These Blue Jays Bats Must Step Up After Bo Bichette’s Departure
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The Toronto Blue Jays will enter a new era without their star shortstop Bo Bichette. He recently signed a three-year deal with the New York Mets, ending a seven-year career in Toronto. The Blue Jays made an expensive effort to bolster the pitching staff, handing out a seven-year, $210 million deal to Dylan Cease and $30 million to Cody Ponce.
General manager Ross Atkins has built a balanced roster with an offense that was one of the best in baseball, backed by a staff that can pitch deep into games. However, Bichette's impact in Toronto can't be overstated. He was a consistent piece in this lineup, and his value will be impossible to replace.
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That means multiple guys have to step up next season. These are three hitters who will have increased expectations to deliver in 2026. To be clear, it's expected that guys like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and George Springer will step up. This list consists of players who could be question marks, but have the potential to have big seasons.
3. Addison Barger
Addison Barger burst onto the scene in 2025. After seeing a massive increase in playing time during the regular season, Barger dominated at the plate in the playoffs. He slashed .367/.441/.583 with 22 hits and 9 RBIs.
It will be difficult to duplicate those numbers in 2026, but he could be an important piece for Toronto. He'll have to be consistent at the top of the order and be a key run producer. He led the team in strikeouts during the regular season, so bringing that number down will be a critical component of his development.
Barger became a hero in the playoffs, but his follow-up act will be worth following in 2026.
2. Anthony Santander
Anthony Santander was brought in to be the slugger who hit 155 home runs with the Baltimore Orioles. He signed a five-year, $92.5 million deal last offseason, but injuries plagued his debut year with the Blue Jays.
He played in 54 games and hit .175 with six long balls. It wasn't the season anyone envisioned for the 31-year-old. Now, he enters this year at full strength, and the pressure is on for Santander to deliver. Toronto came up short in the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes, but Santander has an opportunity to erase all disappointment.
He hit 44 home runs and 102 RBIs in his last full season in 2024, and while expectations for that level of production may seem ambitious, Santander has proven he's one of the best power hitters in the game. Now, he has to go out and do it with the Blue Jays.
1. Kazuma Okamoto
Kazuma Okamoto signed a four-year, $60 million deal with Toronto this winter. He was a highly coveted player due to his impressive offensive display. Okamoto joins the big leagues as one of the best power hitters to come over from Japan.
He's hit 277 career home runs with a .501 slugging percentage and .856 career OPS. He'll slide in as the third baseman for John Schneider and move Barger to right field. Okamoto wasn't necessarily signed as Bichette's replacement, but it's a huge move to help offset what the Blue Jays are losing offensively.
Okamoto has the potential to be a 30-homer guy for Toronto. It could also be a risk as he adjusts to life in the MLB, but Toronto will be heavily relying on Okamoto to supply the power and generate offense. If he shines, the ceiling is tremendously high for this Blue Jays team.
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-18b43fc96f33cf096c365e79101baa24.jpeg "Zion Trammel")
Zion Trammell graduated from TCU in 2023 with a degree in sports broadcasting and journalism. He currently writes for TCU Horned Frogs on SI. In addition to writing, he is the play-by-play voice for Southlake Carroll baseball and hosts a TCU show on the Bleav Network.
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