Blue Jays focus on internal improvement, outfield additions this off-season

The Toronto Blue Jays are focused on finding incremental gains from their existing roster and adding to their outfield as key off-season priorities. General manager Ross Atkins said the club is engaged on free agent outfielders Seiya Suzuki and Terauki Sato and has expressed interest in second baseman Brandon Lowe. Atkins emphasized the need to optimize every aspect of the team's performance, from lineup construction to in-game roster deployment, to find every possible advantage over a 162-game season. "We have to find every eighth of a win that we can find, every 10th of a win that we can find on a nightly basis in any possible way," said Atkins. He said those gains could come from lineup construction, bullpen deployment, pinch-hitting, pinch-running or base-running opportunities. The team believes the most impactful move this winter is to better leverage the talent already in place, a lesson showed by the Milwaukee Brewers' World Series win built on attentive, competitive plays.

Atkins said adding to the outfield is "the more natural fit right now as we stand," but added the Blue Jays "don't feel that it has to be there, by any means." Suzuki, 32, is coming off a strong season with the Chicago Cubs and his power would complement the lineup. Sato, a left-handed hitter, batted .306 with 39 home runs for Japan's Hanshin Tigers last season. Both players would add right-handed power, with Suzuki's maximum exit velocity of 112.9 m.p.h. last year ranking second only to Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s 116.3 m.p.h. on the Blue Jays.

The club's internal focus starts with getting Guerrero right, with Atkins saying the first baseman "is already off to an incredible start" after meetings with hitting and strength coaches and is "fired up and on a mission." Beyond Guerrero, the team is assessing areas for improvement across the roster, though Atkins said he will have a better answer when the roster is set. The departure of George Springer frees up the designated hitter spot, allowing for more creative lineup construction. Interest in Lowe, who hit 35 homers for Pittsburgh last season, reflects a desire to add a left-handed bat at second base. The Blue Jays are also considering using Ernie Clement at multiple positions instead of primarily at second base. An uncertain trade possibility is Arizona's Ketel Marte, a switch-hitting second baseman with 10-and-5 rights who can veto any deal, but whose wife is Guerrero's first cousin, a connection that could make Toronto a welcomed landing spot.

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Any additions will likely create a surplus somewhere on the roster, which could be used as trade capital or to provide more flexibility for in-game moves. The outfield picture includes internal options like Brett Bateman, Nathan Lukes and Addison Barger, all left-handed hitters. Bateman impressed after being acquired at last season's trade deadline and will need to be protected on the roster. Lukes, a Gold Glove finalist in right field in 2026, has played some centre, while Barger, slated for right field and third base, has not played centre professionally.

Atkins mentioned those three when asked about the centre field depth chart after the team declined Myles Straw's 2027 option. Having multiple left-handed outfield options could make a right-handed complement like Straw ideal, but the team is not shying away from potential redundancies. The Blue Jays' minor-league system showed progress last year, graduating 14 players to the majors. The overarching goal is to ensure the team is set up to capitalize on every opportunity, a discipline they applied in 2025 when they came inches from winning the World Series but missed in two of the past three seasons partly due to injury. "All the things that make this team really special were there in that moment," Brewers president Matt Arnold said of a key play in their championship run, highlighting the type of attentive, competitive baseball the Blue Jays are seeking to replicate.

With files from Sportsnet