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3 Blue Jays with the most to gain during the month of September
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Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Michael Coyle
Sep 1, 2026, 07:00 EDTUpdated: Aug 31, 2026, 14:23 EDT
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It’s officially September.
Major League Baseball’s regular season has one month left as teams try to set themselves up for a World Series run or clubs give prospects a look to see if they can become contributors to a roster in 2027. 
In the Toronto Blue Jays’ case, they open the month 1.5 games back of the Cleveland Guardians for the American League’s final Wild Card spot, a club they will face over these next three days. With 24 games left to play, the Blue Jays have put their 2026 season’s fate into their own hands as they look to return to the postseason for the second straight campaign. 
While much has gone wrong in 2026, three players including Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Shane Bieber, and Brett Bateman can all gain from strong final months for varying reasons. 

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 

2026 hasn’t gone how anyone that watches or is a part of the Blue Jays organization thought for Guerrero. The 27-year-old was coming off last year’s World Series run in which he batted .397 with eight home runs and 15 RBIs while reaching base at a .494 clip across 18 games. 
Fast-forward to this season and there has been no sign of that Guerrero. Through 123 games, Guerrero is batting .258 with seven home runs and 48 RBIs. The Guerrero that struck fear in opponents has seldom shown up, highlighted by the first baseman sitting ninth on the Blue Jays for most home runs, which includes zero at Rogers Centre. 
While Guerrero has received a bunch of criticism for how this season has gone, even being booed during a 13-2 home loss against the Kansas City Royals on August 27, he has the ability to change much of the conversation surrounding him with one big month. 
If Guerrero can get hot and find some of the power that he’s possessed in previous seasons, the Blue Jays’ lineup gets all the more dangerous. With both Alejandro Kirk and George Springer putting together strong runs in each of their past 15 games and Kazuma Okamoto’s ability to slug, a big month from Guerrero could not only help power the Blue Jays to a playoff spot, but also make many fans forget about how much of a struggle his 2026 season was. 

Shane Bieber

The Blue Jays acquired Bieber before the 2025 trade deadline as they attempted to bolster their rotation to try and run down an American League title. The move was successful as Bieber made seven starts down the stretch and went 4-2 with a 3.57 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. 
Almost shockingly, a few days after the World Series loss, Bieber opted into his $16-million player option for the 2026 season. As spring training opened, the news broke that Bieber would be delayed in camp as he dealt with forearm inflammation that had bothered him since the World Series.
After being on the injured list due to right elbow inflammation until June 23, Bieber was up-and-down in his first six starts off the IL before blowing up against the Washington Nationals on July 28, in what was his final start before the trade deadline. 
Largely due to that disaster in which Bieber failed to make it out of the first inning, he was held onto at the trade deadline and since that start, the right-hander has found his stride. In four August outings, Bieber went 3-0 with a 2.59 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP, including seven innings of one unearned run against the Tampa Bay Rays on August 20. 
Unfortunately for Bieber and the Blue Jays, he was placed on the 15-day IL on August 25 with right teres major inflammation. At the time of the announcement, manager John Schneider stated that Bieber would be down for a couple of weeks before going from there. 
Through his 11 starts this year, Bieber is 5-2 with a 4.37 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. The 31-year-old has struck out 44 batters across his 55 innings pitched and is set to be a pending unrestricted free agent at season’s end. 
If Bieber can return to full health and pitch well down the stretch, he could set himself to receive a qualifying offer from the Blue Jays or try and secure himself a longer-term contract in free agency. 

Brett Bateman 

The Blue Jays acquired Bateman alongside Ty Southisene from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Kevin Gausman. At the time, Bateman was a little-known prospect but since having his contract selected for his MLB debut on August 7, the 24-year-old has done nothing but impress. 
Bateman started his career by doubling on the first pitch he saw in the big leagues off Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler. In his first 19 games, Bateman is batting .333 with seven RBIs and three stolen bases while reaching base at a .384 clip. Ranked as the Blue Jays’ No. 17 prospect, he has always shown an ability to hit left-handed pitching, highlighted by a .393 average in 28 at-bats to this point. 
The outfielder has brought strong defence and an energy to the Blue Jays’ lineup that coincides with the club’s recent surge back into playoff contention. Bateman has been thrust into the Blue Jays’ leadoff spot and with a strong finish over the club’s final 24 games, he will give himself a chance to head into spring training next season as the projected leadoff batter and everyday centre fielder. 
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