Blue Jays free agent target: Daulton Varsho

Multiple players have had at least two stints with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Before the 2024 trade deadline, the Blue Jays traded Yimi García to the Seattle Mariners for Jonatan Clase and prospect Jacob Sharp. A few months later, García returned to the Blue Jays, signing a two year deal.

The 2026 season was a disaster just like the 2024 season was, forcing the Blue Jays to trade players on expiring contracts. One of those players turned out to be centre fielder Daulton Varsho.

Does it make sense to bring the left-handed outfielder back? Let’s find out!

Daulton Varsho’s profile

The Blue Jays have seen Daulton Varsho at both his best and his worst. Despite dealing with a handful of injuries in 2025, the outfielder was one of their more productive power hitters in the lineup, slashing .238/.284/.548, smacking 20 home runs in just 271 plate appearances. 

That was next level production, to say the least. Had he received 562 plate appearances, his average over his 2022, 2023, and 2024 seasons, Varsho was on pace for 42 home runs. Sure, he didn’t get on base and the batting average was low, but he was a power threat, something the Blue Jays didn’t have a lot of in 2026.

Varsho, of course, was on the 2026 Blue Jays. In 365 plate appearances with the team, he slashed .243/.307/.375 with just seven home runs, good for a 91 wRC+. His strikeout rate went down (28.4% in 2025 to 19.5% in 2026), but his wRC+ plummeted.

So did his defence. From 2022 until 2024, no outfielder played better defence than Varsho. Limited to just 550.1 innings in the outfield in 2025, Varsho still managed to post 10 Defensive Runs Saved, 9 Outs Above Average, and 6 Fielding Run Value. If healthy, he more than likely wins his second Gold Glove.

In 2026, he played 782.2 innings in centre field with the Jays, posting – 2 DRS, 4 OAA, and 2 FRV. Paired with a bat that made little impact, it was a disaster of a season for the soon-to-be free agent.

It also diminished his trade value, as the Jays managed to get Spencer Arrighetti from the Houston Astros. Arrighetti struggled on his new team, and so did Varsho. In 161 plate appearances for the American League West team, Varsho slashed .172/.224/.311 with five home runs in 161 plate appearances, giving him a 48 wRC+.

Now, there could be an explanation for this, as the centre fielder underwent wrist surgery in late September. An injured wrist tends not to bode well at the plate. A Scott Boras agent, Varsho will still get paid despite the down year. The biggest question is whether he’s even a fit for the Blue Jays moving forward.

The day before Varsho was traded, the Blue Jays sent Kevin Gausman to the Chicago Cubs for Ty Southisene and Brett Bateman. Saying Bateman made an immediate impact would be an understatement, as the centre fielder’s emergence as the lead-off hitter brought the Blue Jays back to playoff contention.

At the plate, he slashed .329/.402/.424 with two home runs in 181 plate appearances, good for a 138 wRC+. No other player on the Jays had a higher wRC+ in 150 or more plate appearances.  He was also great in centre field. In 288 innings at the position, Bateman finished his short stint with 6 DRS, 3 OAA, and 4 FRV.

The chances Bateman hits this well next season are slim to none, but he’s earned the role as the everyday centre field who bats lead-off. 

Yes, Varsho has more power than Bateman, but Bateman is a better overall fit if the Jays play their cards right and sign an outfielder like Teruaki Satō and a second baseman like Brandon Lowe. That should be enough of an improvement in the power department.

The only way Varsho would be brought back is if Bateman slides into a fourth outfield role, but Bateman is just a much cheaper option while providing similar value.