The Toronto Blue Jays have been agonizingly near dethroning the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Blue Jays have been two outs away from their third championship in Recreation 7. A matter of inches stored them from plating the successful run within the backside of the ninth inning. These inches loomed massive in Recreation 6 as properly, with Addison Barger’s double getting caught underneath the padding of the outfield wall, stopping a run from scoring.
Regardless of posting the most effective document within the American League, working it again could also be simpler mentioned than carried out. A number of key gamers, headlined by shortstop Bo Bichette, will enter free company. The Blue Jays did get excellent news when pitcher Shane Bieber picked up his $16M choice to return to Toronto in 2026. Nonetheless, the Blue Jays have loads of work to do as they give the impression of being to get again to the playoffs.
Three questions for the Toronto Blue Jays heading into the offseason
1. Can the Blue Jays deliver Bichette again?
It was honest to marvel if the Blue Jays would need Bichette again heading into the 2025 season. He struggled by means of an injury-plagued 2024 marketing campaign, posting a disappointing .225/.277/.322 batting line over 336 plate appearances, hitting 4 homers and 16 doubles. Bichette wanted to show himself once more earlier than coming into free company.
He did precisely that, posting a .311/.357/.483 batting line in 628 plate appearances, hitting 18 homers and 44 doubles. Bichette has additionally been clear that he needs to stay in Toronto, particularly after coming that near a championship. The Blue Jays are thought of the favorites to retain his providers, however Bichette’s subsequent contract will value them excess of a possible extension after the 2024 season.
2. What can Trey Yesavage do for an encore?
The twentieth total choice within the 2024 MLB Draft, Yesavage was among the best tales of the season. He had a meteoric rise by means of the Blue Jays group, making his main league debut after pitching at 4 totally different minor league stops in 2025. Yesavage was much more spectacular within the postseason, incomes supervisor John Schneider’s belief to the purpose the place he pitched within the seventh and eighth innings of Recreation 7 of the World Sequence.
The Blue Jays’ high prospect and the Twenty sixth-best prospect in baseball per MLB.com, Yesavage has three plus choices and stable command of his arsenal. He confirmed that potential throughout his three main league outings with the Blue Jays, permitting 5 runs on 13 hits and 7 walks over 14 innings, putting out 16 batters. Yesavage ought to have a distinguished position within the 2026 rotation, and it could not take lengthy earlier than he turns into the Blue Jays subsequent ace.
3. Can outfielder George Springer proceed to show again the clock?
Springer had struggled over the earlier two seasons, posting a disappointing .240/.316/.389 batting line over 1297 plate appearances between 2023 and 2024, hitting 40 homers and 44 doubles whereas stealing 36 bases. His 96 OPS+ was 4 factors under league common. At 35, it was honest to marvel if Springer had something left within the tank.
He rebounded in spectacular style in 2025. Springer posted a .309/.399/.560 batting line over 586 plate appearances, hitting 32 homers and 27 doubles. Springer carved his title into Blue Jays lore along with his three-run homer in Recreation 7 of the ALCS, placing Toronto on high for good. If the Blue Jays are going to repeat as American League champions, they may want Springer to show again the clock yet one more time.
