The Blue Jays’ offseason to-do list is already easy to read: fix the outfield, and do it with players who can help on both sides of the ball.
Toronto’s front office has a chance to attack those problems before the imminent lockout, and the big picture is clear after the final result of the 2026 season. The club needs help in the outfield, and there’s also a case to be made for finding a second baseman who brings more offense. But if the Jays are zeroing in on the outfield first, the goal should be to land impact players who can deliver at an elite level offensively and defensively.
Even with Anthony Santander and Addison Barger coming back, the roster still has room for upgrades. If Santander slides into the designated hitter role - the spot George Springer filled most of the time - then Barger would likely move back to right field. That would leave center field and left field as the obvious places to strengthen.
Barger comes with real questions, too. He has struggled badly against left-handed pitching and has not solved that problem in his career.
His defensive value has also been poor, with an -8 OAA since he debuted in 2024. Still, if Toronto sees him as the everyday right fielder and he gets back to being consistent at the plate, that tradeoff could make sense.
The dream alignment would be Arozarena in left and Suzuki in right, but that is a big swing. Those two sit among the three free agents with the highest fWAR over the last two seasons. Arozarena is first at 8.4, and Suzuki is third at 7.2.
That said, it seems unlikely Toronto would spend heavily on both, especially with other pitching needs waiting in the queue. And even if the Jays landed one of them, the center-field issue would still be hanging there. Brett Bateman gave Toronto a promising look for a stretch, but it remains to be seen whether his contact, speed, and defense can hold up over a full season.
That’s why Arozarena and Suzuki do not really solve the club’s most urgent outfield problem. The Jays still figure to be shopping for a center fielder in free agency.
There are a handful of names that could fit at a more reasonable price, which raises another question: should Toronto decline the club option on Myles Straw? Trent Grisham has been the top center fielder by fWAR over the last two seasons at 3.8, but his overall level of play dropped across the board in 2026.
Lane Thomas (0.2), Tyrone Taylor (2.2), Luis Robert Jr. (1.8), TJ Friedl (2.4), and Cedric Mullins (2.4) are also set to reach free agency, and none should be dismissed outright. That’s especially true if Toronto is serious about pursuing Arozarena, Suzuki, or even Ian Happ, who could also be available.
If the Jays miss on Arozarena or Suzuki, there are still other names to consider. Taylor Ward (4.1), Adolis Garcia (0.8), and JJ Bleday (0.9) could all be within reach as possible alternatives.
In Other News...
Blue Jays Could Chase A Huge Bat If This Offseason Breaks Right
The Blue Jays are headed into another offseason where the mandate is clear: add offense and keep pushing the roster toward contender status. Toronto has shown a willingness to spend in recent years, and that matters now because the market could include an intriguing international bat if the right domino falls.
One name already linked to the Jays is Teruaki Sato, a Japanese third baseman with corner outfield experience whose power has drawn plenty of attention. He won the NPB Triple Crown and hit 39 home runs for the Hanshin Tigers this season, but the bigger question is whether he will actually be posted. If he does become available, Toronto is expected to be among the teams that take a serious run. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Suddenly Face A Tough Davis Schneider Decision
Davis Schneider has spent four seasons in the Blue Jays organization, bouncing between Toronto and Triple-A Buffalo as the club has tried to find the right fit for his bat and his role. Now the calculus has shifted. With roster competition tightening and Schneider's recent performance trending the wrong way, the Blue Jays are no longer just deciding where he fits on a given week. They are deciding whether he still fits into the long-term picture at all.
Schneider is under team control through 2030 and has said he hopes to stay in Toronto, but the organization does not have the same easy flexibility it once did. The front office has to weigh a future with him against the risk of being boxed into a move it does not want to make, and that is what makes this offseason so delicate. If the Blue Jays conclude there is not a clear path for him, the conversation could turn quickly from retention to dealing him elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Face A Kirk Debate They May Not Want
Former Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Pillar kicked up a familiar kind of offseason debate this week when he suggested Toronto should at least consider testing the market on several of its players, including All-Star catcher Alejandro Kirk. The comment landed because Kirk has become one of the more dependable pieces on the roster, giving the Jays value on both sides of the ball at a time when the club is trying to figure out how to get back into contention.
Pillar later clarified that he was not specifically calling for Toronto to move Kirk, and that distinction matters. Kirks appeal is obvious enough already, especially with the Blue Jays needing upgrades elsewhere, from the pitching staff to more from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. if the lineup is going to carry them forward. The bigger question is whether Toronto sees Kirk as part of the solution long term or as the kind of asset rival teams would surely love to pry loose. [Read more 🡒]