The Blue Jays’ 2026 roster could be headed for a major shakeup once the offseason opens, and most of the free agents in this group are projected to land elsewhere. One name stands out as the likeliest candidate to stay in Toronto, but the rest of the picture points to a team that could look very different in 2027.
Kevin Gausman is the one free agent who still makes the most sense for a return to the Blue Jays. Technically, he is a Chicago Cubs free agent, but a reunion feels like the cleanest outcome if he wants to keep pitching.
Toronto needs more pitching depth, and Gausman still fits as a reliable back-end innings eater. A short-term deal could end up working well for both sides.
Shane Bieber is projected to head to the Tampa Bay Rays on a one-year, incentive-heavy contract as he tries to rebuild his value. Tampa Bay is the kind of place that can help with that, and the pitching factory there could appeal to him. The thought is that he could look at what they did with Freddy Peralta down the stretch and believe their coaches can help him, too.
Daulton Varsho is another player expected to try to reset his stock, and the prediction here sends him to the Colorado Rockies. After a disastrous season split between the Blue Jays and Houston Astros, a year in Coors Field could give him a chance to rediscover his power stroke.
Max Scherzer, if he does not retire, is forecast to finish with the Washington Nationals. The idea is simple: Washington is where the best seasons of his career happened, and ending there as a mentor on a young team would be a fitting full-circle finish. The Nationals also need pitching badly.
George Springer may also be weighing retirement, but if he keeps playing, the Boston Red Sox are the predicted landing spot. Boston needs offense, and Springer could fit into a platoon with Masataka Yoshida at DH while giving a contender the kind of opportunities he is likely to want.
Patrick Corbin is projected to land with the Los Angeles Angels. After another mediocre season, he is not expected to have a strong market, but a team short on pitching could still take a low-cost chance on him because it needs whatever it can get in the rotation.
Yimi García is pegged for the Milwaukee Brewers, especially if they end up trading Trevor Megill as expected. Coming off another injury, García could be available on an extremely discounted contract, which might make him a useful piece for a bullpen in need of help.
Paul Sewald is another reliever who could find a new home in the American League East, with the Tampa Bay Rays as the projected destination. He showed enough down the stretch with the Blue Jays to suggest he still has something left, and Tampa Bay’s lack of middle relief depth makes him a logical cheap target.
Luis Urías is the final name in the group, and the prediction sends him to the San Diego Padres. Their stars-and-scrubs approach to roster building could make him a fit as a depth piece, and he showed enough flashes with the Blue Jays to stick as a bench option in the right situation.
In Other News...
Anthony Santander Put The Blue Jays In A Spot They Had To Address
Anthony Santanders off-field misstep quickly became a Blue Jays issue this week, after the outfielder posted and then deleted anti-Muslim content on his Instagram account. The reaction was immediate, with fans and baseball officials criticizing the posts and Toronto moving to separate itself from the comments as the story spread beyond social media.
The Blue Jays issued a statement distancing the organization from Santanders posts, and general manager Ross Atkins publicly condemned the remarks. The episode also drew attention around the league, with Dodgers special advisor Farhan Zaidi saying on a podcast that he was disappointed by Santanders actions, leaving Toronto to deal with the fallout from a situation it did not ask for but could not ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Offseason Aggression May Start With A Big Outfield Swing
The Blue Jays are heading into an offseason that figures to be shaped by urgency, and the outfield looks like one of the first places they could try to make a real splash. With Toronto aiming to improve for the 2027 season, the front office is expected to be active in free agency, and the need is easy to see after an offense that struggled last season. Any upgrade there would carry extra weight if the club has to plan for life without George Springer, whose future remains part of the conversation.
Seiya Suzuki has already surfaced as a possible fit in right field, which tells you the kind of swing Toronto may be willing to take if the right player becomes available. The Blue Jays are not just looking for depth or a minor tweak, but for impact, and that search could define how aggressive this winter becomes. If they are going to reshape the lineup and raise the ceiling of the roster, the outfield is likely where the first major move starts to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Could Be Eyeing A Bigger Roster Shakeup Than Expected
Following the GM Meetings, the Blue Jays have mostly stuck to the margins so far, making only minor league moves while the bigger roster questions wait in the wings. But with a potential MLB lockout looming in December, Toronto may not have the luxury of a slow build, and the front office could be pushed toward a more aggressive reshaping of the roster before the calendar turns.
That means a few familiar names are suddenly part of the conversation, including pitchers Gage Stanifer, Johnny King and Nolan Perry, along with position players Ernie Clement, Nathan Lukes and Andrs Gimnez. Their recent performances have kept them on the radar, but the Blue Jays are also weighing how any pursuit of free agents might affect those decisions, leaving the picture fluid as the club tries to balance present needs with whatever comes next. [Read more 🡒]