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Blue Jays’ Myles Straw praises Toronto’s market ‘no better place to play baseball’

Michael Coyle — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 16:14:37 GMT

The Toronto Blue Jays are set to enter a vital offseason as they look to put the disappointment of the 2026 campaign behind them.

The Blue Jays’ offence struggled mightily, finishing with both the fewest runs and home runs among all 30 teams across the league. With those issues being so prominent, the management group will have to look for upgrades to ensure that the club has the best chance to return to the playoffs next season.

One player who the Blue Jays will have to make a decision on early in the offseason is outfielder Myles Straw. Five days following the 2026 World Series, the Blue Jays will have to decide whether they pick up Straw’s $8.5-million club option for the 2027 season.

In his second season with the Blue Jays, Straw appeared in 147 games and batted .241 with three home runs and 26 RBIs. The 31-year-old has the ability to play all three outfield positions and has provided strong defence across his two seasons in Toronto, but while speaking to Lindsay Dunn on the final weekend of the regular season, Straw admitted there is some uncertainty about what may happen.

“This place is amazing. I’ll be soaking it in today, obviously because you never know with this game what’s going to happen,” Straw said. “Obviously, this could be my last game here, but I hope not. This place is amazing and there’s no better place to play baseball in my opinion. I hope I finish playing my baseball career here.”

One Blue Jay who will be back next season is third baseman Kazuma Okamoto. Okamoto just completed the first season of the four-year, $60-million contract he signed in January and impressed with his ability to adjust to pitching in the majors.

Okamoto appeared in 156 games and batted .232 with 33 home runs and 92 RBIs, both being team highs. While there was a lot of swing and miss in the 30-year-old’s game, Okamoto was often the lone Blue Jay to pose a threat to opposing teams’ pitchers.

“You try to put yourself in his shoes and he’s coming from a country that’s far away and completely different,” Straw said. “I just tried to make him feel comfortable and he turned out to be a hilarious guy and great teammate. He’s just a fun guy to be around and I’m glad he’s with the Blue Jays.”

During the final game of the regular season, George Springer was removed to a standing ovation in what could be his final game in a Blue Jays uniform. Signed to a six-year, $150-million contract in January 2021, Springer became a fan favourite during his time in Toronto and has put together a strong 13-year career.

Teammates in both Toronto and Houston, Straw touched on the impact Springer has had on his career to this point.

“George took care of me. He was the guy that bought me clothes when I was a rookie, so George has always been special to me,” Straw said. “He leads by example and is always doing the right thing. I’m super happy for his career and we all love him.”

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How the Toronto Blue Jays should approach free agency this offseason

Tristan Morgan — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 11:00:41 GMT

A World Series Game 7 appearance in 2025 for the Toronto Blue Jays gave way to a 79-83 finish in 2026, last place in the American League East. Toronto ranked last in the majors with 152 home runs and 648 runs scored, and general manager Ross Atkins said at the Sept. 30 end-of-season press conference that the lineup never found momentum, never put the ball in the seats and did not get on base nearly enough. Atkins and President and CEO Mark Shapiro both said at their end-of-season press conference that the next addition has to be impactful.

The Money

Toronto’s 2026 cash payroll has been reported by the Canadian Press and MLB Trade Rumours at roughly $275 million, and by FanGraphs at $284 million. By a Yahoo Sports estimate, about $102 million comes off the books from expiring contracts and trades, a list that includes George Springer, Kevin Gausman, Jameson Taillon, Shane Bieber and Max Scherzer. That leaves a 2027 cash payroll of about $218 million before any additions or arbitration increases, and roughly $65 million of room to return to 2026 spending levels.

Beating the Deadline

The collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between MLB owners and the players’ association expires at 11:59 p.m. ET on December 1, and a lockout is widely expected. Free agents who want certainty before a work stoppage have only the weeks between the World Series and that deadline, so the market will move fast, much as it did when Toronto landed Dylan Cease early in the 2025-26 offseason.

