The Toronto Blue Jays wrapped up their 2026 season Sunday with a 5-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds, finishing with a 79-83 record. Now, their attention turns to the offseason.
One of the biggest reasons the Blue Jays fell short was their offense, which ranked dead last in runs scored (648) and home runs (152). If they plan on returning to contention next year, their lineup will need significant improvement — and rumors have already begun to swirl.
According to Mitch Bannon of The Athletic, the Blue Jays are expected to pursue outfielder Seiya Suzuki in free agency. He also reported Monday that Toronto will certainly check in with Teruaki Sato, a left-handed power bat likely to be posted by Nippon Professional Baseball’s Hanshin Tigers this winter.
Suzuki, 32, is among the few prominent major league bats set to be available in what is an overall weak free-agent class for hitters. The right-handed slugger is coming off a career-best season with the Chicago Cubs, in which he accumulated 5.1 bWAR over 143 games.
Across 634 plate appearances this season, Suzuki produced a .270/.368/.473 slash line with 26 home runs and 86 RBIs. His .841 OPS was nearly 80 points higher than that of all qualified Blue Jays hitters, and his home run total would have ranked second on the team. Kazuma Okamoto was the only Blue Jay to finish 2026 with more than 15 home runs.
Suzuki is a career .269/.351/.472 hitter and has been a consistent run producer throughout his five-year tenure with the Cubs. Statcast grades him as an above-average defender in right field, as he finished 2026 ranking in the 89th percentile for range and 94th percentile in arm value.
Sato, 27, won NPB Central League MVP last year and is poised to capture the award again as he closes in on a Triple Crown. If Hanshin posts him as expected, he could become the first reigning position-player NPB MVP to join MLB since Hideki Matsui in 2003.
Through 136 games this season, Sato has hit .315/.392/.620 (1.012 OPS) with 37 home runs and 100 RBIs. The lefty slugger also showcased his power in the World Baseball Classic, going 3-for-10 with a double and three walks while recording three balls hit over 100 mph for Samurai Japan.
Sato’s swing-and-miss tendencies (156 strikeouts in 584 plate appearances this year) could scare some teams off this winter, similar to how those same concerns affected Munetaka Murakami’s market last year. There are also questions over his long-term defensive home, as he has primarily played third base and outfield, but some teams reportedly see him moving over to first base.
Beyond Suzuki and Sato, there are not many available position players on the open market who offer the same undeniable offensive upside. Unless Bo Bichette opts out of his deal with the New York Mets, the next-best free agent hitters would be Randy Arozarena and Brandon Lowe.
It is unlikely that many big moves are made before baseball’s collective bargaining agreement expires Dec. 1. However, Sato’s 45-day posting window is reportedly expected to open in early November, allowing him to choose his destination early rather than sitting around and waiting for a potentially extended lockout to end.
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