Getting to the World Series this year was proof that the Blue Jays can play on the biggest stage. There’s no denying that this offseason is one of the more crucial ones for Toronto’s front office if the team is interested in extending its contention window.

Six players from the team are in the free agent market currently, leaving several holes for the team to fill in the gaps, either by reuniting with the 2025 version of the team or by taking a risk on a few new players. Whichever direction the Blue Jays may cho17ose to go this winter, they have to decide on whether they can retain their All-Star shortstop, Bo Bichette, while bolstering their pitching staff.

For a team that has to stay aggressive in the free-agent market, everything is a priority, but the level of urgency for each priority differs. Here’s what the Blue Jays should prioritize based on their needs.

Despite his hyper-aggressive plate approaches and declining fielding values, Bo Bichette finally proved his worth in the playoffs, even if he could only play in a couple of games this past season. Before his injury in September, Bichette was a hit and RBI-generator for the Blue Jays, effectively turning around the RISP luck that used to haunt the team for years.

Most of all, Bichette’s status with the team was more special because he, like Vladimir Guerrero Jr., came up through the Blue Jays’ system. The two young players eventually became the faces of the franchise and were deemed inseparable in the fanbase’s mind.

The 27-year-old seemed destined to test out the free agent market, especially after rebounding from his lost season in 2024. With a rather thinner position player market on the infield, Bichette will reject the qualifying offer to wait for a lucrative long-term deal that will recognize his worth, whether that comes from the Jays or somewhere else.

For Toronto, resigning Bichette is an important priority because he is a homegrown player who has demonstrated his offensive abilities over the course of his career with his home team. He was also a critical part of the clubhouse chemistry, even when he was out with an injury throughout the fall. Bringing back Bichette would resonate with the fanbase as well and would resemble the deal that the team signed with Guerrero Jr. while giving the Jays a proven bat a the top of the lineup. The cherry on top would be convincing him to play second base, but overall, getting his bat back in the lineup is key.

The Blue Jays lost Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer to free agency after the World Series, leaving Shane Bieber (who opted to stay), José Berríos, Kevin Gausman and Trey Yesavage on the starting rotation. The rotation isn’t in a bad state, but Berríos’s future production is unclear at best, and Yesavage’s performance for 2026 will be tested after just a handful of games at the big league level in 2025.

What the Blue Jays need the most is an experienced starter who can help stabilize the thin rotation, and this offseason, there are numerous names available that can help in that regard, such as Dylan Cease, Ranger Suarez, Framber Valdez, and Michael King. While Bassitt and Scherzer provided solid performances in the postseason in relief and starting roles, their overall regular-season performances were more volatile from both a performance and injury front (in Scherzer’s case).

Factor in that Bieber, Gausman, and potentially Jose Berrios (player option) are free agent eligible next winter, and this is all the more reason why adding another starting pitcher should be one of the team’s top priorities this offseason.

The Blue Jays’ bullpen came back from being one of the worst in the league in 2024 to one of the better staffs this year. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough for the team to earn the World Series title. Compared to some bullpens in the playoffs, Toronto’s wasn’t known for its lock-down specialty. In the postseason, the Blue Jays’ relievers ranked 10th in ERA (4.44) and WHIP (1.44) and first in home runs (17), which ultimately hurt the team’s win probability.

For the Blue Jays to boost their bullpen efficiency, they will have to cut down on the home run rates and ERA. With Seranthony Dominguez departing in free agency and the team being open to the idea of reconfiguring its bullpen structure at the back end with Jeff Hoffman, the Blue Jays’ front office has a chance to try something different or new altogether.

A team can never have enough pitchers, especially relievers, and strong relief pitching is a foundation for a successful playoff run. Toronto has been linked to Edwin Diaz and Raisel Iglesias so far, proving that the team has a vast interest in acknowledging and addressing its weaknesses. Starting pitching may be the most vital factor that can change the team’s fortune, but robust relief pitching is eventually what locks down a team’s good fortune in any game. Bolstering relief pitching, in that sense, is a must that the Blue Jays can’t ignore.

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