The 2021-22 lockout lasted 99 days, from Dec. 2 to March 10, and produced a rush of signings before the freeze and a compressed scramble after it. Signing before Dec. 1 at least locks in terms that everyone understands. Waiting for the post-lockout landscape is a bet that the best players will still be available, and the top names in this class are unlikely to wait, given the uncertainty future payroll restrictions could have.

Offence, Offence, and more Offence

Run prevention held up for Toronto in 2026, ninth in ERA, 10th in runs against. However, the offence never really broke through. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is the clearest example. In the first season of his $500 million extension, he hit .260/.332/.356 with nine home runs and a 94 wRC+, a career-low slugging percentage by 77 points. He hit one home run in 73 games at Rogers Centre.

VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR. HITS HIS FIRST HOMER OF THE SEASON AT ROGERS CENTRE ‼️ pic.twitter.com/BtSQdBWO8s

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) September 13, 2026

Atkins pointed to a loss of rhythm and timing early in the year that eroded Guerrero Jr.’s confidence, but there’s more to it. The Toronto lineup in 2026 truly lacked a hitter who could force pitchers to throw Guerrero strikes. That is the hole to fill: not another glove-first infielder, not another platoon left-handed outfielder, a true impact bat.

The Targets

OF Seiya Suzuki (Age: 32): Hit .270 with 26 home runs, 86 RBI and an .841 OPS in 143 games for the Cubs, with a 12.8 percent walk rate and strong defensive grades (14 DRS, 5 OAA). He has hit 20 or more home runs in four straight seasons. The Athletic’s Mitch Bannon reported on Sept. 28 that Toronto is expected to pursue him.
2B Brandon Lowe (Age: 32): Hit .260/.331/.493 with 35 home runs and 96 RBI for the Pirates. His defence swung from -14 DRS and -14 OAA in 2025 to +13 DRS and +15. OAA in 2026.
LHP Adrián Morejón (Age: 27): Posted a 2.75 ERA over 168 appearances for the Padres since the start of 2024. Consensus top 10 free agent in this class, and he is expected to be the top reliever available.
RHP Shane Bieber (Age 31): Posted a 4.37 ERA with a 1.42 WHIP in 11 starts for Toronto in 2026 after returning from injury. He is worth considering on a prove-it, team-friendly deal for the final rotation spot.

The Plan

Four signings cover the four clearest needs. Seiya Suzuki takes right field, and the cleanup spot behind Guerrero Jr. Brandon Lowe solves the second base platoon situation and adds left-handed power. Adrián Morejón gives Tyler Rogers a left-handed partner at the back of the bullpen, creating one of the most lethal back-ends in MLB. Bieber fills the last rotation spot on a one-year deal in an ideal world. If Toronto landed all four, it would rank among the best offseasons (if not the best) in franchise history.

Seiya Suzuki during his 5 yr / $85M CHC deal: 16.2 rWAR, 675 G, 113 HR, 128 OPS+, 142 2B. pic.twitter.com/uVOKUcqzzt

— Sam Fosberg (@discussbaseball) October 1, 2026

Now comes the massive price tag. Suzuki could command a nine-figure deal worth more than $25 million AAV, and Lowe could command a similar number. Moreover, Morejón has a case to approach or beat Tanner Scott’s four-year, $72 million deal, nearing $18 million AAV. Put that together, and the cost tops at least $68 million but could balloon to $79 million or more, especially if you tack on another starter.

Toronto has about $65 million on paper to spend, roughly $52 million after arbitration raises, and about $62 million if it non-tenders Clement and Lukes. So landing all four means pushing 2027 cash payroll to roughly $300 million to $310 million, potentially pushing Toronto into the fourth Luxury Tax Threshold, an exclusive group that includes only the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets in 2026.

