While there are plenty of question marks remaining about the lineup for the Blue Jays, lately it seems like they may have found an answer.

One of the biggest question marks for this team heading into the 2025 campaign was around who would hold the job at third base. We knew that Ernie Clement would be back and could provide above-average defence, but there were and still are questions about whether his bat is strong enough to warrant a starting role. Another candidate was Will Wagner, whose bat appeared more capable of that kind of responsibility, but there were significant questions about whether he could handle the defensive responsibilities at third base. Time eventually showed us that Wagner needed a little more seasoning in Buffalo, which is where he’s been playing these days (and is currently on the IL), and Clement has slashed just .254/.295/.326 over his first 138 at-bats.

A third candidate in Addison Barger was viewed as a less likely option back in the spring, and didn’t even end up making the Opening Day roster (although an argument can be made that he should have). There were questions about whether Barger would be able to provide enough defensive value to man the position, and he spent the bulk of his early-season reps in the outfield. The 25-year-old is a capable corner outfielder after working on that skillset over the last few years, but he was drafted and came up through the system primarily as an infielder. He had plenty of issues trying to win reps there last year, mostly thanks to some shaky defence.

After being called up back on April 15th, Barger has slowly but surely earned more playing time as the season has worn on, and these days he’s been getting the bulk of work at third base. I don’t think we’ve reached a point where we can definitively say that Barger has the job locked down, but I do think it’s fair to say that it’s his job to lose at this point. And if he can be the long-term answer at third base for the Blue Jays, then the trickle-down impact is pretty significant.

For starters, any time you can establish a young and controllable player at any position, it’s a very good thing. According to Spotrac, Barger will remain pre-arbitration eligible through the 2027 season and under contract control for at least five more seasons after the current one. He’s also making just $682,362 for the 2025 season- a bargain rate for a solid player, and significant at a time when the Blue Jays are running a franchise-record payroll. It will take a while for that contract to rise significantly, even if Barger turns into an All-Star, and that will buy the front office time to invest in other areas over the next few seasons. That will be important as they have several pending free agents over the next year or two- a list that includes the likes of Bo Bichette, Chris Bassitt, Kevin Gausman, Jose Berrios (opt out), and more. Whether they choose to retain some or all of them, or bring in replacements from elsewhere, saving money on a position like third base makes the job a lot easier.

Secondly, if Barger can stick as the third baseman of the future in Toronto, it could allow others to play their more natural positions. I’m still holding out hope that the Blue Jays will ultimately retain Bo Bichette for the long term, but in the event that he’s in a new uniform for the 2026 season, then it would make sense if Andres Gimenez slid over from second base to play shortstop.

If that were the case, that would potentially allow someone like Will Wagner and/or Orelvis Martinez to fill the vacancy at second. Both players are somewhat limited defensively, and in both cases, second base is a better fit over the hot corner. If they do eventually retain Bichette, then maybe it would mean that they’ll have some decent trade chips to work with at some point.

Third, Barger also represents something that the Blue Jays haven’t had much of in recent years, and that’s a left-handed bat with some pop. Between Barger and the great, late start to the season for Daulton Varsho, it hasn’t felt like they’re lacking lefty power as much lately, but it’s been a talking point for several seasons. The Jays could eventually find themselves in a much better spot that way with the presence of those two hitters, Anthony Santander (a switch-hitter), Alan Roden, and even Andres Gimenez if he can find his old form that made him a 2022 All-Star while still with the Guardians.

Lastly, I’ve mostly been focused on what Barger’s presence can mean for the Blue Jays in the future, but his emergence can certainly help in the here and now as well.

His stats don’t jump off the page with a slash line of .247/.314/.409, but his expected stats tell the story of a young player who is hitting the ball with authority and has been a wee bit unlucky over his first 93 at-bats. Even at that, Barger has already collected 11 extra-base hits and has provided a spark for an offence that badly needs any boost they can find.

Time will tell if Barger can be the long-term answer at third base, but if he can hold down the job, then it will be a tremendous help for the Blue Jays going forward, in more ways than one.

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