The Toronto Blue Jays enter the 2025-26 offseason with expectations higher than ever after falling one win short of a championship against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
With their core still in its prime and several major decisions looming, this winter will determine whether last season was a breakthrough or a missed opportunity.
Front-office decisions over the next few months will shape whether 2025 is remembered as a one-year peak or the start of a sustained run. The priorities are clear: keep an elite bat in-house, reinforce the top of the rotation, and add another impact hitter to lengthen the lineup.
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With that in mind, three free agents stand out as moves the Blue Jays almost have to make if they want to maximise their 2026 playoff chances: Bo Bichette, Ranger Suarez and Kyle Tucker.
#1. Bo Bichette
Bo Bichette declined the club’s one-year qualifying offer and is now exploring free agency, but the Blue Jays cannot afford to let him walk.
The 27-year-old was the anchor of Toronto’s offense, coming off a season in which he hit .311 with 18 homers, 94 RBIs and an .840 OPS before returning from a knee sprain to deliver a strong World Series.
Reports from the GM Meetings indicate Toronto intends to stay in the mix for a long-term deal, and with the team already seeking pitching upgrades, losing a prime-age star would create a new problem they are not built to solve.
#2. Ranger Suarez
Ranger Suarez, fresh off rejecting Philadelphia’s qualifying offer, is among the top starting pitchers available.
The 30-year-old posted one of his best seasons in 2025, a 3.20 ERA with 151 strikeouts across 157.1 innings and multiple projections peg him for a four or five year contract worth close to nine figures.
Toronto’s rotation needs a reliable No. 2 behind Kevin Gausman, and Suarez fits that role with postseason experience, strike-throwing consistency and the ability to handle AL East lineups.
#3. Kyle Tucker
Kyle Tucker is expected to be one of the headline free agents this winter after a strong season with the Cubs, where he hit .266 with 22 homers, 73 RBIs and 25 steals.
His five-year production places him among the elite all-around outfielders in baseball.
Tucker’s market will be huge, potentially 10 years and upwards of $350 million, but Toronto has been linked to him multiple times, with analysts noting he fits perfectly into a lineup that needs another left-handed, middle-order presence.
Edited by Shubham Soni
