The Blue Jays may still be fighting for a Wild Card spot, but the bigger picture is already getting clearer: this offense needs help, and help is likely coming this winter.
That’s the backdrop for a recent MLB.com suggestion from Mark Feinsand, who pointed to three hitters Toronto should ask about on the trade market. Given how far the Blue Jays fell offensively after their 2025 breakout, it’s easy to see why the front office will be hunting for bats no matter how the season ends.
One of the names that makes plenty of sense is CJ Abrams. The Nationals shortstop has turned in a breakout 2026 campaign, hitting .259/.337/.490 with 30 HR, 95 RBI, and 28 SB as of Sept.
- Abrams has long flashed the tools, but this year the production has finally matched the hype.
His season has been built on a few real changes. Abrams is hitting fewer ground balls, doing more damage to the pull side, and swinging the bat faster.
His 36.3% ground-ball rate is a career low, his 24.6% pull-in-the-air rate is a career high, and his 73 mph bat speed is the best he’s ever posted. Even his usual second-half slide hasn’t hit as hard this year.
After first-half lines of .268/.343/.489 in 2024 and .287/.353/.483 in 2025, Abrams opened 2026 with .275/.352/.510 and a 132 wRC+, then settled into a .228/.307/.451 second half with a 105 wRC+.
There’s also a defensive wrinkle that makes him interesting for Toronto. Statcast has him at -17 OAA, tied for last with Willy Adames, and the Nationals have already started shifting him to second base.
That lines up cleanly for the Blue Jays, who could use the offensive boost while keeping Gimenez at shortstop and sliding Abrams into second, with Clement moving into more of a utility role. He’s controllable for two more seasons.
Jarren Duran is another possible fit, and this one would come with the added twist of dealing with a division rival. Toronto has done that before, including the Danny Jansen trade to Boston in 2024. Duran would qualify as a buy-low option after his 2026 slide.
He was coming off a career year in 2024, when he hit .285/.342/.492 with 21 HR, 75 RBI, 34 SB, and a 132 wRC+. In 2025, he backed up a bit to .256/.332/.442 with 16 HR, 84 RBI, 24 SB, and a 112 wRC+. This season has been the tough one: .207/.263/.367 with 20 HR, 69 RBI, 18 SB, and a 69 wRC+.
The issue has been swing-and-miss. Duran’s strikeout rate has climbed from 21.8% in his career season to 24.3% in 2025 and 27.6% in 2026.
He’s also chasing more and missing more, with a 34.7% Chase% and 33.9% Whiff% this year, compared with league-average marks in 2024. The glove still plays, though.
Duran has graded as a positive defender in left field, and his 5 OAA ranks third among qualified left fielders in 2026. He also brings above-average arm strength.
For Toronto, he’d be a clear upgrade over Jesús Sánchez, who looks like a non-tender candidate. Duran is controllable for two more seasons.
Then there’s Garrett Mitchell, the kind of name that may not jump off the page at first glance but starts to make sense once you dig in. The Brewers outfielder is hitting .258/.350/.408 with 9 HR, 57 RBI, and 13 SB, good for a 113 wRC+. The eye-opening part is the underlying profile.
Mitchell has elite bat speed at 77.6 mph, and he ranks top-5 in Hard Hit% at 52.8% and average exit velocity at 93.2 mph. He pairs that with strong plate discipline, drawing walks at an 11.4% clip and chasing only 22.6% of the time.
The problem is how often he pounds the ball into the ground. His 55.8% GB% and 31.7% LA Sweet-Spot% are both on the wrong end of the scale, and his 36.4% Whiff% sits in the 2nd percentile.
Still, there’s a real upside case here if he starts lifting the ball more.
Mitchell’s defense adds even more appeal. He’s been a quality center fielder, with 6 OAA ranking in the 91st percentile among center fielders, and his 89th percentile arm strength gives him a real chance to cut down runners.
With Bateman currently in center, either player could slide to left if needed. Mitchell is controllable for two more seasons, and if he puts the pieces together, the payoff could be huge: a top-of-the-order bat, elite base runner, and elite defender.
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