There were many missed opportunities and what-ifs for the Toronto Blue Jays as they wrapped up their season in early November. Perhaps one of the most curious hypotheticals is whether the bench depth would have changed the face of the World Series in the Blue Jays’ favour.

According to the Fangraphs depth chart, the Blue Jays rank lower in shortstop (21st), centre field (18th), left field (16th), second base (15th) and third base (12th) this offseason, indicating that the team will have to bring in players who can boost their rankings to the top half by spring training, ideally. The depth chart reaffirms that not having an all-star like Bo Bichette has left a massive dent in Toronto’s roster, proving that the Blue Jays can’t remain complacent in bidding for well-rounded players.

With a magical playoff run, the Blue Jays now have the chance to become even more aggressive this winter, and their priorities should include upgrading their bench depth. This free-agent market isn’t the type that’s filled with superstars, yet it’s a perfect market for contenders who are hoping to load up on their roster depth.

The Blue Jays have the choice to go all in: bringing all-star right fielder Kyle Tucker. Despite Tucker’s inconsistent offensive performances with the Chicago Cubs in his walk year, the 28-year-old has been exceptional with the Houston Astros in the past, indicating that there is still potential for the outfielder to bounce back. Signing Tucker would immediately add dimension and depth to the Blue Jays’ offence and outfield defence.

Speaking of going for All-Stars, there is a route to go in on Pete Alonso – albeit with a roster crunch in the DH spot. The Blue Jays were on that path before when he was on the free-agent market last offseason, but dealing with the logjam of all-stars at first base/DH alongside Guerrero, George Springer, and newcomer Anthony Santander would cause more headaches and obstruct the depth chart, something the Jays would have to deal with again.

Should the Blue Jays lose out on Tucker, they can still pivot creatively. In particular, free agents on the third base side have the most interesting names, such as Alex Bregman, Yoan Moncada, Max Muncy, Munetaka Murakami and Eugenio Suarez, who could bring more power to Toronto’s lineup, which was lighter on the power side throughout the regular season in 2025.

While it’s highly unlikely, signing someone like Kyle Schwarber would also solve the power problem the Blue Jays struggled with previously if the Blue Jays are willing to embrace the logjam in the DH or outfield. But if Toronto is being more practical about addressing its outfield depths, choosing to load up on left field would make the most sense. Fortunately for the Blue Jays’ front office, this offseason offers many underrated left fielders like Michael Conforto, Austin Hays and Rob Refsnyder, who could lengthen the lineup with a little more pop. Cody Bellinger is also an available corner outfielder, a name that Jays fans are all too familiar with on the free agent front.

Adding more on the second base would solidify the infield depth for the Blue Jays this time around as well. This market has Gleyber Torres and Jorge Polanco, which already offers a path to generate more power without creating awkward dynamics on who becomes an everyday player.

Re-signing Bichette would be the best-case scenario for the Blue Jays, but if that can’t be done, they would have to find a solution to ensure that shortstop doesn’t become the weakest spot for offensive production. For example, bringing on someone like Ha-Seong Kim would naturally create more depth in the infield without sacrificing the defence.

Giving Daulton Varsho a partner in crime to man the centre field is another way to diversify the roster. Free agents at this position are also fairly deep, with players such as Bellinger, Harrison Bader, Trent Grisham and Cedric Mullins, who have all been consistent and reliable for the most part. Having someone like Bader, Grisham or Mullins to tag in for Varsho in the outfield would lift the weight off his shoulders, so long as the Blue Jays figure out how to balance the lefty-heavy outfield.

Even on first base, the Blue Jays could also use an alternative who can tag in for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. from time to time, just like Ty France did post-trade deadline. Since he left for free agency, Toronto has the opportunity to upgrade the alternate first baseman with names like Luis Arraez, Paul Goldschmidt and Ryan O’Hearn. All three players would bring more power, or at least offensive consistency, than France.

This winter isn’t just any other winter for the Blue Jays. This may be one of the most decisive offseasons that could determine the team’s viability as a contender in the long run. In the spirit of continuing to build a competitive core, bolstering the bench isn’t just an option – it’s a must for prolonged success. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

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