Last week, two of the biggest hitters on the free agent market finally came off the board, with Kyle Tucker signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Bo Bichette fleeing Toronto’s nest, signing with the New York Mets. Aside from Cody Bellinger, there aren’t many free agent options left for the Blue Jays to consider who can make an impact in their lineup.

With the free agent well nearly dried up, it’s time to turn to the trade market. Overall, trades have been few and far between across MLB, but activity could finally kick into high gear now that players of significance are locking into new deals. 

The Blue Jays have spent the most money in free agency of any team this offseason, but now might be the time for them to pivot to address some of the holes on their roster. These are three impact position player trade targets they should consider to help them defend the American League crown.

Is it truly an offseason until the Blue Jays and Guardians don’t link up for an under-the-radar trade? Steven Kwan drew significant interest at last year’s trade deadline, but nothing materialized. Then the Guardians went on a 20-7 run in September and made history by overcoming a 15.5-game deficit in the American League Central.

Even though they’ve been in the postseason three of the last four years, it would be very Guardians-esque for them to sell high on a star player before they get too expensive in arbitration or demand a sizable contract extension. Kwan is under team control for the 2026 and 2027 seasons and avoided arbitration, with his salary set at $7.25 million for the 2026 campaign.

As a top-of-the-order lefty bat who excels at putting the bat on the ball and who plays plus defense, Kwan fits into any lineup, and although it might take some rejigging, the same applies to the Blue Jays. Because he’s so valuable on both sides of the ball, they could find a way to work Kwan into their lineup as much as possible.

The argument against bringing Kwan aboard is that they already have a similarly skilled player at a much lower salary: Nathan Lukes. Kwan posted a 99 wRC+ in 2025, while Lukes owned a 103 wRC+. Much of Kwan’s value is rooted in his baserunning and defense.

However, Kwan would be an everyday fixture in the Blue Jays’ lineup, while Lukes only started 37 games against left-handed starters in 2025, so his splits are a little more pronounced than Kwan’s.

As much as everyone loved witnessing Lukes’ long-awaited breakout after being a career minor leaguer for 11 years, there’s an element of regression to be expected with a player of that calibre. Steamer projects figure he’s due for a 0.9 fWAR season in 2026, while Kwan is projected for 2.8 fWAR.

A trade for a player like Kwan would involve parting with someone like Lukes (in that trade, or a subsequent deal to free up a roster spot), but going after a player like Kwan would provide more than just an incremental upgrade in the outfield for the Blue Jays.

That’s a spot on the roster where they can easily raise the floor and make this lineup (and defense) that much more formidable in 2026.

A bit of a late bloomer himself, infielder Brendan Donovan has become a fixture in the St. Louis Cardinals’ lineup over the last few years. Limited to just 118 games with an abdominal injury in 2025, he still posted decent numbers, with a .287/.353/.422 slash line with a 119 wRC+.

Donovan played the bulk of his games with the Cardinals at second base last year, but he also saw time in the outfield corners and shortstop, although second base is his native position.

Acquiring a player like Donovan would bump someone like Ernie Clement or Davis Schneider down the infield depth chart, as Donovan presents an upgrade over both incumbents. The real advantage of getting someone like Donovan is that he hits right-handers well, something neither Clement nor Schneider provides.

If the Blue Jays could cobble together some sort of Donovan/Schneider or Donovan/Clement platoon at second base, it would give the team a more versatile option at the keystone position. And just like Schneider, Donovan can play the outfield capably, which makes me wonder whether Schneider would be an expendable player in a roster logjam.

There isn’t a ton of power in Donovan’s bat, but with the way he hits for a high average in the .280-ish range, he’d only need to chip in 15 or so home runs to be a solid right-handed infield bat for the Blue Jays. Donovan is also under team control through 2027, and the St. Louis Cardinals don’t seem to have any interest in contending for the next few years.

The question is whether the Blue Jays could woo the Cardinals with an enticing trade package to fend off all the other teams surely circling the Cards like a pack of rabid hyenas.

The Miami Marlins aren’t typically known for drafting and developing up-and-coming hitters, but they’re beginning to turn heads with a crop of young, promising position players making their way up the ranks. One player who might be completely off your radar is Xavier Edwards.

Entering his fourth season in the big leagues, he wrapped an impressive 2025 campaign, slashing .283/.343/.355 over 139 games with the Marlins. With only 4 career home runs in 239 games, power is not the name of his game, but his Luis Arraez-esque ability to hit for high average and high contact numbers should entice a team like the Blue Jays, which covets bat-to-ball skills and low strikeout totals.

Edwards’ speed is another big selling feature, as he stole 28 bases in 33 attempts last year. His wheels also helped him pick up 20 doubles and five triples last year. Despite the home run power, Edwards’ speed still makes him an extra-base threat.

With five years of team control remaining, Edwards would command the highest value on the trade market, as a ready-made starting second baseman for any team. His impressive defensive value is not to be underrated either, as he ranked third in OOA (Outs Above Average) at second base in 2025 (Andres Gimenez was second, by the way).

A trade like this would be more of a long-term play for the Blue Jays, as Edwards is only 26 years old, but there’s still some upside for this young infielder. He likely won’t develop much power at the plate, but the speed, contact and defense are intriguing for a team like the Blue Jays looking to improve their roster by any means necessary for 2026 and beyond.

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