One of the biggest question marks for the Blue Jays’ fielding in 2026 is who to put in left field.

Anthony Santander seemed set to be the everyday starting left fielder, but he’s out for five to six months while he recovers from shoulder surgery. That leaves the spot open for the taking, which can’t be said for a majority of the positions on the field.

After missing out on re-signing infielder Bo Bichette in free agency, it seems likely that Andrés Giménez will take over as the regular starting shortstop for the Blue Jays. He filled that role at the end of last year’s regular season and the first two rounds of the playoffs. Despite missing out on Bichette, the Blue Jays did sign Kazuma Okamoto to a four- year deal, and the Japanese slugger is primarily a corner infielder, making it likely that he’ll fill in at third base, while Addison Barger slides in at right field. With Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at first and Daulton Varsho in centre field, left field is the only position up for grabs for the Blue Jays.

Luckily for them, they have plenty of talented players to choose from.

Nathan Lukes was one of the most compelling stories from the Blue Jays’ 2025 season. Drafted by the Cleveland Guardians in 2015, Lukes did not make his major league debut until 2023, when he played in 29 games for the Blue Jays. In 2024, he spent most of his time in the minors thanks to a pesky thumb injury, but he did make 22 MLB appearances.

Finally, in 2025, 10 years after he was drafted, he became a mainstay on a major league roster. He batted .255/.323/.407 in 135 regular-season appearances. During the postseason, he played in all but one of the Blue Jays’ 18 games and racked up 17 hits, while mainly batting second in the order. After ten years in the minors, Lukes was one of the most influential players for the Blue Jays in their run to the World Series.

Despite his Cinderella story in 2025, Lukes will face competition for a regular starting spot in the Blue Jays lineup. Last season, he spent time in all three outfield positions. He spent most of his time in right field with 7 defensive runs saved over 446 1/3 innings of work. While he spent significantly less time in left field (249 innings), he was still strong, with 4 DRS. It’s likely most of his playing time this season will come in left field, and if that’s so, he’s shown himself to be reliable offensively and defensively for the Blue Jays.

Davis Schneider is coming off an up-and-down 2025 campaign during which he hit .234 with a .797 OPS and 11 home runs in 227 plate appearances. Offensively, his biggest strengths are his power and plate discipline. In 2025, he had the highest walk rate on the Blue Jays (15.9%). However, he has struggled so far during Spring Training, with just two hits in his first 21 at-bats.

Defensively, he’s versatile, with experience in left field and at second base. That may be where he earns most of his playing time in 2026. While he’s a good option in left field, the Blue Jays have no shortage of capable names. But the Blue Jays are a little thin at second base. Aside from Giménez and Clement, the Blue Jays don’t have a lot of options on the right side of the bag. Should Giménez or Clement become injured, Schneider could spend more time at second than in the outfield.

How much playing time Schneider gets could also depend on how Okamoto performs. If he struggles to adapt to MLB, Clement or Barger may spend more time at third base, leaving a space to fill either at second base or in right field. If everyone is healthy, Schneider will likely continue his role from last year, coming off the bench.

While he’s unlikely to be a consistent starter, Schneider’s versatility means he’ll probably get lots of playing time for the Blue Jays in 2026.

Defensively, Myles Straw is probably the strongest player on this list. He won a Gold Glove in centre field in 2022. That’s also where he spent most of his playing time last season, earning 15 DRS, 7 Outs Above Average (OAA) and 7 Fielding Run Value (FRV). He is also a strong left fielder, with a 4 DRS, 2 OAA, and 2 FRV in a fifth as many innings. He’s also a fast baserunner and one of the glue guys in the Blue Jays locker room.

No doubt he’s a valuable member of the team, but what stops Straw from being an everyday player is his bat.

Last season was one of his best seasons offensively, slashing .262/.313/.367 with a 91 wRC+. Straw has a ton of defensive upside, but his offence makes it tough to envision him beating out other players on this list as an everyday starter.

More likely, he’ll continue his role from last year, coming in as a pinch runner and to strengthen the outfield late in games and working off the bench as needed.

Jesus Sanchez is one of the newest additions to the Blue Jays roster. Sanchez was traded to the Blue Jays from the Houston Astros in exchange for Joey Loperfido this past winter.

Sanchez has spent most of his time in the big leagues playing right field, though he does have experience as a left fielder to boast about as well. In 191 innings in 2025, he amassed a 3 DRS and 1 FRV in left field. Offensively, Sanchez has a decent amount of power. He has hit double-digit home runs in every season, except 2020, when he only played ten games in the majors. His exit velocity (91.3) and bat speed (75.9) were both above league average in 2025.

The biggest problem for Sanchez is his performance against left-handed pitchers, slashing .181/.231/.289 over his career. That downside means Sanchez will likely only start for the Blue Jays against right-handed arms. Nevertheless, he brings solid defence and powerful offence to the Blue Jays.

Eloy Jimenez has been a standout performer for the Blue Jays in Spring Training.

Across 32 at-bats, he’s carrying an .812 OPS with three doubles, one home run, and three RBIs. After a promising rookie campaign in 2019 when he hit 31 home runs with the Chicago White Sox, Jimenez’s career was derailed by injuries.

He last appeared in the big leagues in 2024, where he struggled mightily. Now that he seems to be finding his groove again, he may find his way back into the majors.

While he is capable of a lot of power, his resume probably isn’t enough to earn a roster spot over some of the other options on this list, at least for opening day. But if he can continue his strong form with the Buffalo Bisons, he could make a return to MLB at some point this season.

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