The Blue Jays were two outs away from their third championship in Game 7. A matter of inches kept them from scoring the winning run in the bottom of the ninth. Those inches also loomed large in Game 6, with Addison Barger’s double getting stuck under the outfield wall padding, preventing a run from being scored.
Despite posting the best record in the American League, bringing it back may be easier said than done. Several key players, headlined by shortstop Bo Bichette, will enter free agency. The Blue Jays got some good news when pitcher Shane Bieber picked up his $16 million option to return to Toronto in 2026. However, the Blue Jays have plenty of work to do as they try to return to the playoffs.
Three questions for the Toronto Blue Jays heading into the offseason
1. Can the Blue Jays bring back Bichette?
It was fair to wonder if the Blue Jays would want Bichette back heading into the 2025 season. He struggled through an injury-plagued 2024 campaign, posting a disappointing .225/.277/.322 batting line over 336 plate appearances, hitting four home runs and 16 doubles. Bichette had to prove himself again before hitting free agency.
He did just that, posting a .311/.357/.483 batting line in 628 plate appearances, hitting 18 home runs and 44 doubles. Bichette has also made it clear that he wants to stay in Torontoespecially after coming so close to a championship. The Blue Jays are considered the favorites to retain his services, but Bichette’s next contract will cost them much more than a potential extension beyond the 2024 season.
2. What can Trey Yesavage do for an encore?
Yesavage, the 20th overall selection in the 2024 MLB Draft, was one of the best stories of the season. He rose quickly through the Blue Jays organization, making his major league debut after pitching at four different minor league stops in 2025. Yesavage was even more impressive in the postseason, earning manager John Schneider’s trust to the point where he pitched in the seventh and eighth innings of Game 7 of the World Series.
The Blue Jays’ top prospect and the 26th best prospect in baseball according to MLB.com, Yesavage has three-plus offers and solid control over his arsenal. He showed that potential during his three Major League appearances with the Blue Jays, allowing five runs on 13 hits and seven walks over 14 innings, striking out 16 batters. Yesavage should play a prominent role in the 2026 rotation, and it won’t be long before he becomes the Blue Jays’ next top prospect.
3. Can outfielder George Springer continue to turn back the clock?
Springer had struggled the past two seasons, posting a disappointing .240/.316/.389 batting line over 1,297 plate appearances between 2023 and 2024, hitting 40 home runs and 44 doubles while stealing 36 bases. His 96 OPS+ was four points below league average. At 35, it was fair to wonder if Springer had anything left in the tank.
He rebounded impressively in 2025. Springer posted a .309/.399/.560 batting line over 586 plate appearances, hitting 32 home runs and 27 doubles. Springer etched his name in Blue Jays history with his three-run homer in Game 7 of the ALCS, putting Toronto in the lead for good. If the Blue Jays want to repeat as American League champions, they’ll need Springer to turn back the clock one more time.
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