Unless Rogers Communications wants a +60% tax surcharge on the Blue Jays, something will have to give, but there’s a pretty clear order of operations in that scenario. The two bats come first, since the offence is such a glaring problem. Morejón comes next, since Atkins said the back of the bullpen needs reinforcing after Jeff Hoffman was traded. The starter comes last, because Spencer Miles and Spencer Arrighetti are already in-house.

Final Thoughts

The front office does not need to overhaul this roster. The core is still in place, the pitching staff is in admirable shape, and the organization has already shown a willingness to spend aggressively in prior offseasons when it believes a player can truly move the needle.

A salary cap, if one comes, would complicate every version of this proposed plan for Toronto, which is another reason to move before the CBA expires. However, the bottom line is that the front office has plenty of room to act, and Toronto should be a big player in the free-agent market. The harder question is whether it spends that room on the right things before a potential lockout closes the league’s doors for an indefinite period on December 1.

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Blue Jays’ Davis Schneider reflects on difficult 2026 campaign ‘wasn’t performing the way I wanted to’

Michael Coyle — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 14:00:09 GMT

The Toronto Blue Jays’ 2026 season was largely a disappointment from start to finish.

Fresh off a run to the 2025 World Series, the Blue Jays entered the 2026 campaign with high expectations, but wound up slumping to a 79-83 record, good for last place in the American League East.

Many of the club’s players experienced a step back in offensive performance, which resulted in the Blue Jays finishing with the fewest runs and home runs in the majors. Among those players who experienced their fair share of struggles was Davis Schneider.

Schneider appeared in 69 games with the Blue Jays this past season and batted .145 with five home runs and 16 RBIs. Schneider saw himself optioned four times to Triple-A Buffalo as he struggled to replicate the success he flashed during the 2025 season when he batted .234 with 11 home runs and 31 RBIs.

In an interview with Lindsay Dunn during the final weekend of the regular season, Schneider touched on the impact bouncing between Buffalo and Toronto had on him, what the future holds for him, and the impact George Springer has had in the Blue Jays’ clubhouse.

“It’s still the same grind every single day playing baseball. Mentally, it’s tough, especially when I was here [Toronto], I wasn’t performing the way I wanted to but when I was in Triple-A, people say, oh it sucks, but I still get to play baseball and get a lot of money to go out there and have fun with your boys,” Schneider said. “I never take it for granted whether I’m here or in Triple-A. As long as I’m stepping on the field and getting to play baseball, I’m happy.”

Originally drafted by the Blue Jays in the 28th round of the 2017 MLB Draft, Toronto has been the only organization Schneider has ever known. Following a subpar season, the 27-year-old’s spot on the 40-man roster is far from a sure thing, which could result in Schneider having to look elsewhere.

“Every single year, you never know what the next year is going to entail. Especially after a year like this with the high expectations and we don’t live up to them as a team. Whether they’re going to be looking for new guys,” Schneider said. “I think that should happen every year. You always want to win the World Series and I wouldn’t say it’s a failure, but we didn’t live up to expectations. Hopefully, we can next year if I’m still here. You never know in this game, but we just got to perform better.”

Among those players who might not be back next season is Springer. Following last Sunday’s 5-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds, Springer officially completed his six-year, $150-million contract he signed with the club in January 2021.

During his seasons with Toronto, Springer appeared in 776 games and batted .260 with 134 home runs and 392 RBIs. The 37-year-old also had one of the biggest home runs in franchise history, when he launched a three-run home run in the 2025 American League Championship Series off Eduard Bazardo to help send the Blue Jays to the World Series.

“He’s been awesome. Ever since I got called up in 2023, he has been the leader and person you want in the clubhouse. He’s the kind of guy you look up to with everything, whether it’s on-field or off-field stuff, he always has the answer,” Schneider said. “He’s won a World Series, World Series MVP, and he hit a homer last year that no one’s going to forget here. I’m glad I got to share the field with him.”

