The Toronto Blue Jays have one obvious job this offseason: fix the bats.
After coming up an out short of the World Series in 2025, Toronto crashed all the way to the bottom of the AL East in 2026 and missed the playoffs altogether. There’s no dressing that up. The offense was the problem, and it was a glaring one, finishing last in runs scored, home runs, and RBIs while sitting near the bottom in just about every major offensive category.
Ross Atkins has already shown he’s willing to move fast when he sees a chance to improve the roster. After the Fall Classic ended in 2025, he made a splash by signing ace Dylan Cease, slugger Kazuma Okamoto, setup man Tyler Rogers, and Spencer Miles, who wound up blowing expectations out of the water. He strengthened the pitching staff then, and now the same kind of urgency needs to be applied to the position players.
The most urgent issue sits at designated hitter. George Springer has handled that role over his last six years, but his body may finally be forcing the conversation. Even if he does come back, Toronto would need him in a much smaller role.
That’s why Seiya Suzuki makes sense as a name to watch. He could help in the outfield and also fill the DH spot, and he has been a key part of the Chicago Cubs’ success. If the Blue Jays are serious about giving this lineup a jolt, Atkins should absolutely have him on the list.
Second base also needs attention. Ernie Clement went from first-time All-Star to a near-guaranteed out in the second half, and his numbers fell off a cliff: a .488 OPS in August and an even worse .386 in September.
That kind of drop-off was hard to explain. With Brandon Lowe now available, the fit is difficult to ignore.
He put up 35 home runs and 96 RBIs this year, and Toronto needs proven production.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s career-worst season only adds to the concern, though he has already undergone successful corrective lasix eye surgery. The hope is that helps get him back on track.
Free agency still hasn’t officially opened; it begins after the final out of the World Series. But the Blue Jays’ front office has already started mapping out its next move, and the first priority is clear: add a proven bat, maybe two.
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Joey Votto Sees One Big Question Behind Vladdys Rough Season
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.s 2026 season looked nothing like the standard he set for himself in Toronto, with a career-low batting average and lighter totals in both home runs and RBIs. For a player whose game has long been built around loud contact and middle-of-the-order production, the dip raised the kind of questions that follow star hitters deep into a season and into the offseason.
Joey Votto, who has seen enough elite bats to know where the trouble usually starts, pointed to Guerreros timing and suggested the answer may be more about the swing than the ceiling. Even with the rough year, Votto was still bullish on the long view, saying Guerreros talent keeps him in rare company and leaving the door open to a career arc that could put him alongside his father in the games most exclusive conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Finally Have A Bright Spot Fans Can Believe In
Kazuma Okamoto gave Toronto one of the seasons most encouraging developments in 2026, even as the Blue Jays were sorting through larger questions around their lineup. The rookie third baseman brought real middle-of-the-order punch, showing enough impact to stand out among the clubs everyday players and give the organization a long-term piece to build around.
Okamotos profile was not spotless, with strikeouts and off-speed pitches still part of the adjustment process, but the power was impossible to ignore. He handled fastballs well and finished the year positioned as a player Toronto can legitimately count on moving forward, which is about as valuable as a bright spot gets when a team is looking for something concrete to believe in. [Read more 🡒]
Andres Gimenez Is Giving The Blue Jays A Tough Lineup Question
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The problem is that the bat has become much harder to trust, and that is where the lineup question starts to loom. Gimenezs offensive production has slipped enough to raise real concerns about how much everyday value he brings if the defense and baserunning are doing most of the lifting. The Blue Jays do not have to solve the issue today, but they do have to keep asking whether his overall profile still works if the hit tool keeps lagging behind the glove. [Read more 🡒]