Recreating the magic of a run to Game 7 of the World Series is never easy, but this is the task Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins faces this offseason. How do you improve a roster that came within two outs of winning it all? How do you build a team incrementally better to secure those final precious outs of the season?

With plenty of players coming and going this offseason, it’s an uphill battle for the Blue Jays to defend their honour as American League Champions, but they’re hoping they can pull a 2014 Kansas City Royals and run it right back to the World Series after also losing in Game 7.

The Blue Jays have many areas on the diamond, in the rotation and the bullpen, they could improve, but none are more intriguing than the middle infield. Shortstop and second base are two positions which have been in flux for this team for several years now.

That’s why the Blue Jays may turn to the free agent pool to shore up their middle infield this offseason. One player on the market who checks several boxes is free agent infielder Jorge Polanco.

After injury-shortened campaigns in 2023 and 2024, the Seattle Mariners brought back Polanco for the 2025 season on a modest one-year, $7.75 million deal plus a $6 million option (which he recently declined). The 32-year-old came back in full force this past year, slashing .265/.326/.495, hitting 26 home runs and posting a 132 wRC+.

Health was key to Polanco’s success as he played 138 games, the most in a single season since he played 152 games with the Minnesota Twins in 2019. His walk rate took a huge step backwards (down 10.4%), but he sacrificed on-base percentage for power. All his hard-hit metrics got a boost in 2025. Polanco increased his slugging percentage by 139 points year over year. He lowered his strikeout rate by 15.4% and he was rewarded for his refined approach with much better hard-hit numbers, exit velocity and barrel percentages.

He went gangbusters in the first month of 2025, clubbing nine home runs in March and April through his first 22 games of the season. Polanco posted an .808 slugging percentage the first month of the season and drove in 25 runs, and was a fantasy baseball manager’s darling in April with a 240 wRC+.

Blue Jays fans were familiar with Polanco’s work in the ALCS, as he delivered a go-ahead single off Kevin Gausman in Game 1 of the ALCS, then a three-run home run off Trey Yesavage in Game 2. Polanco was one of the Mariners’ best hitters in the ALCS, although his contributions tailed off as the series got closer to its conclusion.

In addition to those postseason theatrics, Polanco came up with some clutch hits for the M’s in the ALDS against the Detroit Tigers as well, delivering the decisive hit in extra innings in Game 5 of the ALDS to send the Mariners to the ALCS.

It’s easy to see why the Blue Jays have been keen on Polanco for a few years now. The team reportedly met with Polanco last winter before he signed with the Mariners, as having a switch-hitting infielder with power is an asset any team would love to have.

Working Polanco into the mix depends on what happens with Bo Bichette. If he signs a long-term contract, it’s hard to envision Polanco fitting into the Blue Jays’ infield depth chart and receiving significant playing time. But if Bichette signs elsewhere, that swings open the door of opportunity for a guy like Polanco.

Subtracting Bichette and potentially adding Polanco to make an infield alignment of Ernie Clement at third, Andres Gimenez at shortstop and Polanco at second base makes the most sense for the Blue Jays. It gives the Blue Jays arguably a better defensive infield and a more versatile lineup with another switch-hitter like Polanco in the fold. Again, Polanco only works for the Blue Jays if Bichette moves on from the Blue Jays; otherwise, there are too many working pieces with other guys like Davis Schneider to work into the fold. But if one starting infielder leaves the group, Polanco would be a nice fit for the Blue Jays.

Spotrac puts his market value at three years and $43.7 million, while Kiley McDaniel of ESPN predicted two years and $26 million for Polanco, and MLB Trade Rumors factored his value at three years and $42 million. All of those valuations seem fair and palatable for a top 10 payroll team like the Blue Jays.

By bringing Polanco aboard, that means the Blue Jays could stack their everyday lineup with upwards of six left-handed regulars in the lineup, which could be a nightmare for opposing managers to navigate in late-game situations, especially with two switch-hitters like Polanco and Anthony Santander (yes, he still plays for the Blue Jays) on the lineup card.