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How the 5 Blue Jays 2026 UDFAs fared in their professional debuts

Michael Coyle — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 11:00:48 GMT

Following the 2026 Major League Baseball Draft in which the Toronto Blue Jays made 20 selections, they signed eight undrafted free agents to bring in more talent to their organization.

Of the eight players they signed, five of them including Reese Bassinger, Dax Dathe, Ryan Franden, Gavin Seebold, and Isaac Williams made their professional debuts.

Here is a look at how all five of these players fared during their first stint in professional baseball.

Reese Bassinger

After spending three seasons in the NCAA, Bassinger impressed upon being assigned to Single-A Dunedin. Across nine games, Bassinger recorded a 2.19 ERA and 0.89 WHIP.

The 23-year-old recorded two saves in both his opportunities and struck out 14 batters across 12.1 innings pitched while limiting opponents to a .208 average.

Dax Dathe

Dathe joined the Blue Jays organization after four seasons in the NCAA and was the one player who spent time at two levels. Dathe opened with Dunedin and pitched to a 3.52 ERA and 1.57 WHIP. Dathe struck out 15 batters and recorded two saves across 7.2 innings before being promoted to High-A Vancouver on August 24.

Upon joining the Canadians, Dathe appeared in three games and turned in a 1.93 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. The 25-year-old struck out nine batters over 4.2 innings and held opponents to a .176 average.

Ryan Franden

Of the two UDFAs the Blue Jays signed that were position players, Franden was the lone player to make his debut. Over 20 games with Dunedin, Franden batted .197 with one home run and four RBIs. Franden stole one base and produced a .279 on-base percentage.

During Franden’s time in the NCAA, he worked as a utility infielder and the 23-year-old carried that over to the Blue Jays organization. Franden saw time at first base, second base and third base and committed only one error.

Gavin Seebold

After four seasons in the NCAA, Seebold was assigned to Dunedin and got into seven games to close out the 2026 campaign. During that span, Seebold picked up two saves, posted an ERA of 1.00 and a WHIP of 0.67.

Seebold struck out an impressive 18 batters across nine innings and held opponents to a .156 average.

Isaac Williams

Williams closed out his fourth season in the NCAA at the University of Oklahoma before being assigned to Dunedin. In seven games, Williams went 1-0 with a 5.68 ERA and a 0.87 WHIP.

The 22-year-old right-hander struck out 18 batters across 12.2 innings pitched, picked up two holds and held opponents to a .136 average.

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2 Blue Jays crack MLB Pipeline’s final Top 100 Prospects of the 2026 season

Michael Coyle — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 17:02:39 GMT

The Toronto Blue Jays organization has closed the season with a few of the best prospects in the game.

On Friday, MLB Pipeline released its final Top 100 Prospects list of the 2026 year, and among the players ranked were JoJo Parker and Nolan Perry.

Parker was listed as the 24th-best prospect in baseball while Perry found himself slotted in at 90 after his breakout campaign.

After being selected by the Blue Jays eighth overall during the 2025 MLB Draft, Parker waited until the beginning of the 2026 campaign to make his professional debut. Assigned to Single-A Dunedin, Parker appeared in 87 games and batted .258 with 13 home runs and 66 RBIs.

Parker reached base at a .388 clip, stole 22 bases in 26 attempts and slugged .471 across 325 at-bats before being promoted to High-A Vancouver on August 10.

Upon joining the Canadians, Parker took his game to the next level. In 21 games, the 20-year-old batted .316 with seven RBIs and produced a .443 OBP. Parker became the Canadians’ starting shortstop and went 3-for-13 with one RBI and three walks over three contests as Vancouver captured the Northwest League title.

For his efforts this season, Parker was named to the 2026 Florida State League All-Star team alongside Dameury Pena.

