{"id":420787,"date":"2026-01-20T05:40:13","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T05:40:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/420787\/"},"modified":"2026-01-20T05:40:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T05:40:13","slug":"blue-jays-may-be-forced-to-trade-outfielder-to-make-room-for-new-big-bat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/420787\/","title":{"rendered":"Blue Jays May Be Forced to Trade Outfielder to Make Room for New Big Bat"},"content":{"rendered":"<p id=\"inline-text-0\" class=\"mt-[18px] md:mt-0 mb-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"65\">The Toronto Blue Jays entered the offseason looking to make a significant splash, and to this point, they have not been able to do quite that on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/mlb\/bluejays\/onsi\/news\/blue-jays-kyle-tucker-free-agency-dodgers\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">offensive side of the ball<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-1\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"68\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/mlb\/bluejays\/onsi\/news\/blue-jays-staggering-final-offer-kyle-tucker-revealed-insider\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Kyle Tucker broke the hearts of fans<\/a> across Canada when he <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/mlb\/bluejays\/onsi\/news\/kyle-tucker-becomes-another-shohei-ohtani-blue-jays-lose-star-dodgers\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">decided last week he was going to the<\/a> Los Angeles Dodgers, and a day later <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/mlb\/bluejays\/onsi\/news\/bo-bichette-departure-places-focus-blue-jays-breakout-playoff-star\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Bo Bichette accepted a deal<\/a> with the New York Mets. This leaves a path to an offensive upgrade complicated as options start to run out.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-2\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6b\">Most have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/mlb\/bluejays\/onsi\/news\/blue-jays-green-light-cody-bellinger-pursuit-yankees-balk\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">speculated on Cody Bellinger<\/a> and while this could be possible, perhaps the Blue Jays could think a bit outside the box with someone they have not been linked to all that much to this point.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-3\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6e\">In a recent article naming three free agents Toronto could still be a fit that makes sense for,<a href=\"https:\/\/bluejaysnation.com\/news\/how-the-2026-blue-jays-stack-up-against-last-seasons-team\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Matthew Spagnuolo of Blue Jays Nation<\/a> named Seattle Mariners slugger Eugenio Suarez, though this would come with the caveat of having to move an outfielder.<\/p>\n<p>Blue Jays Named Fit for Suarez if They Trade Outfielder<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/01kfc1m7qwr0az0z11g7.jpg\" alt=\"Eugenio Suarez of Seattle Mariners throws ball from right hand.\" title=\"Eugenio Suarez of Seattle Mariners throws ball from right hand.\" width=\"4794\" height=\"2696\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full blur-[5px]\" q:id=\"6q\"\/><\/p>\n<p>John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-6\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6u\">&#8220;Signing Suarez would essentially be a home run or bust option to add to your lineup, although it would come with the issue of where [Kazuma] Okamoto and [Addison] Barger would play, barring a trade that sends an outfielder elsewhere to clear up some of the logjam, especially with [Anthony] Santander and [George] Springer slated to split time in the DH spot this year,&#8221; Spagnuolo wrote.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-7\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6x\">Almost certainly, despite his defensive shortcomings, someone like Suarez would slot in at third while <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/mlb\/bluejays\/onsi\/news\/how-willing-should-blue-jays-be-to-trade-addison-barger\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Barger occupied a full-time outfield<\/a> spot and Okamoto was used in a true utility role. Because of all the shifting around, it is a bit of an odd, but if Toronto is fixated on adding a bat, it could make sense.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-8\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"70\">Will this be something they actually pursue though? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/mlb\/bluejays\/onsi\/news\/blue-jays-rightfully-receive-disastrous-re-grade-signing-last-offseason\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Santander likely does not have many suitors<\/a> while Springer has established <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/mlb\/bluejays\/onsi\/news\/george-springer-named-blue-jays-all-time-mount-rushmore-free-agent-signings\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">himself as the heart and soul of the team<\/a>, making a deal coming together on either seem far fetched.<\/p>\n<p>Blue Jays Don&#8217;t Seem Likely to Pursue More Infielders<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/01kfc1v8j8scczjg7cky.jpg\" alt=\"Kazuma Okamoto of Toronto Blue Jays poses for picture with Ross Atkins and Scott Bora\" title=\"Kazuma Okamoto of Toronto Blue Jays poses for picture with Ross Atkins and Scott Bora\" width=\"5774\" height=\"3247\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full blur-[5px]\" q:id=\"7c\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-11\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7g\">Ultimately, if Toronto was going to make another significant addition, an outfielder seems more likely because it would cause less shifting around to the current plans. Tucker would have been a dream <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/mlb\/bluejays\/onsi\/news\/blue-jays-must-pivot-steal-yankees-star-free-agent-after-tucker-heartbreak\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">add and Bellinger would be nice<\/a>, but seeing them go more under the radar would not be a shock either.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-12\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7j\">It&#8217;s possible the window has closed on the Blue Jays making another massive splash outside of the hundreds of millions they have spent on pitching this winter. Sometimes, these things work out perfectly, but forcing it when they don&#8217;t is how teams wind up with contracts they regret.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-13\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7m\">If Toronto decides it is happy with where the roster is currently at, they still will enter the 2026 season as one of the teams to beat in the American League and will have a great chance to defend their pennant title.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-14\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7p\">Of course, another move can&#8217;t be ruled out either as you truly just never know with this franchise.<\/p>\n<p>Recommended Articles<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Toronto Blue Jays entered the offseason looking to make a significant splash, and to this point, they&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":420788,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[435],"tags":[49,48,462,82],"class_list":{"0":"post-420787","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mlb","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-mlb","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/420787","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=420787"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/420787\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/420788"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=420787"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=420787"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=420787"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}