#toronto-blue-jays

#toronto-blue-jays

The World Baseball Classic is just around the corner. There will be some Toronto Blue Jays players participating in the tournament that will begin in March. You have the obvious players, such as Vladimir Guerrero Jr., but some minor leaguers could factor onto their respective rosters. Not just that, some of the Blue Jays' free agents and recently released players could find their way onto a national team. Most people reading this article will likely be cheering for Team Canada. They'll be in a pool with Puerto Rico, Panama, Cuba, and Colombia, with games taking place in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Could the best second baseman in baseball be moved this off-season? Ketel Marte's name has popped up in trade rumours this season. Two weeks ago, USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported that the Arizona Diamondbacks were "motivated" to move Marte. General manager Mike Hanzel noted that teams are going after the switch-hitting second baseman, but he did tell Jon Morosi the following day that it's "mostly unlikely" that it'll happen.

Ever since Davis Schneider's spectacular 35-game debut in 2023, he has been a fan favourite that Blue Jays fans have come to appreciate. Sure, it also helps that his trademark mustache and goggles make for a unique look that adds to his likability. Now heading into his fourth season, it remains to be seen where he fits onto a Blue Jays team that looks to run it back to the World Series in 2026.

It's been a rough couple of years for Alek Manoah. In November of 2022 the Homstead, Florida native was coming off his sophomore season in which he was a Cy Young finalist, producing a 6.0 bWAR season for a Toronto Blue Jays team that had made the postseason. Fast forward to November of 2025, and Manoah is no longer part of a major league team after he was not tendered a contract by the Atlanta Braves.

However, more surprisingly was the fact that the Blue Jays and GM Ross Atkins chose to keep two spots open on their 40-man roster for potential offseason moves, rather than to protect a couple more promising prospects from the Rule 5 Draft that will be held in December.

Tyler Heineman is projected to earn a salary of $1 million in 2026, and considering how well he played last season, he could represent the easiest decision of the offseason. 1 more Blue Jay could be on non-tender chopping block after three others have left Daulton Varsho, Eric Lauer, and Ernie Clement are "no-brainer" picks to be retained at higher salaries next season, and Heineman should be nearly as easy a call for the front office.

Considering what Lauer did for the Blue jays in 2025, it only makes sense that he'll get a raise in 2026. But even if he is set to double his earnings, it still might end up as one of the best contracts the Blue Jays could have on their payroll in 2026. Lauer made $2.3 million last season in a swing role that saw him start 15 games for the Blue Jays and pitch 13 times out of the bullpen.

The team is going to be heavily involved in the free agent market, already being considered the favourite to land Kyle Tucker. There's also a strong chance they'll be active on the trade market, as was the case last season. General manager Ross Atkins has already noted that they've engaged with other teams about trades, but there are a few prospects the Blue Jays should look to avoid trading. Let's take a look at three of them.

Jeff Hoffman, Anthony Santander and Max Scherzer were three of the bigger names on the free agent market last offseason and the Toronto Blue Jays brought all three players into the fold ahead of the2025 campaign. All three guys were expected to play big roles for the Blue Jays and while Hoffman and Scherzer certainly left their mark on the team, Santander left a lot to be desired. However, they weren't the only players who the Blue Jays added to the team in the offseason.

It's been widely reported that the Toronto Blue Jays are looking to add a starting pitcher via free agency this offseason - and Michael King should be the guy. The 30-year-old pitched to a 3.44 ERA and 1.20 WHIP across 73 ⅓ innings in 2025. He landed on the injured list in May due to a shoulder injury, then returned in August but only threw two innings before being sidelined again with a knee issue.

O'Hearn was an eighth-round draft choice of the Kansas City Royals in 2014, and he made his MLB debut on July 31st, 2018. He fared well in his first taste of major league action and finished the year batting .262 with 10 doubles, 12 homers, 30 RBI, and a .950 OPS. He was seen as a potential core piece for the rebuilding Royals.

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.