Projecting the Blue Jays' 2027 Opening Day Roster Before Free Agency Begins

The 2026 season is over. The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays to clinch their first World Series title in franchise history.

Now, Major League Baseball enters an uncertain period. If the owners and players can't agree on a collective bargaining agreement by Dec. 1, baseball will have its second lockout in five years. A lot of ideas have to be agreed upon by then, and it seems highly unlikely that will happen.

Assuming we have baseball in 2027, let's project the Toronto Blue Jays' 2027 Opening Day roster.

Projecting Toronto's 2027 Opening Day Roster

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This is a projection for the 26-man roster. This list includes a re-signing prediction and a couple of external free agents.

Catchers: Alejandro Kirk, Brandon Valenzuela

Infielders: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Andres Gimenez, Ernie Clement, Kazuma Okamoto, Charles McAdoo, Josh Smith

Outfielders: Brett Bateman, Seiya Suzuki, Nathan Lukes, Addison Barger, Myles Straw

Designated Hitters: Anthony Santander

Starting Pitchers: Dylan Cease, Jose Soriano, Trey Yesavage, Cody Ponce, Shota Imanaga

Relievers: Louis Varland, Tyler Rogers, Spencer Miles, Braydon Fisher, Mason Fluharty, Brendon Little, Joe Mantiply

Straw is the lone Blue Jays free agent who I project to return. He's on an $8 million club option that should be exercised. Shane Bieber is a possibility if Toronto wants to add to its starting pitching depth.

However, it's highly unlikely that guys like George Springer, Max Scherzer, and Jose Berrios will return next season. Currently, the Blue Jays have a four-man rotation, so they will likely be in the market for a starting pitcher.

There are a lot of quality free-agent pitchers: Tarik Skubal, Michael King, Brandon Woodruff, Kevin Gausman, etc. But Toronto would love to acquire a left-handed starting pitcher, and Imanaga would be an ideal fit.

Imanaga posted a 3.77 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP over 32 starts for the Chicago Cubs. His high strikeout and low walk rate could make him an intriguing addition to the rotation. His biggest weakness was his home run ball. Imanaga allowed 35 home runs last season, the second-highest in baseball.

As for the bullpen, Toronto keeps all of its relievers and returns a strong unit. In the outfield, the Blue Jays welcome back Santander and Barger. However, the lineup desperately needs a spark, and Suzuki could provide that.

He's one of the best power-hitting outfielders available and is effective against left-handed pitching. Suzuki fits like a glove in Toronto, and it shouldn't surprise anyone if he's on the Opening Day roster next season.

The infield largely remains the same. Toronto hopes for a bounce-back season from Guerrero Jr., while Clement and Gimenez are up the middle, and Okamoto stays at the hot corner. The Blue Jays could add another low-cost infielder this offseason.

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