The Toronto Blue Jays have a clear offseason task in front of them: find a way to replace George Springer.
That won’t be a small job. Toronto’s 2026 season was derailed by injuries, and the Blue Jays are now staring at a roster that needs real upgrades if they want to get back to the World Series. Springer’s future only adds to the urgency, especially after comments that suggested retirement could be on the table this offseason.
“Very, very grateful to our fans, this team, this organization. Obviously this is not the way that we all wanted it to end. But if it is, I'm going to do my best to embrace being back home for one last time and making sure that I do anything I can to reciprocate to the fans,” Springer said before his last home series.
With that possibility hanging over the team, Toronto has to identify another outfielder who can bring All-Star-level production to center field. MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson framed the challenge plainly: “It’s been a long time since the Blue Jays developed an All-Star-caliber outfielder.
You’re stuck reaching for Kevin Pillar’s peak seasons, then even further for Vernon Wells, who last played for the Blue Jays in 2010. Essentially, the Blue Jays need to find their next George Springer.”
One name that has surfaced as a fit is Trent Grisham. Sports Illustrated’s Yirsandy Rodriguez pointed to the two-time Gold Glove winner as a possible answer for Toronto, even while noting the numbers that could keep his market from getting too hot.
“Overall, Grisham finished in the 13th percentile in baserunning and the 19th in fielding, which will undoubtedly reduce his impact on the free-agent market. That said, if we focus on the role Grisham could play in Toronto, his contribution would be very different from Taylor’s and Thomas’, but he could be the full-time center fielder and, if he finds his best offensive version, there is no doubt that he should be a strong candidate to lead off in the lineup,” Rodriguez wrote.
Grisham has spent the last few years as a rival of Toronto, but a move north would give the Blue Jays a very different look in center field. If he ends up being the player chosen to fill Springer’s spot, Toronto would likely welcome the change.
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Blue Jays Could Find Rotation Value In A Risky Familiar Name
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For Toronto, the appeal is obvious if the medicals check out. The Jays need innings and upside, and Pivetta could fit as the kind of lower-cost gamble that sometimes pays off in a pitching market where proven arms are rarely cheap. The question now is whether a team looking for value can feel comfortable enough to move quickly. [Read more 🡒]