Three questions for the Toronto Blue Jays this offseason

The Toronto Blue Jays were considered a World Series favorite heading into the 2026 season.

After falling inches short in Game Seven in the 2025 World Series, the Blue Jays had seemingly improved the roster with the additions of pitcher Dylan Cease and third baseman Kazuma Okamoto. Instead, injuries and a year-long slump for virtually the entire lineup dashed those hopes of a return trip to the postseason.

The Blue Jays are still a talented team. The 2026 season may have been an aberration, and the team could return to contention in 2027. However, for a team with a talented roster, the Blue Jays have several questions heading into the offseason.

Three questions for the Toronto Blue Jays

1. Can first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. bounce back from a dreadful 2026?

While Guerrero is unlikely to replicate his MVP runner-up season from 2021, he is still a key part of the Blue Jays lineup. His dreadful 2026 season, where he posted a disappointing .260/.332/.356 batting line with nine homers and 25 doubles in his 609 plate appearances, was a major factor in the Blue Jays' inability to return to the playoffs.

The Blue Jays have expressed confidence that Guerrero can return to form, saying that a slow start snowballed into what was a lost season. He still posted above-average exit velocities and hard-hit rates despite his numbers declining across the board. As Guerrero is in the second year of a 14-year, $500 million extension, the Blue Jays need to hope that their confidence is not misguided.

2. What role does Spencer Miles have in the 2027 pitching staff?

Miles was a surprise selection in the 2025 Rule V Draft, with the Blue Jays gambling on his pure stuff despite only 14.2 professional innings due to a myriad of injuries. That faith paid off as Miles was one of the most valuable players on the roster, posting a 2.63 ERA and a 1.098 WHIP over his 95.2 innings between the rotation and bullpen, striking out 93 batters with 23 walks.

It would make sense for the Blue Jays to be cautious with Miles in 2027 and slowly increase his workload. However, the Blue Jays also have a hole in the back of the rotation. Miles showed that he could be an asset for the Blue Jays in 2026 — it may be time to take the training wheels off and see if he can handle a full-time role as a starting pitcher.

3. Will the Blue Jays get anything from outfielder Anthony Santander?

The Blue Jays signed Santander to a five-year, $92.5 million contract during the 2024-25 offseason in hopes that he could provide another dangerous bat in the middle of the lineup. Instead, Santander has appeared in only 54 games for the Blue Jays, posting a .175/.271/.294 batting line in his 221 plate appearances, hitting six homers and five doubles. He missed the entire 2026 season due to left labral surgery and setbacks during his rehab.

If Santander is healthy, he would give the Blue Jays another powerful bat in the middle of the lineup. He hit 105 homers between 2022 and 2024, production that the Blue Jays desperately need. While the Blue Jays may not be able to count on Santander, he could be an X-factor as they look to return to the postseason in 2027.