Last week we addressed Bo Bichette, the top priority for the Blue Jays this off-season.

But there are other needs for the Jays headed into the 2026 season. In addition to Bichette, 1B/DH Ty France, INF Isiah Kiner-Falefa, RHP Chris Bassitt, RHP Max Scherzer, RHP Seranthony Dominguez, RHP Ryan Burr, and RHP Dillon Tate are also free agents.

The Blue Jays do still have a number of quality starting pitchers under control, including Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, Jose Berrios, Shane Bieber and Eric Lauer.

It’s fair to expect some decrease in performance from Gausman, who will pitch at 35 next year.

It’s reasonable to expect a better performance from Bieber, as he will be another year removed from Tommy John surgery.

Lauer is more than serviceable toward the back of the rotation. He can do what he did in 2025 again next year.

A full season of Yesavage will be fun to watch in 2026. He should continue to improve as he gains experience and learns to make in-game adjustments.

Berrios is working his way back from right elbow inflammation, which is always scary when thinking about the long-term predictability. Hopefully, he will be fully recovered and able to return to form. But I worry that where there is smoke, there is fire.

Bowden Francis is still on the roster but he missed the second half of the season with right shoulder impingement. Like Berrios, Francis is a question mark heading into 2026 due to his injury and poor first-half performance.

The same can be said for top pitching prospect Ricky Tiedemann, who is working his way back from Tommy John surgery.

Depth mattersChris Bassitt Toronto Blue Jays Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt (40) throws against the Seattle Mariners during seventh inning American League Championship Series baseball action in Toronto on Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

This past season proved that teams with pitching depth have better success. The Dodgers are the best example of this as they never had their full arsenal of starters available until the playoffs. Injuries and underperformance are going to happen to even the best teams. Depth is critical in overcoming those maladies.

Of course, not every club can afford quality depth like the Dodgers can. Some teams have to make do with what they have.

The Blue Jays can afford depth and need to invest in it. They need to add one more starter into the mix – possibly two, depending upon the quality of the addition(s). The other thing to consider is that the Jays could lose Gausman, Bieber, and Lauer to free agency after 2026. Berrios has an opt-out after next season as well, although it will be unlikely that he walks away, considering he is set to earn $24 million in 2027 and 2028.

Bassitt would be a consideration to bring back for 2026 if the Jays are able to sign Bichette. He is a more-than-serviceable workhorse who eats innings. He threw extremely well out of the bullpen in the playoffs, and could again in 2026 if the situation were to call for it. I would only consider a one-year deal, as he will pitch at the age of 37 next season.

I would not pursue Scherzer. At this stage of his career it’s unclear if he’ll be healthy enough to take the ball every fifth day. He still has the ability to muster up a great moment or two, but he can’t seem to physically handle the rigours of 25-30 starts.

The off-season brings optionsHunter Greene Cincinnati Reds Hunter Greene Cincinnati Reds

Toronto has a couple of ways they can pivot this off-season. If they get Bichette signed, they can pursue a mid-tier starter like Bassitt to add depth. Pitchers like Zach Eflin, Michael King, Lucas Giolito, Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelley would be upgrades on Bassitt and would command multi-year deals. They are very good options who would add to the depth beyond 2026.

If the Jays don’t sign Bichette, the pivot would likely be to build the team through starting pitching and defence. They would still need to add offence, but it will likely be with bats of less impact than Bichette. At that point, the Jays should be players in the markets for premium free-agent starters like Tatsuya Imai (Japan), Dylan Cease, Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez.

I would prefer to add to the team through free agency versus the trade market for Toronto. Spend money to get players in the off-season and keep the prospects for the trade deadline.

That being said, if the Jays strike out in free agency there are several starting pitchers who have been rumoured to be available and who are enticing, to one degree or another: Joe Ryan and Pablo Lopez from Minnesota, MacKenzie Gore from Washington, Sandy Alcantara and Edward Cabrera from the Marlins, Sonny Gray from St. Louis, Freddy Peralta from Milwaukee, and Hunter Greene from Cincinnati.

Questions at closerRobert Suarez Robert Suarez San Diego Padres

The Jays will need to upgrade the bullpen from the back of the game.

They need to upgrade upon Jeff Hoffman as the closer. It isn’t only because of the home run he allowed in the ninth inning of Game 7 of the World Series to Miguel Rojas. He had seven blown saves during the season and seven losses. That’s too many for a closer on a team with World Series aspirations. There is a place for Hoffman in the seventh or eighth innings. He is still a good teammate and an effective reliever in the right role.

A team built to win now should not enter a season with questions in the closer role. The notion that you will figure it out during the season is naïve. I believe a contending team needs to have a legitimate closer in place who oozes confidence for all to see. When you have a chance to win, you have to the win. Predictability wins, not hope.

That being said I think the price tag for free agent closer Edwin Diaz is too much for Toronto’s appetite. I expect him to be a Dodger or Met.

However, the Jays should strongly consider free agent closer Robert Suarez, who had a successful season with the Padres in 2025 (4-6, 2.97 ERA, 40 of 45 saves). There’s also Devin Williams, who was a dominant closer for several years in Milwaukee before struggling in New York (Yankees) last year, but he is better than Hoffman.

Ryan Helsley led baseball in 2024 with 49 saves in 53 chances. He scuffled in 2025 with the Mets and Cardinals because he was tipping his pitches. Once fixed – and it should be an easy fix – he would be a good option for the Jays at the end of the game.

In addition to a closer, the Jays need to build the depth from the right side in the bullpen. The returning relievers were really taxed in 2025 and pitched into November. They will need to be protected in 2026.

Yimi Garcia is coming back from an elbow injury, so, it is unclear how he will be able to perform in 2026. Dominguez is a free agent that I would not pursue. The Jays need swing-and-miss like Dominguez, but without the walks. Pete Fairbanks, Shawn Armstrong, Tyler Rogers, Emilio Pagan, Luke Weaver and Kyle Finnegan are all possibilities.

There are plenty of options available in free agency to improve the Jays in 2026 and beyond. The priorities are clear: Bichette, starting pitching and bullpen depth. Now is the time to make moves.

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