Toronto
fromJays Journal
6 days agoBlue Jays may have a new and dangerous middle of the order on their hands
The Toronto Blue Jays' middle order is poised for significant power in 2026 despite losing Bo Bichette.
After making his Major League debut at 24 years old the year before, he blossomed into a powerful left-handed stick that contributed immensely during the Blue Jays' World Series run. This offseason, the Blue Jays were rumoured to be in the market for a high-end bat, such as outfielders Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger. Those two bats have now signed elsewhere, creating an opportunity for Barger to earn full-time play in right field.
It was a tale of two halves for Barger in 2025. It wasn't until early May that he started getting consistent at-bats day in and day out, and between then and the trade deadline on July 31st, Barger was a borderline elite bat. He produced a 133 wRC+ across 296 plate appearances during that time frame while producing pristine batted ball and quality of contact data.