After nearly winning the World Series in 2025, the Toronto Blue Jays finished last in the AL East with a 79-83 record in 2026.

There are a lot of reasons why the Blue Jays regressed so much, with injuries being a major one, but several players also had underwhelming seasons. However, there were a few players who improved in 2026.

Among the Blue Jays’ position players who returned in 2026, the only two who had a higher fWAR in 2026 were Andrés Giménez and Nathan Lukes. Giménez had a larger improvement, going from 1.0 fWAR in 2025 to 2.8 in 2026, while Lukes improved from 1.8 to 2.2.

Giménez’s first season with the Blue Jays was affected by injuries. He had two separate stints on the injured list, amounting to approximately two months of missed time. A season unaffected by injuries definitely accounts for some of Giménez’s improved stats, especially compared to some of his teammates. However, he still had a better season overall in 2026.

Giménez improved his slash line from .210/.285/.313 in 2025 to .244/.291/.359 in 2026. He also improved from 35 RBIs in 2025 to 59 in 2026, which was second to Kazuma Okamoto on the Blue Jays. His numbers aren’t amazing, but his value has never come from his bat, and he still showed improvement from 2025.

2026 was Giménez’s first full season at shortstop. He’s a three-time Gold Glove winner at second base (2022-2024) and was nominated for a fourth in 2025. Giménez played shortstop for the Blue Jays during the 2025 postseason due to Bo Bichette’s injury. With Bichette moving to the New York Mets, Giménez became the everyday shortstop for the Blue Jays in 2026.

Giménez’s move to shortstop proved to be very successful for the Blue Jays. He led the team in Fielding Run Value (FRV) with 16 and Outs Above Average (OAA) with 19. Both of these were also improvements over 2025 (six FRV, 10 OAA). Giménez was one of five Blue Jays nominated for a Gold Glove. He finished second among all MLB shortstops in both FRV and OAA. However, he was second to fellow Gold Glove nominee Bobby Witt Jr., making it unlikely that Giménez will win a fourth award.

Defence has always been Giménez’s strong suit, so it’s no surprise that he was one of the most valuable fielders for the Blue Jays in 2026. However, for him to step into a different position and be among the best in MLB is a testament to just how impressive a fielder he is.

Giménez was one of the most reliable position players for the Blue Jays in 2026. He’s never been known for his offence, but he still improved from 2025. On the other hand, he’s one of the most valuable fielders in MLB, and that remained so in 2026, despite stepping into a new position.

Because of the number of injuries to the Blue Jays’ rotation, the bullpen took on a heavy workload in 2026. This was especially true for Mason Fluharty, who led MLB pitchers in appearances with 83. That also happens to be the second-most all-time by a Blue Jays pitcher in a single season, behind Mark Eichhorn, who made 89 appearances in 1987.

Throughout the season, the Blue Jays were thin on left-handed options out of the bullpen. Fluharty was the only left-handed pitcher on the Blue Jays roster for the entire season. He was also one of two left-handed relievers to return to the Blue Jays, the other being Brendon Little, who spent time in Triple-A after struggling in MLB. That meant Fluharty was the only truly reliable left-handed option for the Blue Jays coming out of the bullpen.

Despite a heavy workload, Fluharty finished 2026 with a 7-1 record and a 3.30 ERA, while holding batters to a .214 average against. He improved on 2025, when he had a 5-2 record with a 4.44 ERA over 55 appearances, while holding batters to a .190 average.

Despite a huge increase in appearances, Fluharty only pitched 10 more innings in 2026 than in 2025 (52.2 to 62.2). In fact, he pitched fewer innings than Louis Varland (78), Braydon Fisher (75.2), and Tyler Rogers (71). The Blue Jays were able to manage his innings despite turning to him in so many games. That’s probably a big reason why Fluharty was able to maintain a high level of performance despite a heavy workload.

It’s easy to forget that 2026 was only Fluharty’s second season in MLB. He was a part of the Blue Jays’ run to the World Series in 2025 and was one of the most reliable parts of the Blue Jays bullpen in 2026. This is just the beginning of his MLB career.

If there are any positives to take from 2026 for the Blue Jays, it’s that the bullpen is very strong. Blue Jays relievers had the seventh-lowest ERA in MLB (3.58), which was an improvement over 2025, when they were 16th (3.98). Fluharty has established himself as one of the most trustworthy arms in one of MLB’s strongest bullpens.

While 2026 was disappointing for the Blue Jays, individual players made improvements from 2025. That wasn’t enough for last season, but it could be very useful in 2027.