The Toronto Blue Jays aren’t sitting back this winter-and they can’t afford to. In a division that’s arguably baseball’s most unforgiving, team president and CEO Mark Shapiro made it clear: the work isn’t done.
Speaking with MLB Network Radio, Shapiro didn’t mince words when asked about the team’s offseason approach. “My philosophy on free agents is that there is no such thing as close.
You're either done or you're not done-and we're still working to get better,” he said. That’s a strong message from the top, especially for a club that just came off a World Series appearance.
Toronto has already made some noise this offseason, bolstering its pitching staff with Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce, and Tyler Rogers. Those are meaningful arms, especially when you consider the grind of a 162-game season and the need for both front-end firepower and bullpen depth.
The Jays also added several minor-league arms who could factor in as the season wears on. It’s a solid start-but in the AL East, solid doesn’t always cut it.
“Our division is an absolute beast,” Shapiro said. And he’s right.
The AL East is a gauntlet. Every team, from top to bottom, has made moves-or is expected to.
Baltimore, for example, didn’t just improve-they reloaded. The Orioles added Taylor Ward and Shane Baz, two players who helped spark a second-half surge last season.
Then they went out and landed Pete Alonso, giving them a thunderous middle-of-the-order duo alongside Ward. Add Ryan Helsley to the back of the bullpen-a player the Jays were reportedly eyeing-and Baltimore looks ready to make a serious push.
Shapiro also pointed out that while the Yankees have been quiet so far, history says that won’t last. “I don’t expect them to be quiet all offseason,” he said. And let’s be honest-when the Yankees are lurking, you never assume they’re done until Opening Day.
Tampa Bay? “Never bad,” as Shapiro put it.
That’s a fair assessment of a team that always seems to find a way to stay in the mix, no matter the payroll or roster turnover. And then there’s Boston, which Shapiro called “positioned better than any other team in baseball to have success over the next five years.”
That’s not just lip service. The Red Sox have been aggressive, adding Sonny Gray, Johan Oviedo, and Willson Contreras via trade.
That’s a serious infusion of talent, and it raises their floor in a big way.
So where does that leave the Blue Jays?
Well, the pitching looks strong-maybe even stronger than it did going into 2025. The rotation has frontline stuff, the bullpen has depth, and there’s a clear sense of direction.
But offensively? That’s where the questions still linger.
Bo Bichette remains unsigned, and while there’s hope that a healthy Anthony Santander can replicate some of that production, it’s a big ask. Addison Barger showed flashes, and Andrés Giménez brings versatility and upside, but on paper, the lineup hasn’t taken a clear step forward. Not yet, anyway.
That’s why Shapiro’s final words hit with weight: “The bottom line is we need to get better.”
This isn’t a front office content with being a World Series runner-up. They’re not just trying to hang with the Dodgers-they’re trying to beat them. And with Shapiro setting the tone, it’s now on GM Ross Atkins to keep pushing the roster forward.
The good news for Blue Jays fans? This team has become a destination.
Cease, Ponce, and Rogers all mentioned it during their introductory pressers-Toronto is a place players want to be. That matters in free agency.
It could be a difference-maker in landing one more bat before Opening Day.
Because if Shapiro’s words are any indication, the Blue Jays aren’t finished. Not even close.