Perry became one of the biggest risers in the Blue Jays’ farm system. After missing all of the 2025 campaign recovering from elbow surgery, Perry was assigned to Single-A Dunedin to begin the season, and after five outings in which he recorded a 1.71 ERA to go along with limiting opponents to a .114 average, he was promoted to High-A on May 3.

Upon joining the Canadians, Perry continued to impress. The 23-year-old went 3-3 with a 3.23 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. Perry struck out 46 batters across 30.2 innings pitched and held opponents to a .237 average before receiving another promotion on June 30, this time to Double-A New Hampshire.

In nine starts with the Fisher Cats to close out the 2026 campaign, Perry went 0-1 with a 2.32 ERA and 1.03 WHIP. The right-hander struck out 39 batters over 31 innings and limited opponents to a paltry .163 average.

In total, Perry wrapped up his season by appearing in 21 games across three minor-league levels and for his efforts was nominated as one of three players for Minor League Breakout Player of the Year.

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The Blue Jays should consider a reunion with Max Scherzer in 2027

Nick Prasad — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 11:00:13 GMT

The Toronto Blue Jays’ 2026 season came to a close quicker than anyone would have liked.

The end also means the end of the season for several Blue Jays players due to free agency. One touchy name is Max Scherzer. Should the Blue Jays bring him back?

It’s no secret that playing in Canada may be questionable for many professional athletes. It’s a breath of fresh air to hear that Scherzer loved his time here and visually displayed his love for Toronto.

It was also evident that he loved his environment and the Blue Jays clubhouse. He referred to Toronto as “a hidden gem”, and we got to see a fun side of Scherzer that some haven’t.

Now, is this enough to whip him up a contract? Probably not; however, there are some reasons to consider him, backed up by numbers and performances.

There could be a case made to bring Scherzer back

Usually, my take on such a season would be to trim the fat on the roster by identifying fillers and non-contributors. After a mishmash roster due to injury, various players were brought over and asked to step up.

Scherzer doesn’t fall into that “fat” being trimmed, despite where he’s at in his career and his age. Looking at most of the Blue Jays pitching staff, Scherzer is one of the options that is trusted, and you know what you’re getting.

Bringing the veteran pitcher back would not be based only on his legendary name or his love for the city, but on what he’s still able to contribute.

What did Scherzer show us?

The veteran pitcher has displayed his ability to throw effectively and have a “Scherzer day”. His last outing of the season for him was just that: seven-plus innings, allowed one run on six hits, walked one, and struck out seven against Cincinnati.

Scherzer’s stuff didn’t vanish, but it’s more intermittent with regard to consistency. You’re not going to get what Dylan Cease has offered or even Kevin Gausman, but you’ll get quality innings to a limit. He threw 84 and 2 / 3 innings, similar to his 85 last season, and more than his 43 and 1 / 3 in 2024. Scherzer is also still in the 91-93 mph range and still has pretty good pitch sequencing and command.

Yes, his lower velocity makes it harder and more pertinent to sequence and locate off-speed, but he’s shown the ability to do that. He recorded a 33.6% hard-hit rate, which was lower than last season, and a higher ground-ball rate at 30.9%.

Scherzer did have a higher ERA at 5.74, but there are ways to combat that. To keep him in the mix, the Blue Jays would need to limit his innings, as a starter and/or as a reliever. If competing for a starter spot, he would be a sixth-man opener with a short leash. Worst-case scenario, Scherzer would offer a lot in the bullpen as a long and short reliever. If these conditions suffice with the veteran pitcher, it’s something to think about for the Blue Jays.

A one-year contract with an option would make sense, as it would also help the young clubhouse, providing some veteran insight and postseason experience. The Blue Jays should consider re-signing Scherzer under these terms, as he’s proven to be a workable arm in the given situations.

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‘We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it’: Kevin Gausman unsure about 2027 future with Cubs eliminated from post-season

Thomas Hall — Fri, 02 Oct 2026 19:30:39 GMT

It’s still unclear if Kevin Gausman will return next season or announce his retirement this winter.

