Key Position is Clear Top Need for Blue Jays This Offseason

Which position do the Toronto Blue Jays need to address this winter?

Nov 1, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider (14) reacts after the benches clear in the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game seven of the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

The offseason has officially begun for the Toronto Blue Jays, and there will be a lot of eyes on what the franchise is going to try to accomplish. 

In 2025, the Blue Jays came out of nowhere a bit to not only win the extremely challenging American League East, but also came so close to winning the World Series. With the team able to re-sign their star, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., to a long-term deal, it made things much easier for them this offseason. 

However, the team still has some significant decisions to make. Arguably, the most important factor will be whether they can bring back All-Star shortstop Bo Bichette. The talented infielder is set to be one of the top free agents available, and he could land a deal in the $200 million range. 

While figuring out his future status with the team will be important, they also have a void in the starting rotation that needs to be addressed. Fortunately, the situation is somewhat better than expected heading into winter. Recently, Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report tabbed adding a starter as a top need.  

Blue Jays Need One More Starter

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It came as a bit of a surprise after a solid postseason that Shane Bieber elected to opt into his contract. As a former AL Cy Young award winner coming off Tommy John surgery, he looked pretty good in a small sample size. However, he and his agent must not have believed that the market would be there for him and elected to stay. 

This was a nice break for Toronto, which will have him leading the rotation in 2026. The veteran right-hander will be followed by Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, and Jose Berrios. On paper, this is a strong group, especially with the recent emergence of Yesavage in the playoffs. The young right-hander looked like he could be the future ace of the team, and he will undoubtedly be in the rotation to begin 2026. 

With four starters already in place, it will be interesting to see the direction that the team looks to go. They could certainly get aggressive and try to add another front-line starter under team control, knowing that Gausman is a free agent after 2026. However, at the bare minimum, they should add a veteran who will be able to eat innings for them. 

There are going to be a plethora of options for the team this winter, and the need is relatively straightforward. While they will likely wait on what happens with Bichette first, adding another starter is a top priority. 

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