A Key Priority the Blue Jays’ Offense Must Address This Offseason
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Even though the Toronto Blue Jays left us with a bitter taste in our mouths, falling short in the race to return to the postseason and reach the 2025 World Series for the first time in 32 years, many of us have resigned ourselves to moving forward and reflecting on the team’s future.
One topic that makes me reflect the most is the possibility of the Jays strengthening their roster and solving many of the offensive problems that became insurmountable obstacles during much of the year. One of them was the inability of their left-handed hitters to produce against left-handed pitchers, against whom they finished with the worst walk rate (3.6 BB%), the second-worst on-base percentage (.272), and the fourth-worst wRC+ (66) in the league in 2026.
This became much more complicated because there were several starting hitters the team could not do without in the lineup, such as Andres Gimenez, Daulton Varsho, Nathan Lukes, Jesus Sanchez, before being released in mid-September, and later Brett Bateman.
The numbers in this table correspond to the performance of the Jays’ left-handed hitters against left-handed pitchers over the last two seasons. Of that entire group, Bateman, who debuted in early August after arriving in Toronto in the trade that sent Kevin Gausman to the Chicago Cubs, was the only hitter who was able to show some consistency, at least in contact, with a .293/.333/.362 slash line and a 96 wRC+.
Daulton Varsho played for the Blue Jays before being traded to the Houston Astros at the trade deadline; he posted a 94 wRC+, but only a .303 wOBA. Of course, I have not forgotten Addison Barger, who barely played in 2026 and will also face major challenges in this situation, given his struggles against left-handed pitchers. We will get to him in a minute, because he is also an important piece when evaluating the adjustments the Jays should make.
Outside of those cases, the rest of the offensive production has been disappointing. Without a doubt, the worst bet was Jesus Sanchez, who finished with a -1 wRC+ and, to make matters worse, did not make up for those deficiencies enough when he faced right-handed pitchers.
One significant issue was Toronto's lack of depth to compete against left-handed pitchers, leaving the team with few alternatives. Three of their main starters—Gimenez (139), Lukes (85), and Varsho—averaged only 102 games during that period. Consequently, the team had limited options to respond effectively.
The Blue Jays Have Priorities They Cannot Avoid This Offseason
There is not much to discuss about this. Starting with that deficiency, we must think about which players could fit to strengthen the right-handed profile of the Blue Jays’ lineup. Elite hitters such as Randy Arozarena of the Seattle Mariners and Seiya Suzuki of the Chicago Cubs, who will become free agents at the end of the season, are shaping up as two key pieces Toronto should explore on the market.
This could fit perfectly with Barger’s return and offer an interesting balance between left-handed and right-handed hitters in the lineup. Anthony Santander should also be ready to be in the lineup on Opening Day if we are fortunate enough to have baseball in 2027 and a lockout does not prevent it.
As for Barger, an undeniable force in last year’s postseason and who helped the Jays reach the World Series, I would like to see how he can adjust his approach and find solutions once and for all against left-handed pitchers.
That said, Lukes's role as a starter would be reduced if the Jays can have Barger available in time and acquire one or perhaps two outfielders. I love Bateman, but I feel Toronto would have more depth if it could bring in a legitimate center fielder. With that plan, the only left-handed hitters who should be in the lineup every day against left-handed pitchers would be Gimenez and Barger. In baseball, nothing is ever certain, but recent history shows that not even the Jays’ contact-oriented left-handed hitters have been able to produce consistently against left-handed pitchers.
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Yirsandy is a baseball writer specializing in MLB coverage with experience across multiple teams and storylines. He currently writes for Diamond Centric, where he covers the New York Mets, San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, and Kansas City Royals. My work focuses on game coverage, player analysis, and storytelling that connects performance with context. My Substack has also been an important part of my writing development, where I’ve built much of my baseball coverage and storytelling voice over time. I’m passionate about combining reporting, research, and thoughtful analysis to produce engaging baseball content for readers.
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