Any decision the two-time All-Star makes will ultimately need to wait until he and his wife, Taylor, discuss what’s best for their family moving forward. After playing 14 seasons in the majors, including four and a half with the Toronto Blue Jays, the 35-year-old needs to determine if it’s time to become a full-time dad to his two daughters.

“Honestly, I don’t know,” Gausman told reporters in San Diego when asked about his playing future. “I need to sit down, talk with my wife and figure that out. I’ve been doing this a pretty long time, so my kids are only getting older. We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”

Gausman isn’t the only former Blue Jay needing to decide whether he’ll continue playing in 2027 — both George Springer and Max Scherzer, each soon-to-be free agents, have also announced they’ll make that call at some point in the coming months.

Based on the sport’s CBA-related lockout looming, how quickly a new agreement can be reached between all 30 owners and the MLB players’ union could play a role in those decisions.

In the midst of a disappointing 2026 campaign, the Blue Jays traded Gausman’s expiring contract to the Chicago Cubs ahead of this past season’s trade deadline on Aug. 3, receiving a pair of prospects — outfielder Brett Bateman and infielder Ty Southisene — in return. In nine regular-season starts with Chicago, the veteran right-hander posted a 4.83 ERA and a 21.9 per cent strikeout-minus-walk rate (K-BB%) over 50.1 innings.

Gausman also started Game 2 of the Cubs’ NL wild-card series against the Padres, allowing three runs (all earned) on five hits and zero walks, recording just one strikeout in their season-ending defeat.

“It’s always tough leaving a group, saying bye to guys,” Gausman said. “Unfortunately, I’ve had a lot of heartbreak in this game, and you’re really only happy if you win at all. I haven’t been to that point yet, but I really thought this team had a chance.”

If Gausman ultimately retires, he’ll deservedly walk off into the sunset with more than 2,000 career innings and strikeouts, 100-plus wins and a lifetime sub-four ERA in his time split between the Orioles, Braves, Reds, Giants, Blue Jays and Cubs.

However, if he decides to return, there’ll surely be considerable mutual interest regarding a reunion with Toronto.

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As off-season planning begins, exposure to Japanese market remains area of interest for Blue Jays

Thomas Hall — Fri, 02 Oct 2026 18:30:22 GMT

TORONTO — After years of dipping their toes into the Pacific Rim market, and a successful first season for Japanese slugger Kazuma Okamoto with the Blue Jays, the organization appears committed to further exploring growth opportunities in that part of the world this winter.

Based on the crop of free agents set to hit the market next month, there are multiple scenarios where signing Okamoto — who led the team with 33 home runs and 92 RBIs as a rookie this past season — to a four-year, $60 million free-agent contract last off-season could prove to be the appetizer of a much larger dish for this franchise. They may not be finished spending in that part of the market.

Perhaps Okamoto was just the first wave of Japanese stars to arrive in Toronto.

With holes to fill in the middle of the Blue Jays’ lineup and at the back end of the rotation, names such as Seiya Suzuki in traditional free agency, as well as Teruaki Sato, Kaima Taira and Hiromi Itoh through MLB’s posting system with NPB, will be of particular interest to this front office when the market officially opens.

While that certainly won’t be the only avenue management explores, it’ll certainly occupy much of their focus in the coming weeks and months. During Wednesday’s end-of-season media availabilities, team president and CEO Mark Shapiro highlighted its potential for expanded growth, saying, “it’s one outlet for talent that I know Ross [Atkins] is going to fully explore.”

Landing a superstar like Okamoto, whose popularity in Japan is among the largest in the sport, given his history playing for the Yomiuri Giants — NPB’s most popular franchise — before arriving in North America in 2026, has meant diving headfirst into the Pacific Rim market like never before. The Blue Jays’ brass has tasted it before, albeit in microdoses, during the tenures of Hyun Jin Ryu, Yusei Kikuchi and even Shun Yamaguchi.

