There’s no doubt that the Blue Jays’ clubhouse chemistry contributed to their playoff run this fall. While that’s obviously a great thing, it adds another wrinkle to the equation as the front office looks to tweak the roster over the winter.

For the most part, this is a group that will “run it back” in 2026 thanks to the vast majority of the roster remaining under contract control for next season. There are some notable free agents such as Bo Bichette, Chris Bassitt, Max Scherzer, Seranthony Dominguez and others, but most of the core is still under contract, and Ross Atkins and company may look to re-sign one, or even all of the names I’ve just mentioned. They already had the good fortune of Shane Bieber deciding to exercise his contract option for next year, and that generosity from the former Cy Young winner provides a bit more financial flexibility than most of us expected. That said, after an extended playoff run that ignited the Canadian baseball fan base, there have been estimates that the Jays likely profited somewhere between $100-$150 million this fall, so it would be a surprise if they tightened the reins on their spending after a World Series near-miss.

Perhaps more than payroll limitations, it’s possible that this time around, the greater challenge is finding the balance between maintaining what some players have described as the best clubhouse chemistry they’ve ever experienced, with looking for opportunities to improve the roster in a few key places. That sounds simple enough, but it’s easier said than done.

For example, now that Bieber has agreed to return for at least one more season, the Blue Jays are in a strong position when it comes to their rotation depth. Currently, the Jays have Bieber, Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, and Jose Berrios slated to return and fill out four of the five spots, and other potential options like Eric Lauer, Bowden Francis, and a handful of minor league arms that could serve as depth over the course of a long 162-game season. While they may begin next season with the group above, it’s expected that they’ll look to add at least one more established starter, and possibly more depending on where things stand with Jose Berrios, who missed the end of the regular season and the playoffs while dealing with elbow inflammation. Could that mean that one or both of Bassitt and Scherzer could be re-signed?

As far as clubhouse chemistry goes, both Bassitt and Scherzer are incredibly valuable veterans to have around, and I do not doubt that they each made an impact on the young core in Toronto these days.

At 41, Scherzer just went to the World Series for the fourth time in his career, and it was clear that his passion for winning and for baseball in general is as strong as ever. He’s already stated multiple times that he has no intention of retiring, and I’m confident that he’d have interest in returning to the Blue Jays for one more season. Would Atkins and the front office be willing to hand him another one-year, $15.5 million contract? My guess is he’d have to take a discount, but I wouldn’t dismiss the possibility of another year of Mad Max stomping around the home dugout at the Rogers Centre, especially if he’s willing to pitch for something more like $8-$10 million.

As for Bassitt, he just finished a three-year, $63 million pact that he signed before the 2023 campaign, and that contract was worth every penny.

No, he wasn’t elite, and he was left out of the playoff rotation this year, but that was due in part to a back injury he dealt with down the stretch, and also the unexpected emergence of Yesavage. However, instead of pouting about seniority or intangibles like veteran experience, Bassitt enthusiastically joined the bullpen in the ALDS and told manager John Schneider that he would be happy to contribute in any way that he could, and contribute he did. The 36-year-old was a pleasant surprise as one of the most effective arms in the postseason bullpen, to the point where many Blue Jays fans would love to see him back in that role. Given the value of starting pitching, I can’t imagine he’d willingly move to the bullpen full-time at this stage of his career, and I’m more than confident he’ll have several suitors as a starter. However, his professional attitude during the playoffs was a key contribution, never mind what he chipped in with his performance as a reliever.

It remains to be seen how the Blue Jays want to allocate their resources over the winter, but I can see an argument that there’s a place for both veterans. A strong case could be made that the Jays should start the 2026 season slowly for Yesavage after he emerged as a key contributor for their playoff pitching staff. Across five levels in the organization, his workload was certainly bigger than the average first-year pro who usually isn’t even pitching in October, let alone starting a World Series game.

While he passed every test along the way, it wouldn’t hurt to give that golden arm of his a less demanding workload, especially if they hope he can repeat the epic playoff performance we just witnessed in October. The same could probably be said for Scherzer, who made just 17 regular-season starts while dealing with a variety of ailments this season, and is unlikely to take the mound 30 times in a season again now that he’s on the wrong side of 40. Additionally, we still don’t really know what Berrios’ health looks like right now, either, as the reports and updates on him were few and far between after he hit the Injured List near the end of the regular season. Add it all up, and it’s not out of the question to think that Bassitt and Scherzer could return in 2026.

Then there’s the case of Bo Bichette, the Robin to Vladimir Guerrero Jr’s Batman, and without question one of the best players on this team over the last several years. There are no guarantees once a player reaches free agency, but based on the public comments that Bichette has made over the last few weeks and even months, we have no reason to doubt his desire to remain a Blue Jay for the long haul.

He’s an interesting free agent case, especially if the 2x All-Star insists on playing shortstop in 2026 and beyond. Before playing second base during the World Series, a move made necessary because he was playing while obviously not 100% recovered from his knee injury, Bichette has only appeared as a shortstop throughout his seven-year MLB career. In the past, Bichette has been clear that continuing as a shortstop is important to him, but it’s hard to say if that’s changed at all. I’m sure there will be some kind of market for him as a shortstop, but there’s no doubt it would expand if he’s open to moving to second base. At the end of the day, the contract term and dollars likely speak as loudly as anything, but there are a handful of variables for the 27-year-old to consider. Regardless, you have to think that the Blue Jays will be at the front of the line trying to get him to sign his next contract, and hopefully, they can keep their former second-round pick in Toronto for the rest of his career.

The way that ownership was willing to spend last year, combined with the significant revenue generated from a magical playoff run that came two outs from World Series glory, should equate to a continued urgency to finish the job. I’d be surprised if money stopped the Blue Jays from retaining the majority of their own free agents like Bichette, Bassitt, and Scherzer. Instead, Atkins and his team have to survey their own roster, the list of available free agents, as well as any potential trades that might be out there, and decide on the best course of action.

The easy thing to do would be to run it back and hope this group can collect just one more playoff win than they did in 2025, and that may very well be the best choice. As I’ve mentioned, there have been multiple testimonies from these players about how special the clubhouse chemistry was for the 2025 Blue Jays, and continuing that team culture is obviously something they should try to maintain. It’s an important piece of the puzzle, but it’s not the only thing the front office will consider when surveying its options over the coming weeks and months. There may be upgrades that are just too good to pass on, or better ways for the available budget and roster space to be used in general, and that’ll ultimately be up to Atkins and his team to decide.

While it’s an exciting time to be a Blue Jays fan, it won’t be an easy one for the decision makers in Toronto.