2026 Toronto Blue Jays Season Thread

[Roof-Daddy]

Have to put that stinging loss behind us.

Unlike the past 32 seasons where we saw the Jays season end early and then had to wait, and wait, and wait for the official off season to start this one is different. This off season has already started.

Looking ahead to the Jays roster next year, they have a #### ton of their roster under control and unless we see a bunch of 2024 type regression, they should be a pretty good team again.

C - Kirk
1B - Vlad
2B - Clement
3B - Barger
SS - Giminez
LF - Santander
CF - Varsho
RF - Lukes
DH - Springer

Bench C - Heineman
Bench OF - Straw
Bench UT - Schneider
Bench OF - Loperfido

FA's Bo, IKF, France

Hopefully Bo comes back but as the 2B. Shift Clement to 3B, Barger to RF and Lukes to the bench

SP1 - Gausman
SP2 - Yesavage
SP3 - Berrios
SP4 - Lauer
SP5 - Francis

FA's - Bieber, Bassitt, Sherzer

This is assuming Bieber passes on his $16 million player option, which seems likely. Clearly they need to sign at least one starting pitcher, luckily there are several quality SP's set to be free agents. Hopefully they can sign one that slots in as the #1 ahead of Gausman and slots everyone else down a spot.

Bastardo is a starter but missed a whole season and needs to be on the MLB roster or he goes back to the Red Sox. I expect he'll be a reliever at least to start out, as long as he's good enough.

Bloss should be back mid season, not sure what he'll be though. Hopefully if he's healthy he goes back to looking like he did in the Astros org.

Tiedemann will hopefully be healthy and if so he'll probably start in AAA. Sure would be nice if he came back and showed the same promise he had prior to hitting the wall with injuries.

Also have guys like Macko, Estrada and Lucas still kicking around as AAA depth.

Don't be surprised if you see Gage Stanifer up sometime next season. A very good starter that reached AA this season, he has filthy stuff and could burst onto the scene quickly.

CL - Hoffman
SU - Varland
SU - Fluharty
MR - Rodriguez
MR - Fisher
MR - Little
MR - Nance
MR - Bruihl
MR - Garcia
MR - Burr
MR - Sandlin

FA's - Dominguez

A lot of potential there for a really good bullpen or a scary one. If Garcia, Burr and Sandlin are healthy, I wouldn't throw a ton of money at the bullpen because it can be so volatile. Fisher, Little and Rodriguez all seemed to struggle the longer the season went on, hopefully they come back strong after the off season. We may see guys like Bastardo and Francis in the bullpen too, especially if the Jays can ink a couple of legit starters.

[Roof-Daddy]

Many seem to believe Skubal could be moved. He's a free agent after next season and apparently the Tigers and him aren't even close in negotiations for a new contract.

My dream off season would be re-signing Bo, moving him to 2B and trading for Skubal.

[CroCop]

Started talking about this in the 25’ thread. For me best way to move on is to think of exciting possibilities for 26’ another poster had a good reply there. Maybe I’ll move my thoughts here

What a ride but what does the offseason bring? Do we retain Bo? Can we entice an ace or other time big arms to come over? Can guys like Trey, Addison and Ernie sustain what they shown and become true All-Star players? I really hope this run has opened the eyes of future free agents that this is a premier place to play with a window to win. I think the fastest way to ease the sting of losing would be exciting action in the offseason and a hope to run it back for another shot.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by CroCop

Started talking about this in the 25’ thread. For me best way to move on is to think of exciting possibilities for 26’ another poster had a good reply there. Maybe I’ll move my thoughts here

What a ride but what does the offseason bring? Do we retain Bo? Can we entice an ace or other time big arms to come over? Can guys like Trey, Addison and Ernie sustain what they shown and become true All-Star players? I really hope this run has opened the eyes of future free agents that this is a premier place to play with a window to win. I think the fastest way to ease the sting of losing would be exciting action in the offseason and a hope to run it back for another shot.

The beautiful thing with Ernie is that he put up 2.1 fWAR in 2024, then fiollowed that up with 3.2 fWAR in 2025, and that was with a sub 100 wRC+ bat the whole time. I'd say the sample size is big enough to say he's for real.

With Barger, he had a strong first half, then scuffled the last couple of months. However, he found his bat again in the post season and also started to improve in RF. I think the Jays may have developed a legit star player here. I could see him put up 3-4 fWAR next season with 30+ home runs.

The Savage will certainly be interesting to watch as hitters get a book on him. He seems like a guy that if his stuff is on that day it doesn't really matter if the hitters have a book on him though.

[Jiggy_12]

Pay Bo whatever the market price is, as long as he agrees to move to 2B permanently (or at least for 1 season until Springer is gone, then he can DH too).

Do whatever it takes to trade for Skubal or Skenes

A good crop of free agent arms out there. Peralta from the Brewers would interest me

[howard_the_duck]

Key needs are:

top of the rotation starter

Big bat

2 very good relievers

I’d be tempted to add even more than one bat. What we get out of 37 year old Springer remains to be seen.

