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Blue Jays free agent target: Seiya Suzuki
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Photo credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
Aidan Sinclair
Oct 17, 2026, 06:00 EDTUpdated: Oct 16, 2026, 20:23 EDT
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Change is needed this offseason for the Toronto Blue Jays. 
A year after fielding one of baseball’s most potent offences in 2025, which scored the most runs in a single postseason run, the team collapsed, producing arguably the worst offense in the league just a year later in 2026. Dead last in runs scored and home runs, it’s hard to beat that. 
Much of the Blue Jays infield is locked up, with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Kazuma Okamoto holding down the corners for the foreseeable future, and Andrés Giménez having three guaranteed years left on his contract. It is Toronto’s outfield that is primed for an upgrade. 
Of outfielders that had at least 100 plate appearances in 2026, only two were above league average by measure of OPS+ (100). Those two were Brett Bateman (129), in a 41-game sample, and Jesús Sánchez (101), who didn’t even finish out the regular season on the Jays’ roster. With George Springer being a free agent and the unknowns of Anthony Santander and Addison Barger, Toronto can insert a consistent power bat into their lineup by virtue of dipping into free agency to sign one of the biggest names on the market. 
Seiya Suzuki. A Japanese phenom who came to MLB ahead of the 2022 season on a five-year deal signed with the Chicago Cubs, immediately solidifying himself as one of the game’s most consistent hitters. In 2026, Suzuki hit 26 home runs, drove in 86, and had a slash line of .270/.368/.473/.841. He drew 81 walks – a career high – and ranked in the 89th percentile in chase rate. Simply put, he is a power hitter who can hit for average and has great plate discipline. 
Last season, the Japanese star would have ranked second on the Blue Jays in home runs, RBIs, doubles, and total hits, while leading in SLG%, OPS, walks, runs scored, and WRC+. The player on the Jays who would have been second behind Suzuki in the latter half of those metrics and played a full season is Kazuma Okamoto. For the first time in the franchise’s history, a Japanese-born player became the best offensive player on the team and has room to improve in the future. Pairing Okamoto and Suzuki in 2027 and beyond could do wonders for Toronto’s lineup. 
Suzuki was without a doubt the more polished hitter during his time in Japan, consistently hitting between 25-30 home runs while boasting on-base percentages that ranged from the high 300s to the low 400s. Okamoto has more raw power, hitting 30+ home runs six straight seasons in Japan from 2018-2023. The two complement each other perfectly, and both have room to grow at the MLB level. 
The Blue Jays’ outfield depth is weak, with RJ Schreck and Yohendrick Pinango being the primary options that could come up from Triple-A, and nobody else at the lower levels ready to make the leap to MLB level. Nathan Lukes puts together quality at-bats but leaves much to be desired; Santander has barely played baseball in the past two seasons, and Myles Straw has a club option that could potentially be declined given his subpar offensive output year after year. It is clear that an upgrade could be had in Toronto’s outfield, and Suzuki is the perfect fit on all fronts. 
What was most surprising about his 2026 season was the improvements he made defensively at 32 years old in right field. Suzuki had, without a doubt, his best defensive season in MLB last year, posting a five OAA, eight FRV, positive DWAR for the first time in his career, and an arm value in the 94th percentile. 
With north of $60 million at least coming off the books for Toronto this offseason, there is plenty of room to insert one of the game’s most consistent and reliable hitters. Suzuki’s contract may look similar to that of Springer’s deal signed with the Blue Jays in 2021, but with less term. An AAV of between $20 million and $25 million over four to five years seems plausible. 
Heading into 2027, the Blue Jays have a clear priority to address the state of their offence, and could make an immediate splash in free agency with the addition of Seiya Suzuki.
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