Now they’re hoping to consume a much larger piece of the pie.

“We’re certainly looking to leverage that from a business perspective,” Shapiro said on the impact of the Japanese market. “Our understanding coming in [to this year] was it’s not a one-year process; it takes multiple years, so we’re going to have a contingency going over to Japan this off-season. I might make a trip as well following that up.

“We hope to have that be a part of our business strategy as well moving forward.”

In terms of quantifiables, Year 1 of Okamoto’s arrival meant a significant increase in social media engagement and audience for the Blue Jays. Transforming the 30-year-old’s newfound love for quesadillas into the “Kaz-Adilla” sensation for purchase at the Rogers Centre definitely helped in that regard.

It’s still too early to feel the entire weight typically associated with rostering a marquee Japanese star. As popular as Okamoto is back home, his following can’t compare to the massive size of someone like Shohei Ohtani’s — few things can, honestly. In time, however, the franchise expects the value of that relationship to grow in the coming years, both on and off the field.

There are also lessons from Okamoto’s rookie campaign that can likely be applied to the next Japanese player the Blue Jays acquire. At the end of the day, every player is different. But there can be some overlap, especially for those transitioning from NPB to MLB.

“Some of the challenges with Japanese [players] the difference in the travel, the difference in the way the schedule works with a day off,” Shapiro said. “I think we tend to overlook some of the challenges that exist in transition, which gives me hope that Kaz is going to be even better next year.”

Okamoto, for example, never played 150 games in a single calendar year before this season; he finished with a career-high 156 games played in ’26. That wasn’t necessarily by design, of course. The Blue Jays entered this year hoping that Addison Barger — capped at just 28 plate appearances after injuring both ankles while running to first base and blowing out his right elbow on the hardest throw of his career (101.2 m.p.h.) — would alleviate some of that workload at third.

Instead, after Barger underwent season-ending elbow surgery, which the club is confident he’ll be “pretty close” to 100 per cent recovered should spring training begin on time in 2027, Okamoto morphed into Toronto’s everyday guy at the hot corner. Next season, though, they’d like to offer him a day off when a tough right-hander starts.

As it pertains to pursuing future Pacific Rim free agents, the organization intends to lean on the strengths it established with Okamoto and his camp during the past eight-plus months.

“Talent is talent, but I think when you put talent together with a process and a plan, hopefully you can look at it and say that we have a pretty good plan and people in place to help with that,” manager John Schneider said.

Along those lines, adding another Japanese position player this off-season — their second in as many winters — figures to be a strong possibility for Toronto’s front office. There’ll be other hitters of interest, too, Randy Arozarena and Brandon Lowe the most notable free-agent bats among them. However, the pair of Suzuki and Sato pose the ability to check market-related boxes, which could set them apart.

Between those two, Suzuki likely presents the better fit for the Blue Jays. Despite being five years older, the 32-year-old slugger — who posted 26 home runs, 86 RBIs, a .270/.368/.473 slash line and a 134 wRC+ (100 league average) in 143 games with the Cubs this past season — has spent each of those last five years adapting to the sport’s North American style and schedule. As such, he’ll possess much higher odds of outperforming Sato’s rookie-year production in ’27, which, given the immense urgency for the club’s offence to take a significant leap next season, may offer him a leg up.

As a right-handed-hitting corner outfielder, it’d also likely be much easier to fit Suzuki into a puzzle already stocked with lefty-hitting outfielders as opposed to the uncertainty surrounding Sato’s future position — he’s mostly played third in Japan but also split time in both corner outfield spots.

Suzuki’s defence is another appealing trait that’ll draw interest from the Blue Jays’ front office. He’s coming off a career year in the field, having registered 14 defensive runs saved, five outs above average and a plus-eight fielding run value (placing in the 86th percentile of the majors) across 972.2 innings in right field. He made excellent strides, evolving from, at times, a DH-only participant, setting himself up to cash in on that development this winter.