Bo, Bellinger, have a look at Tucker…all options to me as long as we’re spending.

[Jiri Hrdina]

I think you have to expect some sort of step back from Springer, but I also think you have to expect you'll get some sort of rebound from Santander. So maybe it evens out.

I think the #1 priority is a top of the rotation starter. If you can bring in a true #1, everyone else slots really well. And you can run out an order led by that ace + Gausman+ Trey. Pretty good.

And I'd love to have Bo back.

Hopefully this run makes Toronto a more attractive destination.

I found the whole "if you can't beat 'em join 'em" crap coming from LA to be annoying.

[bluejays]

I agree with everything OP pretty much said. To me there are a few core things I'd like to change:
- get a legit ace to move your depth down one
- see if a legit closer is out there, if not a guy who can supplement Hoffman when he isn't sharp. Hoffman should be a set up guy
- sign Bo as as second baseman
- sign and move Clement to 3B
- keep Barger at RF
- upgrade on Lukes in LF and keep him as a platoon guy


Farewell to:
Sherzer (age), Bieber (inconsistent but will likely get a premium for mediocre stuff), Bassitt (likely to be paid as a starter somewhere else), France, IKF


Trade:
Berrios, any of the lower end relievers, Heinemen, Straw, Schneider, Loperfido

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by Jiggy_12

Pay Bo whatever the market price is, as long as he agrees to move to 2B permanently (or at least for 1 season until Springer is gone, then he can DH too).

Do whatever it takes to trade for Skubal or Skenes

A good crop of free agent arms out there. Peralta from the Brewers would interest me

This. For Bo to be a long term solution here it needs to be at 2B/DH.

I think they need 2 legit starters, and if you could pick up a top tier ace that would be a big deal. We saw what Yamamoto did in the WS...

I also wouldn't be opposed to bringing Bassitt back. Plan on him being in a middle relief role (2 inning guy), and have him available to get stretched out as a starter to deal with injuries etc.

I'd love to see long term deals for Barger and Clement.

[Whynotnow]

I think you can get the closer at the trade deadline. Agree having another great starter would help, not easy to come by but gotta go looking. Keep Bo, you have to try.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Does Ernie need to be signed?

[bluejays]

I really fear a lot of teams will give whatever he wants position wise, along with the money. To me, if I'm reading between the lines, he chose SS more for the money that would come with it. I'd give him that money but would ask him to play 2B. I don't think he'd have a problem with that given he gets what he wants, but who knows? I'm just guessing. I really think the Yanks will do whatever it takes to get him. It would be a solid blow if someone within the division gets him.

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Does Ernie need to be signed?

Team control until 2029

[Roof-Daddy]

I wouldn't throw any money at the pen, unless they have the go ahead to exceed $300 million in payroll. They have a boatload of relievers with potential and they are so volatile that while some of them are likely to crash and burn, some of them are just likely to turn unhittable IMO.

Put all the money towards the rotation and re-signing Bo or replacing his bat with an OF bat. In that order.

If Bo won't come back, try land Bellinger or Tucker, then keep Barger at 3rd, Clement at 2nd and Belly/Tucker in RF.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Jiggy_12

Pay Bo whatever the market price is, as long as he agrees to move to 2B permanently (or at least for 1 season until Springer is gone, then he can DH too).

Do whatever it takes to trade for Skubal or Skenes

A good crop of free agent arms out there. Peralta from the Brewers would interest me

I think after one more year of Springer at DH it will be Santander that becomes the DH, IMO.

I find myself thinking they can get by with adding just one solid starter but man I'd love to see two of them added.

Skubal/Skenes would be the dream for sure, but very pricey to trade for.

Peralta is a great idea too.

I'd be pretty happy if they resigned Bieber and also landed a guy like Cease.

Bieber, Cease, Gausman, Yesavage, Berrios would be a really good rotation.

[bettercallbettman]

Bo is gone. His interview was quite telling.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by bettercallbettman

Bo is gone. His interview was quite telling.

It's possible.

If they bolster the rotation, they should be just fine without him if he leaves. Managed to clinch the AL east, win the ALDS and ALCS without him.

[Whynotnow]

If Bo is gone thye need to go hunt for a bat that can protect Vladdy. Maybe Ernie can become that guy but it really does mess with things if he doesn’t have that protection.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Whynotnow

If Bo is gone thye need to go hunt for a bat that can protect Vladdy. Maybe Ernie can become that guy but it really does mess with things if he doesn’t have that protection.

Santander or Barger might be that guy.

I'm all for adding as many bats as you can, but those guys could both pop 30+ homers next year and it would surprise no one.

Varsho too. He had 20 homers in half a seasons worth of at bats.

[Whynotnow]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Santander or Barger might be that guy.

I'm all for adding as many bats as you can, but those guys could both pop 30+ homers next year and it would surprise no one.

Varsho too. He had 20 homers in half a seasons worth of at bats.

Little too much swing and miss for my liking behind Vladdy in both those guys, would like a little more consistency but you are right they could help.