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Blue Jays: Looking at which players have become free agents
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Photo credit: © Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Nov 10, 2025, 10:00 ESTUpdated: Nov 10, 2025, 01:05 EST
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The 2025 Toronto Blue Jays had terrific vibes, but a handful of those players have become free agents.
One player who could’ve become a free agent, Shane Bieber, opted into his player option for the 2026 season. Therefore, Bieber will become a free agent after the 2026 season, barring any extensions.
That leaves the Blue Jays with six free agents. Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer are the two starters without a contract, Seranthony Domínguez is the reliever who entered free agency, and Bo Bichette, Ty France, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa are the three position players available in free agency.
Bichette is obviously the most notable of the six. A two-time All-Star, Bichette had a great rebound season in 2025, slashing .311/.357/.483 with 18 home runs in 628 plate appearances for a career-best 134 wRC+ and 3.8 fWAR. The Jays desperately need to re-sign their cornerstone shortstop, but it’ll be challenging as he’s one of the best position players on the market. Bichette received a qualifying offer recently.
Bassitt is an interesting case. The veteran right-handed pitcher had a solid season, finishing the year with a 3.96 ERA and 4.01 FIP in 170.1 innings pitched, but what’s interesting about this season was his postseason performance. Bassitt didn’t make the Blue Jays’ American League Divisional Series roster and moved to the bullpen for the American League Championship Series and World Series. There, he posted a 1.04 ERA and 1.52 FIP in 8.2 innings pitched, finishing with a 33.3 K% and 6.7 BB%. Sign me up for Bassitt in a high-leverage relief role.
At 41 years old, it doesn’t look like Scherzer is ready to hang up the cleats just yet. This season, he finished with a 5.19 ERA and 4.99 FIP in 85 innings pitched. There was a span of a month where it looked like the future Hall of Famer turned back the clock, but he had a rough end to the regular season. Like Bassitt, Scherzer didn’t make the ALDS roster, but returned for the ALCS and World Series. In his three postseason starts, Scherzer had a 3.77 ERA and 5.58 FIP in 14.1 innings pitched.
Before the 2025 trade deadline, the Blue Jays traded prospect Juaron Watts-Brown to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for Domínguez. In 21 regular season innings with the Jays, the 30-year-old finished with a 3.00 ERA and 3.37 FIP, with a 29.1 K% and 14 BB%. Domínguez had a solid postseason, making 12 appearances with a 3.18 ERA and 6.84 FIP. That said, he struggled with command, posting a 22 BB%.
It seems unlikely either Kiner-Falefa or France will return to the Blue Jays. Kiner-Falefa originally signed with the Jays before the 2024 season, but was traded at the deadline. In late August, they claimed him off waivers, but he didn’t have a great end to his regular season. Aside from two doubles, Kiner-Falefa was essentially a non-factor with the bat in the playoffs.
France, the Blue Jays’ lone Gold Glove winner, was acquired ahead of the 2025 trade deadline and slashed .277/.320/.372 with one home run in 103 plate appearances after the trade. He made the Blue Jays’ World Series roster, but received just four plate appearances in the seven games they played.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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