As the Blue Jays search for ways to build on last season, postseason experience looms large. If Toronto is going to keep pushing toward October, adding players who have already handled that stage could make sense through either trade or free agency.
On the pitching side, one name to watch from the White Sox is Sean Newcomb. He handled a wide range of roles in 2026, working as an opener, a multi-inning arm, a high-leverage reliever, and even closing games.
The lefty was effective across the board, finishing with a 3.09 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 90.1 innings with 84 strikeouts. That kind of flexibility would give the Blue Jays a useful second left-handed option to pair with Fluharty in the bullpen.
Another arm who could fit is Foster Griffin, who would represent something of a return to Toronto after appearing in one game for the Blue Jays in 2022. Griffin came back after three years overseas and posted a 3.60 ERA and 1.21 WHIP over 172.2 innings with 158 strikeouts for the Nationals and Guardians.
He profiles as a fifth starter who can soak up innings, though the source notes Toronto could probably do better if it wanted to chase more impact. Even so, depth on the mound always matters.
Tyler Mahle also stands out as a possible rotation target after what he did following his move from the Giants at the Trade Deadline. With the Braves, he looked like a different pitcher, putting up a 1.99 ERA and 0.96 WHIP in 54.1 innings, a sharp jump from the 5.13 ERA and 1.39 WHIP he carried in 94.2 innings with San Francisco.
That turnaround earned him a multi-year contract. His change came from dialing back the cutter and leaning hard into a fastball-splitter mix, using that combination more than 86% of the time.
The splitter has worked well for Blue Jays pitchers before, including Kevin Gausman, and Mahle would fit as a back-end starter in Toronto’s 2027 rotation.
Freddy Peralta is another rotation name with appeal after the Rays got him back on track. He struggled badly with the Mets, then turned around and posted a 3.25 ERA and 1.01 WHIP in 10 starts with Tampa Bay.
That was a clear jump from his 4.99 ERA and 1.48 WHIP with New York. The Rays restored his old mechanics and leaned more heavily on the fastball-changeup mix, which went from 70% usage with the Mets to over 80% with Tampa Bay.
For Toronto, he would fit in the middle of the rotation behind ace Dylan Cease.
In the Dodgers bullpen, Alex Vesia brings a different kind of value. He does not overwhelm hitters with velocity - his career-high average fastball velocity is 94.4 mph - but he creates plenty of swing and miss and racks up strikeouts.
Command can waver, reflected in an 11.5% walk rate, yet his stuff and angle make him an attractive option. Vesia would be a strong second lefty alongside Fluharty, and his 70-degree arm angle would give hitters another look to solve, even more than Trey Yesavage’s 66 degrees.
The lineup targets are just as intriguing. Fernando Tatis Jr. would be the biggest swing of the group.
The Padres’ new ownership has said the right things about winning, but there is no indication how much they will spend, and the club has bigger contracts it may prefer to move first, including Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts. Tatis still put together a big year despite not hitting his first home run until May 30, finishing at .289/.358/.470 with 25 home runs, 83 RBI, 38 stolen bases, and a 131 wRC+.
He also continued to provide elite defense in right field with 5 OAA. He is controlled through 2034 and is set to earn $36 million annually starting in 2029.
The Blue Jays could try to get creative, even taking on Tatis’ money in full and offering more prospects instead of parting with multiple top pieces such as JoJo Parker and Nolan Perry.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. would be the buy-low play. He had a down 2026, batting .231/.312/.399 with 19 home runs, 55 RBI, 41 stolen bases, and a 98 wRC+.
Still, before that season he had produced a 127 wRC+ in 183 games with the Yankees, which makes him a logical short-term target if Toronto wants upside without a huge commitment. Even in a quieter year, he remained a positive defender at second base with 15 OAA.
For the Blue Jays, he would give the lineup speed and power while pushing Ernie Clement into more of a utility role, which would be a cleaner fit.
Jake Bauers rounds out the group after revitalizing his career with the Brewers. Since joining Milwaukee in 2024, he has turned himself into a player who should draw multi-year interest.
In 2026, he hit .266/.389/.484 with a career-high 26 home runs, 86 RBI, and 11 stolen bases. His improved bat speed showed up in the quality of his contact, and his 22.1% chase rate and 93rd percentile bat speed would both be upgrades for Toronto.
The question is where he would play, since he has been a negative defender at first base.
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