MLB Insider Lists Blue Jays in Lucrative List of Few With Winning Offseason
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The free agency market is starting to dwindle, but it has been shocking how slow this offseason has dragged on. There are still some arms available and a few big bats, and while other ballclubs have been more passive, the Toronto Blue Jays have been anything but.
A few organizations have been aggressive in addressing the gaps that their 2025 roster had, and many recognize that the Jays have been one of them. MLB insider Jeff Passan has six teams that have won this offseason, and Toronto is rightfully listed.
"With more than $85 million due off their books next winter, the Blue Jays have not waited around for the market to come to them. They were aggressive when necessary to fill their targeted needs -- starting pitching, bullpen, power-and-contact bat -- and will now spend the rest of the winter using the cash cudgel that few teams can currently wield," stated Passan.
In case someone hasn't caught everything that the Jays have done this offseason, the list is quite lengthy (and costly):
- Dylan Cease, Starting Pitcher: 7-Years $210 Million
- Cody Ponce, Starting Pitcher: 3-Years $30 Million
- Shane Bieber, Starting Pitcher: Opt-In $16 Million
- Tyler Rogers, Relief Pitcher: 3-Years $37 Million
- Kazuma Okamoto, Infielder: 4-Years $40 Million
Toronto has added an incredible amount of depth to their starting rotation to go with their workhorse from 2025 (Kevin Gausman) as well as the rising star, Trey Yesavage. The largest hole in their pitching staff was in the bullpen. So what did they do? Signed one of the best closers in the game.
New Hitter on the Blue Jays
The Blue Jays offense was arguably one of the best all-around in baseball last season. The whole lineup was a nightmare for pitching staffs as anyone, at any point, could make a big play and change the course of the game, which was seen time and time again during the playoffs.
There are still questions surrounding the return of Bo Bichette, but if he does leave, John Schneider is a little less worried with the addition of Okamoto. Overseas in 2025, Okamoto slashed .322/.411/.581 with 15 long balls and 51 runs batted in after playing in 77 games.
契約合意しました 🇯🇵🔥
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) January 4, 2026
OFFICIAL: We've signed 6x NPB All-Star INF Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year contract! pic.twitter.com/XS5yfH1WWz
Toronto's organization has proven that they mean business since coming in behind the reigning world champions a mere two months ago. There were holes in their roster, but not anymore. Right now, the question isn't who will stop them, but who can?
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Maddy Dickens resides in Loveland, Colorado. She grew up with two older brothers, where their lives revolved around sports. She earned a master's degree in business management from Tarleton State University while simultaneously playing basketball and competing in rodeo at the collegiate level. She successfully parlayed a reserve national championship into a professional rodeo career and now stays involved in upper-level athletics by writing for On SI on several different MLB teams' pages, along with some NCAA sites.