The Blue Jays are already mapping out their offseason, and the open market is bringing a few familiar names back into view.
Toronto has usually been willing to play in both ends of free agency, landing big contracts and shorter-term bets alike. With Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Ernie Clement and Alejandro Kirk forming part of the core, the front office could still use help around the edges. And this winter, several former Blue Jays are heading back into free agency, giving Toronto at least a few reunion possibilities to consider.
Kevin Gausman is the biggest name of the group. After five seasons in Toronto, the club traded its former ace to the Chicago Cubs ahead of the MLB Trade Deadline.
He wrapped up 2026 with a 4.83 ERA in nine games and 50.1 innings with Chicago. Gausman will be 36 next season, which figures to matter for teams weighing their 2027 plans.
In Toronto, he logged a 3.62 ERA across 861 innings, struck out 920 and earned his second All-Star Game nod in 2023. A reunion can’t be ruled out, but it doesn’t sound like the most likely first move for the Blue Jays.
Daulton Varsho is another ex-Jay returning to the market after being dealt at the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline. Toronto got his best seasons, and while he put together a strong four-year run with the club, a reunion this offseason does not seem especially likely.
Brett Bateman emerging as a center field option only adds to that. Varsho posted 12.1 WAR over four seasons with the Blue Jays, won a Gold Glove and showed real pop at the plate.
He’s just 30 and is expected to look for a longer-term contract, with Spotrac.com putting his value at two years, $26.8 million.
Eric Lauer is also back in free agency after another stop away from Toronto. He had a strong 2025 with the Blue Jays, but the front office still moved on from him in 2026.
With Los Angeles, he finished with a 4.50 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP in 14 games, numbers that likely trim the field a bit for his next deal. Teams also know he prefers not to be used as an opener, which could shape the kinds of clubs that come calling.
Randal Grichuk is a different kind of name to watch. The veteran outfielder/designated hitter, now 35, stayed productive this season and hit .287 between the New York Yankees and the Chicago White Sox.
He finished 2026 with 15 home runs and 46 RBIs in 117 games. If the White Sox let him test the market, he should draw interest, and Toronto could use more outfield depth.
Whether or not the Blue Jays make the call, he’s one of the more notable former players available.
Ryan Yarbrough also finds himself on the open market again after a solid 2026 with the Yankees. In 63.1 innings, he posted a 3.69 ERA.
Toronto has never been shy about adding pitching depth, and Yarbrough could fit in that back-end mix, especially before the ball gets to Louis Varland. The Blue Jays may or may not pursue him, but he belongs on the list of former Toronto players worth tracking this winter.
In Other News...
Blue Jays Linked To Yankees Bat Who Could Fix Their Biggest Need
The Blue Jays have been mentioned as a possible fit for Luis Garca Jr., a bat that could address one of their biggest offensive needs. Acquired by the Yankees during the 2026 season, Garca has surfaced in trade chatter as a way for New York to create more roster flexibility, while Toronto would be looking at him as a potential source of power for a lineup that could use another impact hitter.
Nothing has been announced, and for now it remains a speculative conversation rather than an active deal. Still, the logic is easy to see from Torontos side: a player with Garcas offensive profile would fit the kind of upgrade the Jays have been tied to as they weigh ways to bolster the middle of the order. [Read more 🡒]
George Springer Just Made Toronto's Next Decision Much Tougher
George Springers 2026 season left the Blue Jays with a familiar kind of question: how much weight should one year carry when it comes time to sort out the future? The veteran outfielder still supplied offense and gave Toronto useful production in the field, and the larger review of his year paints a picture of a player who remained a real contributor even as the club kept measuring where he fits in the bigger long-term plan.
The numbers also underscore why the decision is not a simple one. Springers season stacked up well enough to keep his place in the conversation about his Blue Jays legacy, with his all-time standing in club history still growing, but it also leaves Toronto balancing past value against what comes next. Whether the front office treats this as a closing chapter or a reason to keep the door open, his 2026 performance made the choice more complicated than it already was. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Linked To Power Bat They May Struggle To Land
The offseason market is starting to take shape, and Toronto is expected to be in the mix for one of Japans most intriguing bats. Teruaki Sato, a 27-year-old outfielder for the Hanshin Tigers, has been posted for MLB free agency, which opens a 45-day window for clubs to negotiate with him. For the Blue Jays, that puts another power option on the board as they look at ways to deepen the lineup.
Satos profile only adds to the appeal. He just captured the NPB Triple Crown, a rare accomplishment that will make him one of the more closely watched international names on the market, and he plans to travel to North America in November to meet with teams. Whether Toronto can get serious traction may depend on how crowded the chase becomes, but the Blue Jays have at least put themselves in position to explore it. [Read more 🡒]