The Toronto Blue Jays are fully expected to reload ahead of the 2026 season. Toronto is coming off an impressive campaign, one that saw them have the best record in the American League and reach the World Series. A heartbreaking extra-innings loss in game seven of the Fall Classic, however, ultimately ended their season.
Despite the defeat, insiders believe the Blue Jays are set to spend big in the free agent market to keep their momentum going. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale has even predicted that Toronto will be among the most aggressive teams in all of baseball. The reporter claims that the team’s ownership will put recent World Series revenue earned straight back into the team.
“They just earned an extra $50 million or so in revenue from their World Series run,” Nightengale says of the Jays. “They’ll put it right back into the team and could be the favorite for Kyle Tucker.”
Tucker is widely viewed as the top free agent hitter available in the market. The usual big boys, such as the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees, are also expected to be in play for Tucker. Nightengale, however, has named Toronto a “perfect fit” for the slugger.
Toronto Blue Jays now ‘Expected’ to Keep Bo Bichette
GettyRe-signing Bo Bichette is a top priority for the Blue Jays.
Outside of chasing Tucker, the Jays want to re-sign Bo Bichette as well. The shortstop was previously anticipated to leave the Canadian team either via trade or during the upcoming offseason. Nevertheless, this sentiment has changed, according to Nightengale. The reporter now claims that Bichette is likely to sign an extension with Toronto.
News that Bichette is expected to remain with the Jays coincides with claims that other teams want the infielder to change positions. “Can confirm Bo Bichette has received interest from multiple teams who view him as a second baseman or third baseman, due to the presence of an established shortstop on those rosters,” said MLB Network’s Jon Morosi.
Teams potentially wanting Bichette to move away from shortstop is not exactly surprising. After all, the Toronto star was recently named by Bleacher Report as the worst defensive player at his position in the league. Baseball Reference also rated Bichette to have the worst range among all shortstops during the 2025 season. Despite this, Bichette could view Toronto as the best place to stay at shortstop, while also having a chance to win.
Toronto has Worked Hard to Attract top Players in Recent Years
The Blue Jays are historically not known for spending big in free agency. This has arguably come down to team execs not being able to persuade top players to join the club. Along with not being a major market, Toronto also has to compete in the American League East against free-spending teams such as the Boston Red Sox and Yankees.
The Jays, however, are working hard to change this tune. Toronto previously had one of the lowest active payrolls in all of baseball just six years ago. Since 2019, team execs have handed out several massive contracts to propel the team’s payroll into the top 10 in the league. This includes huge deals for George Springer, Kevin Gausman, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Jose Berrios.
Despite his defensive issues, retaining Bichette by giving him a big extension is a priority for the Jays. The shortstop is undeniably one of the team’s most important players. He also performed well while dealing with an injury in the recent playoffs. Bichette racked up eight hits in just seven postseason appearances for Toronto in 2025.
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