison in the 2009 MLB Draft. At the head of the longest active Blue Jays trade string is Adam Macko, who has been on the 40-man roster for two years, although he's yet to make his MLB debut. The 24-year-old left-hander has outlasted Erik Swanson in the organization; Swanson was released in June. Macko and Swanson came to Toronto in the trade that sent long-time fan favourite Teoscar Hernández to Seattle. Hernández played parts of six seasons with the Jays, hitting 129 home runs in 609 games. He was an All-Star and a two-time Silver Slugger winner, even earning a handful of down-ballot MVP votes. To bring in Hernández, the Blue Jays parted with veteran Francisco Liriano. The southpaw pitched well for Toronto down the stretch in 2016 (49.1 IP, 2.92 ERA, 3.55 xERA) but struggled the following season (82.2 IP, 5.88 ERA, 5.07 xERA) before he was flipped to Houston. It all starts with Drew Hutchison, a low-round draft pick out of high school in 2009. He debuted for the Jays in 2012 and made 76 appearances (73 starts) for the club before they dealt him to the Pirates to knock over the first domino of the Adam Macko trade string. The TBD Trade String An eagle-eyed observer might have noticed one trade-acquired Blue Jay missing from my breakdown. Let me explain... Myles Straw Blue Jays career: 137 games, 1.8 fWAR (2025-present) The Blue Jays acquired Myles Straw, international bonus pool space, and cash considerations from the Guardians in exchange for a player to be named later or cash. The Guardians dealt Myles Straw to the Blue Jays for salary relief. Still, they were also supposed to (maybe) receive a PTBNL in the deal. If the Blue Jays are indeed sending anyone back to the Guardians (or if they already have?), we don't know who it is. So, it's possible (though unlikely) that there's another trade string waiting to materialize here. View full article

Add another name to the list of infielders the Toronto Blue Jays have checked in on this winter: Yoán Moncada. According to reporter Francys Romero, the Blue Jays have shown "early interest" in the 30-year-old third baseman, as have the Angels, Pirates, and White Sox. Moncada briefly debuted with the Red Sox in 2016 before he was traded to the White Sox as part of the package for Chris Sale. He spent the next eight years of his career with the South Siders. For one shining season in 2019, he looked like the generational superstar the White Sox thought they were trading for, but for the most part, he struggled with injuries and underperformance. Injuries (thumb and knee) continued to plague Moncada in 2025 with the Angels, but when he was on the field, he played reasonably well, hitting 12 home runs in 84 games, with a .783 OPS and 117 wRC+. Although he's a switch-hitter, Moncada has always been worse against left-handed pitching, and the Angels largely shielded him from southpaws. However, he was a legitimately productive hitter facing righties from the left-hand side. For what it's worth, the Blue Jays would reportedly like to add a lefty bat. That said, it's worth wondering if the Blue Jays really have enough at-bats to offer a player like Moncada. GM Ross Atkins might be just doing his due diligence on the infield market. After all, the Jays already have a much more promising lefty-batting third baseman in Addison Barger. The big-name infielders the Blue Jays have checked in on include Bo Bichette, Alex Bregman (link), Ketel Marte (link), and Kazuma Okamoto (link). Each of those players would be a substantial upgrade for Toronto's offense. As for Moncada, it's not a given that he would be enough of an upgrade to be worth his taking playing time away from the likes of Barger, Ernie Clement, Andrés Giménez, and Davis Schneider, Toronto's current infield alignment. So, what do Blue Jays fans think? Is this nothing more than smoke, or would you like to see Toronto make a serious offer to Yoán Moncada? Share your thoughts in our comments section below. Featured image courtesy of Gary A. Vasquez, Imagn Images. View full rumor