There’s a strong case to be made that Suzuki’s next payday should come from Toronto, which is hunting for a core middle-of-the-order bat like his, with upside that wouldn’t be limited to within the white lines.

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Jameson Taillon to undergo right flexor surgery

Michael Coyle — Fri, 02 Oct 2026 16:58:02 GMT

Jameson Taillon finally has news on his injured pitching arm.

Per Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi, Taillon is scheduled to undergo flexor surgery next week to try to fix something that gave the right-hander issues for the final two months of the 2026 season.

The surgery, which will be done by Dr. Keith Meister, could also include an internal brace procedure, but the extent of the work won’t be known until it gets underway.

Acquired by the Toronto Blue Jays from the Chicago Cubs on August 2, Taillon pitched in three games but left two of those contests due to various arm ailments. The first time was on August 10 against the Boston Red Sox, and after missing nearly a month on the 15-day injured list, Taillon’s return was cut short after two innings on September 4 against the Kansas City Royals.

During his three outings with the Blue Jays, Taillon recorded a 3.60 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. The 34-year-old struck out eight batters across 10 innings and was hit at a .231 clip.

A free agent this winter, Taillon completed a four-year, $68-million contract he signed with the Cubs in December 2022. Taillon finishes 2026 with a 2-6 record, a 5.65 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP across 86 innings. The righty struck out 76, allowed 27 home runs and allowed opponents to hit .253 on the campaign.

Taillon has already undergone two Tommy John surgeries in his career, and if the right-hander is out of action for the entire 2027 season, he could be hard-pressed to receive another shot. Taillon could opt to look to secure a two-year minor-league deal, similar to the one Josh Winckowski signed with the Blue Jays last winter.

For his career, Taillon has pitched with the Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Yankees, Cubs, and Blue Jays. Over the course of 10 years, Taillon has appeared in 242 games and has gone 84-66 with a 3.99 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP.

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Mark Shapiro acknowledges Blue Jays giveaway days: “Everyone that is in line will ultimately get a promotional item”

Tyson Shushkewich — Fri, 02 Oct 2026 13:00:01 GMT

You get a bobblehead, you get a bobblehead… everyone gets a bobblehead if you lined up early enough in the day for one.

The Toronto Blue Jays upped their promotional giveaway calendar this past season, including a Trey Yesavage jersey, an Ernie Clement hockey jersey, a back-to-back replica statue, and bobbleheads featuring Vladimir Guerrero Jr., George Springer, and Dylan Cease. And that was just the tip of the iceberg.

With so many promotions, everyone from the bottom-dwelling resellers on Facebook to diehard fans of the team were lining up as early as 11:00 am on a 7:00 pm gameday. And with the promotions ranging from 10,000 to 15,000 items (on average), there was a chance that those who showed up two hours before first pitch were going home empty-handed.

The Blue Jays and President & CEO Mark Shapiro took notice.

“We spent a lot of time thinking about that,” Shapiro advised the media earlier this week. “And we even quietly increased the number last year without announcing it at times, to try to find the right number where everyone that is in line will ultimately get a promotional item … and when we think about next year, yes, we are considering increasing the number next year.

“I think what we’re looking for is more the number where every single person that does get in line receives an item, so not necessarily every person that comes in the ballpark, but there’s no one that waited in line that gets disappointed.”

Considering the Jays’ home stadium can seat almost 40,000 fans after the recent upgrades caused some seating to disappear for the open area concepts, it makes sense why the organization might not be keen on upping that promotional number to the max, but finding a new minimum for those who are lining up so early to the ballpark won’t leave without their memento.

While the club can’t necessarily control the scalper who grabs a jersey or bobblehead and walks out of the stadium and has it for sale in minutes, the recent comments from Shapiro are at least addressing the issue if they increase the minimum number of giveaway items for those who follow the team.

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