Monday, October 12

TORONTO -- This time last year, the Blue Jays were having a little more fun. You probably were, too. 

The 2026 postseason has already brought us some great moments, but for the teams that just missed out, it can drag on, delaying the offseason moves fans are already anxious for. 

When that time comes, general manager Ross Atkins and the Blue Jays’ front office have plenty of work waiting for them. These are their most obvious needs heading into 2027:

1. One big bat … but preferably two

The Blue Jays ranked last in runs scored (648) and home runs (152) in 2026. Brace yourselves for this hot take: They need to add some offense. 

Some of this will come from within, including betting on bounce-back seasons from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Addison Barger, but the Blue Jays sit at the adults’ table in Major League Baseball now, and it’s not enough to just wait for better days. An organization with the payroll, market and expectations the Blue Jays have must be aggressive. This isn’t about sneaking into the postseason, it’s about comparing the Blue Jays to powerhouses like the Rays, Dodgers and Brewers. 

Power must be at the forefront of this offensive retool. Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki fits Toronto’s roster very well, and with the Blue Jays’ expanded efforts in Asia following their success with Kazuma Okamoto, they will be linked to Japanese star Teruaki Sato as well. The free-agent market is weak this winter, though, making the trade market more attractive. Thinking back to the deals for Daulton Varsho and Matt Chapman, the Blue Jays’ front office has never been shy.

2. Long-term outfield solutions

It’s been a long time since the Blue Jays developed an All-Star-caliber outfielder. You’re stuck reaching for Kevin Pillar’s peak seasons, then even further for Vernon Wells, who last played for the Blue Jays in 2010. 

This is another layer of Suzuki’s clean fit in Toronto, but the Jays could also open the door to Randy Arozarena, who the Blue Jays know all too well from his time in Tampa and Seattle. 

There’s not much value to the Blue Jays shopping in the market below these names, though, at least in free agency. Barger, Brett Bateman and Nathan Lukes are all solid big-leaguers while Davis Schneider, Anthony Santander and a potential reunion with Myles Straw ($8M club option, $1.75M buyout) could all play a role. 

Essentially, the Blue Jays need to find their next George Springer. All of these ideas continue to point back to Suzuki as an obvious target. Additionally, Okamoto is friendly with Suzuki from their time playing against one another in the Nippon Professional Baseball League in Japan and as teammates in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

3. A mid-rotation starter … or two! 

If the season started tomorrow, the Blue Jays’ rotation would be Dylan Cease, José Soriano, Trey Yesavage, Cody Ponce and Spencer Miles. 

Not bad, but not close to being competitive. At points in Spring Training in March, it looked like the Blue Jays could have eight starting pitchers, and even that unraveled into a mess the club spent much of 2027 trying to clean up. We can’t just look at the list above and assume the Blue Jays will add only one starter. 

Trade Deadline acquisition Spencer Arrighetti should be a valuable piece in this, too, especially considering that he has Minor League options remaining. In ‘26, the Blue Jays lacked an optionable starter, which led to a roster crunch.

4. Middle-infield depth and competition

In 2026, the Blue Jays scrambled for in-season options like Luis Urías and Lenyn Sosa. A more permanent option is preferred, whether that comes internally, like from No. 13 prospect Josh Kasevich, or from a veteran addition. 

Ernie Clement’s everyday reps at second base seem to be the main variable here, with Atkins recently saying that Clement will need to earn them. Granted, Clement always has, but the Blue Jays must find offense anywhere possible. Think back to additions like Freddy Galvis and Eric Sogard -- perhaps there’s a similar move for the Blue Jays front office to make this winter.

5. Bullpen tinkering: Another setup option? 

This will essentially fulfill the Jeff Hoffman role, who was traded to the Twins at the Deadline. Louis Varland is an elite closer, and the Blue Jays have some great backend options in Tyler Rogers, Braydon Fisher and Mason Fluharty, but they need to stay one reliever ahead of any regression or injury. 

This group didn’t get enough credit in 2026, largely because there weren’t enough leads to hold. If this cohort of relievers were even just “average” in ‘26, it would have been much uglier, so the Blue Jays need to continue to push the envelope here, not settle and expect a repeat.

The Blue Jays media world lost one of its longest-serving writers this week. Larry Millson, who covered the team as a beat reporter for over 30 years for the Globe & Mail and a number of other Canadian outlets, has died. He was 83. 

Millson was awarded the 2016 Jack Graney Award by the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, and along with his Blue Jays coverage, wrote about everything from hockey to football, the Olympics and thoroughbred racing. 

After Millson moved to the Blue Jays beat full time in 1980, he covered this franchise’s rise from an obscure expansion club to a powerhouse in the American League, along with its two World Series wins in 1992-93. 

Larry always had a story and would regale younger writers with tales of Jimmy Key, Cito Gaston and the glory days of the Blue Jays. Somewhere, he’s still watching this postseason, and he still thinks the starting pitcher should work a little deeper into the game.

The AFL is rolling with a handful of Blue Jays prospects playing for the Mesa Solar Sox, including No. 23 prospect Jake Casey, who’s the son of former big leaguer/current MLB Network analyst Sean Casey.

From MLB's Jonathan Mayo, you can catch up with Casey’s progress in this recent feature story, including his experiences playing in the great Minor League market of Vancouver.

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