What storylines should follow after the Blue Jays’ franchise-altering offseason?

But the storylines will be flowing long before that.

Several new faces will arrive at camp in the coming weeks, most notably right-handed starter Dylan Cease, who will be joined by fellow newcomers Cody Ponce, Tyler Rogers and Kazuma Okamoto.

The Blue Jays also endured many notable signings over the winter, including Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer – both of whom remain unsigned but are not expected to return to the organization at this time – as well as Seranthony Domínguez (signed with the White Sox). However, they also said goodbye to a cornerstone of the franchise: shortstop Bo Bichette.

Bichette’s departure to the New York Mets, ending his nearly decade-long tenure with the Blue Jays organization, will be felt on numerous fronts this spring. It will be the most talked about storyline in all of camp, and that’s understandable considering how much he meant to this franchise and what his absence now means for them going forward.

So there’s no better place to start as we dive into the major storylines surrounding this team ahead of next week’s pitchers and catchers reporting date.

How jays are adapting to the post-Bo Bichette era

Adjusting to this new normal without Bichette will be the Blue Jays’ biggest challenge this spring, a task that will undoubtedly be easier said than done. It will take time to move past what used to be a staple of the club’s infield, as the 27-year-old had been their everyday shortstop for the past five seasons – and is now starting a new chapter of his career as the Mets’ primary third baseman.

The post-Bichette era will bring a new dynamic to Toronto’s field, both on the field and in the clubhouse. In Bichette’s place, Andrés Giménez will move to short full-time – a move he had planned for the offseason anyway – and look to pick up where he left off after filling in seamlessly on the left side last season.

Giménez, whose +67 defensive runs saved and +59 outs above average at second base since 2022 rank third among Major League defensemen (any position), will create daily opportunities at second for Ernie Clement by moving to short. Considering Bichette’s defensive decline, resulting in career-worst OAA points (-13) and fielding run value (-10) last season, that duo will essentially be a upgrade for the Blue Jays in ’26.

But while the Giménez-Clement tandem will provide additional defensive advantage, the biggest question is whether Toronto’s offense can be as good, if not better, than it was a season ago now that Bichette has moved on.

The answer to that question will almost certainly not be found this spring. That will also take time to assess. On the surface, it will be incredibly difficult to replace someone whose offensive value has been at least 20 percent above league average per wRC+ (100 is average) every season since Bichette’s debut in 2019 — not counting his injury-plagued 2024 campaign. Not to mention that Bichette also hasn’t become a four- or five-win fWAR player in four of the previous five seasons.

All of these factors must work together to prevent Toronto’s offense from taking a significant step back.

The battle for the fifth starter’s job begins

By signing Cease and Ponce, the Blue Jays have significantly raised the ceiling of this season’s starting rotation, which will also welcome Shane Bieber. Together, that trio will enter camp alongside Kevin Gausman, rookie phenom Trey Yesavage, José Berríos and Eric Lauer, and serve as one of the organization’s deepest spring training staffs of all time.

It’s been a long time since this team arrived in Florida with more MLB-caliber starters than available rotation spots. They are currently seven starters deep before reaching Bowden Francis, Adam Macko and others, who will act as an extra layer of protection at triple-A this season.

Berríos in particular enters camp with a lot to prove after late-season woes cost him his rotation spot for the playoffs. The 31-year-old starter will also need to repair relationships within the organization following his absence from the World Series, which was initially described as a personal matter before general manager Ross Atkins revealed last month that it was Berríos’ decision.

Ponce and Lauer, meanwhile, will also compete for the multi-inning reliever role in the Blue Jays’ bullpen. If Gausman, Cease, Bieber and Yesavage all stay healthy, it could force management to make a tough decision regarding excess rotation depth – as Berríos and Lauer are off waivers, while Ponce has one minor league option remaining.

But there are also scenarios where this situation could resolve itself: If Bieber needs a longer build-up, suddenly two rotation jobs are up for grabs. Additionally, because the team will be closely monitoring Yesavage’s workload, it may be worthwhile to carry six starters on opening day or have a spot starter (likely Ponce or Lauer) ready to step in when needed.

Can Anthony Santander return to form?

You could argue that no Blue Jays player enters spring training under more scrutiny than Santander — perhaps even more so than Berríos.

The first of Santander’s five-year, $92.5 million contract was an unmitigated disaster. He missed all but 54 games due to multiple IL stints. And even when he was available, the switch-hitting outfielder ultimately was a non-factor at the plate, earning a 61 wRC+ over 221 plate appearances and finishing 39 percent below league average.

With $82.25 million still owed to Santander, the Blue Jays are counting on a bounce-back performance to keep the 31-year-old’s contract from becoming a sinking ship, though some already believe we’ve reached that point with the bat-first slugger. Nevertheless, there are a few reasons to be optimistic about him recapturing his 2024 form.

During that ’24 season, when Santander recorded a career-high 44 home runs and 102 RBIs, signs of durability also emerged in his 11.7 percent barrel rate (another career high) and 28 percent pull air rate (including line drives, fly balls and pop-ups). It also delivered its fastest average bat speed reading (120 km/h) since tracking began in 2023.

But the problem of Santander being a notoriously slow starter still exists, and it could have a major impact on how this team performs out of the gate if other key hitters start slow as well. Besides the fifth starter job, this will likely be the most fascinating – and closely watched – storyline of the franchise’s spring.

Who rounds out the Jays’ bullpen?

As of now, barring injury, the bullpen locks for Toronto appear to be closer Jeff Hoffman, the returning Yimi García (if healthy), Louis Varland, Rogers and a traditional multi-inning reliever – likely Ponce or Lauer. That leaves three spots up for grabs this spring, or two if they break camp with a six-man rotation.

Despite last season’s up-and-down performance, Brendon Little will likely have an inside track to claim one of the remaining jobs, given his value as a left-hander with a high swing-and-miss, much like Tommy Nance – who is out of options. Braydon Fisher and Mason Fluharty should also be included in that mix, although they could end up being caught in a numbers game as they both still have options left.

Whichever relievers set up camp with the Blue Jays, the reality is that injuries, poor performances and workload concerns will keep this group fluid throughout the year. Just look at last year’s opening day bullpen; Chad Green, Nick Sandlin, Jacob Barnes and Richard Lovelady were all part of the team. Now none of these four are still with the organization.

These days it’s all about building a good enough bullpen until the trade deadline arrives, the time of year when every playoff contender is looking for upgrades.

Ricky Tiedemann returns from Lost 2025

Finally, the Blue Jays’ former top pitcher is healthy and ready to get back on track this season.

Tiedemann, who missed most of 2024 and all of last season due to Tommy John surgery, will return to competitive action for the first time in nearly two years when he takes the mound this spring. The 23-year-old southpaw must prove he can stay healthy with just 140 career innings under his belt since being selected in the third round of the 2021 draft.

In all likelihood, he will start again this season at triple-A Buffalo, where he has just five starts (13 innings) under his belt but has a chance to emerge as the organization’s biggest