The Blue Jays have a lot of paths they could take to improve their roster this offseason (even more than they already have), and a couple of key returning pieces are waiting to see how it will impact their 2026 season, and likely beyond.

This scenario is largely made possible because of the versatility of the current roster in Toronto these days, which has been a goal for Ross Atkins and the front office for quite some time. They’ve long talked about how that versatility can impact their ability to improve the team as we’ve been seeing firsthand in recent years, and it’s also the case as they pursue potential upgrades to the group that just came two outs away from securing the third World Series championship in franchise history. For the most part, this is far from a bad thing, even for the existing players who it could impact going forward.

Having said that, which individuals might be waiting to learn more about their roles in 2026? There are two that immediately spring to mind, and there could be more depending on who Atkins and his team can add to the mix this winter.

Let’s begin with one of the heroes of the 2025 postseason run for the Blue Jays in Ernie Clement.

The 29-year-old had never had more than 161 at-bats in an MLB season before he arrived in Toronto in 2023, but he’s slowly worked his way into a pretty regular starting role, and had a career high 545 at-bats last season. As he has for most of his professional career, Clement bounced around the infield on defence and spent time at all four positions, led by his 89 appearances (66 starts) at third base. He also took the field at second base for 60 appearances (49 starts), 29 at shortstop (19 starts), and even 15 more at first base (6 starts). His ability to competently play wherever he was asked was a significant help to John Schneider and the coaching staff, and he’ll likely continue to offer that skill set next season and beyond. However, as a player who was commonly used in a platoon/late-inning defensive replacement role, I think it’s safe to assume that Clement will make more starts next season, even if we’re not entirely sure where the bulk of that playing time could come from.

In one hypothetical scenario, the Blue Jays could re-sign Bo Bichette and bring him back as part of their infield picture. Regardless of whether that’s as a shortstop or a second baseman, that likely means Clement would spend the majority of his time at the hot corner, with Andres Gimenez filling the other infield spot opposite Bichette. There have also been rumours that the Jays are among the teams that have checked in with the Arizona Diamondbacks about Ketel Marte being potentially available on the trade block, which would also leave third base for Clement if they were to make a trade for the 3x All-Star, or another middle infielder.

In another possible scenario, the Blue Jays could sign an outfielder like Kyle Tucker or Cody Bellinger, which probably pushes Clement to second base and brings Addison Barger in from an outfield spot and back to the hot corner. Clement is certainly capable at either position, and the ability to survey the market for upgrades at more than one position is a huge plus. With three years remaining before he can be a free agent, Clement could offer this kind of value for a while.

Speaking of Barger, the 26-year-old would be the other player that I’m thinking about when it comes to his role still being a question mark.

After the way that the Washington native performed down the stretch and in the playoffs, it feels like he’s earned himself an every-day role in 2026, or at the very least, he should be in the lineup regularly against right-handed starters. His aforementioned ability to play either third base or an outfield corner has been a big plus, and I’m sure it’s something that Atkins and his front office team are appreciative of right now, as they survey the free agent and trade markets. They can pursue a top-tier outfielder like Tucker or Bellinger while knowing that Barger could still find regular playing time at third, or they leave him in an outfield corner and re-sign Bo Bichette, or even make a blockbuster trade by bringing in an elite player like Marte from the Diamondbacks.

As much as I’m sure both players would like to have a little more clarity around their future roles, it’s still pretty early in the offseason, and I can’t imagine they have an issue with Atkins and company looking for the best players they can add to the big league roster. Chances are, both of them will continue to move around the diamond a bit in 2026 as well, so the preparation really doesn’t have to change all that much either.

Some clarity around Barger and Clement’s roles will come in time, I’m sure, and I have little doubt that either player fails to understand that or has much of a problem with it. It’s one of the many reasons the Blue Jays will remain a legitimate contender in 2026, and a luxury that allows the front office to pursue the best players they can rather than just having to fill some holes.

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