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Blue Jays free agent target: Tyrone Taylor

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Blue Jays free agent target: Tyrone Taylor

Originally posted on Bluejaysnation | By Aidan Sinclair | Last updated Nov 9, 2026 8:00 AM ET

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It is well known that the Toronto Blue Jays’ biggest need for improvement is their offence, which ranked dead last in runs in all of MLB in 2026.

Though they very well could pursue a big name on the market such as Seiya Suzuki or Randy Arozarena, they also need to replenish their depth to balance out the lineup. Toronto’s bench was quite lackluster in 2026, especially on the right-handed hitting side. Over the course of the year, the team tried to address this by signing Lenyn Sosa, Luis Urías, Eloy Jiménez, and Daz Cameron, none of whom performed well enough to be mainstays.

Davis Schneider regressed to a .145 average, leaving Charles McAdoo as the best option to face left-handed pitching, yet he posted just a .711 OPS against southpaws. Given Toronto is in favour of platoon matchups, there is a great outfield option on the free agent market that could give the team some serious production from the right side.

Tyrone Taylor broke out in 2026, playing for both the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs, batting .279 with an .827 OPS. He had a solid start to the season with the Mets power-wise, hitting 10 home runs in 67 games, and though he hit only one with the Cubs in 30, he batted .351 with a .890 OPS.

TYRONE TAYLOR TIES THIS BALLGAME pic.twitter.com/3Ixo66O7ZE

— MLB (@MLB) May 17, 2026

What’s most valuable about Taylor’s game is his ability to mash left-handed pitching. This was evident in 2026, with a .318/.348/.573/.921 slash line against southpaws. He recorded 16 XBH in just 110 at-bats, and his numbers improve when evaluating his performance against left-handed starters (.323 AVG, .960 OPS).

His bat isn’t the only appealing part of his game, given he ranked in the 92nd percentile for sprint speed and the 82nd percentile for arm value a season ago. His profile complements Toronto’s current left-handed hitting outfield options in Brett Bateman, Nathan Lukes, and Addison Barger, and offers a platoon with any of the three when a southpaw is on the mound.

Lukes most notably struggled against left-handed pitchers in 2026, posting just a .582 OPS across 75 at-bats, and during Barger’s most recent healthy season in 2025, he registered a .607 OPS across 83 at-bats. The Blue Jays have experienced many failures in attempting to remedy this glaring problem, and the only consistent right-handed bench option over the past two seasons has been Myles Straw.

Though Straw may be a better overall defender, Taylor is no slouch in the outfield and has a far better arm with much more upside offensively. Back in 2022 with the Milwaukee Brewers, he appeared in 120 games and hit 17 home runs, flashing his power potential.

The Blue Jays lineup is destined to improve in 2027, with a full year from Alejandro Kirk, a resurgence from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and any production received from Barger and Santander. Taylor could act as a perfect platoon option off the bench to start against left-handed pitching and lengthen the lineup in an American League East division that features Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, Garrett Crochet, Payton Tolle, Ranger Suarez and Shane McClanahan. Taylor is likely to receive a contract between one to three years with an AAV range of $5 million to $10 million, which would fit perfectly within Toronto’s budget this offseason.

This article first appeared on Bluejaysnation and was syndicated with permission.

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