Every Major Contract Decision Facing the Blue Jays This Offseason
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The Toronto Blue Jays enter the offseason with a lot to do after a disappointing season. They finished with a 79-83 record and missed the postseason after making it to the World Series just last year.
They should have some money to work with this offseason, as well.
Toronto carried a payroll of about $275 million in 2026, and approximately $195 million is already committed for the upcoming 2027 season.
The team will have some flexibility to look outside of the organization to increase their talent, but they will also have to make some serious decisions within their own players.
Here are the biggest ones facing Toronto right now.
George Springer
Springer was on a six-year, $150 million contract, and it has come to an end. That makes him one of the most prominent free agents in the league.
The 37-year-old hit .234 with 12 home runs and a .713 OPS this season. That is just average when you compare it to his results in 2025.
Toronto needs more production from the outfield, so this contract is a bit more complicated than just simply whether Springer has enough left in the tank to contribute.
If the Blue Jays bring him back, it will likely be on a much smaller commitment to give them some flexibility to go get another impact bat.
Shane Bieber
This will be one of the biggest pitching decisions Toronto will make.
Beiber is headed for free agency after he made $16 million dollars in the 2026 season. The Blue Jays do have some uncertainty behind Dylan Cease and Trey Yesavage in the 2027 rotation.
Jose Soriano provides another option, but the team still has Bowden Francis and Jose Berrios recovering from Tommy John surgery and Cody Ponce out with a torn ACL.
Toronto doesn’t really have to re-sign Bieber, but if he leaves in free agency, they are going to sign another starter.
Max Scherzer
Talk about tough decisions. There are probably several just when it comes to the conversation surrounding Mad Max Scherzer.
First, he needs to decide if he is going to come back for another campaign on the mound.
When he makes his decision, the Blue Jays will have to decide if they want to sign him to another short-term agreement.
After a disappointing year, it’s hard to say how this will turn out on either side of the equation.
Myles Straw
This should be a pretty easy decision. Toronto holds an $8 million club option on Straw for the 2027 season with a $1.75 million buyout.
He brings elite defense, speed and a strong presence both on the field and in the clubhouse. With all of those positives, there is one thing that complicates the situation. Brett Bateman.
Bateman made a statement this year and he possesses many of those qualities at a fraction of the cost.
Unless Toronto really views Straw as an important part of the outfield in 2027, the buyout looks pretty appealing.
Ernie Clement
While Clement isn’t a free agent, Toronto still has an important decision to make here.
He is arbitration-eligible, and his projected salary is $7.6 million. That’s the highest projection of all eight arbitration-eligible players on the team.
Clement offers the team plenty of versatility that gives the organization value, but the question remains whether the team views him as their starting second baseman or a utility player.
At nearly $8 million, that question must be answered.
The Remaining Arbitration Class
Jose Soriano, Louis Varland, Josh Smith, Nathan Lukes, Spencer Arrighetti, Bowden Francis and Davis Schneider are all eligible for arbitration.
That’s a lot to work out. Soriano and Varland are easy decisions that shouldn’t even be a question. The two are important pieces of Toronto’s pitching staff.
The lower projected salaries of Arrighetti, Francis and Schneider should make retaining their depth pretty inexpensive.
Smith could be the one who could be non-tendered. His $3.7 million projection might be too much for an infield that is becoming crowded.
More Veterans in Free Agency
Yimi Garcia, Patrick Corbin, Paul Sewald, Jameson Taillon and Luis Urias are all on the free agent list.
None of these individually even compare to the magnitude of the Springer and Bieber decisions. Collectively, though, they create holes the Blue Jays will need to address.
This is going to be a very interesting offseason. There’s enough talent on this team to contend again in 2027 and they have the flexibility on the payroll to make it happen.
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Laura Lambert resides in Wiggins, Colo. with her husband, Ricky and two sons, Brayden and Boedy. She attended the University of Northern Colorado while studying economics. She is an accomplished rodeo athlete and barrel horse trainer along with being a life-long sports fan. Over the years, Laura has been active in journalism in a variety of roles. While continuing to cover western sports and country music, she is currently enjoying expanding her reach into multiple sports including MLB, NFL, and WNBA. Laura covers the Washington Nationals, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Colorado Rockies, Toronto Blue Jays, and Rodeo for On SI. You can reach her at lauralambertmedia@gmail.com