Blue Jays free agent fits: Which hitters can help Toronto's stalling offence?

The Toronto Blue Jays have a clear need this offseason: add more offence.

Since 2021, when the Blue Jays were one of the top offensive teams, the clubs offence has been on a downward trend.

They ranked 23rd in runs scored and 26th in home runs in 2024.

Both Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro and GM Ross Atkins acknowledged after the season the need to rethink the way they are constructing a lineup and find ways to balance their roster better.

Adding power bats looks like a clear opportunity for the Blue Jays, although Atkins suggested the club is also thinking about other attributes like plate discipline and contact ability.

Advertisement I think theres more to it than power bats, but were certainly open to adding a power bat, the Blue Jays GM said.

As for positions of need, the Blue Jays could look to fill left field, third base, and designated hitter.

The backup catcher is another spot, although thats unlikely to be an impactful addition to the offence.

With that in mind, lets look at some of the potential free-agent fits, divided into tiers from superstar to complementary adds.

( Note: Projected contracts are via The Athletic s Jim Bowden ).

Outfield Soto will be the No.

1 free agent this winter and could command a contract exceeding $500 million and 10 years.

Sotos current team, the New York Yankees , will be the favourite to sign the Scott Boras client, but the Blue Jays will be in the mix.

The club tried to trade for Soto last year and their aggressive, though ultimately unsuccessful, pursuit of Shohei Ohtani proved Toronto is willing to spend like a big-market club.

As for roster fit, Soto can play both corner outfield spots and is one of the games great hitters with a career .953 OPS and hes only 25 years old.

GO DEEPER Projecting MLB free agent contracts for Juan Soto, Corbin Burnes and other top players Santander picked an opportune time for his career-best 44-home run season.

While he isnt strong defensively, hell be one of the best corner outfield power bats available and as a switch hitter, he could be a valuable addition for the Blue Jays.

He is projected to net a seven-year, $150.5 million contract.

After a down year with the Seattle Mariners following his trade from Toronto, Hernandez made the most of his one-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers , hitting 33 home runs with an .840 OPS in 154 games.

He should be able to get the long-term deal he covets this winter, but considering the Blue Jays traded him away once, its unclear if they would want to invest in him long-term.

Advertisement Canha doesnt provide much pop, having hit more than 25 home runs only once in his career, in 2019.

But he can play corner outfield or DH and is a productive bat against lefties, meaning he could be part of a platoon with Joey Loperfido or Daulton Varsho .

Conforto hit 20 home runs for the San Francisco Giants this season while slashing .237/.309/.450 in 130 games.

He could play left field, while also DHing and would give the Blue Jays some added power from the left side.

( An interesting note : he led all National League outfielders in home runs hit on the road, with 17.) Winker hit 14 home runs with a .764 OPS in 2024, split between the Washington Nationals and New York Mets .

Hes far more productive against right-handers, with 13 of his 14 home runs coming against them.

Pederson opted out of a mutual option worth $14 million (or a $3 million buyout) with the Diamondbacks for 2025.

Hes coming off a strong season, where he had a 151 wRC+ in 132 games with 23 home runs 22 of which came against right-handers.

As Sportsnets Ben Nicholson-Smith previously reported, the Blue Jays had some interest in Pederson last offseason, but it never materialized into a strong push, according to Pedersons comments in July.

Kepler is coming off a down season hampered by injuries , but he hit 24 home runs in 2023 and has been a slightly above-league-average hitter for his career.

Hes primarily a right fielder, though, and with George Springer occupying that position, Kepler may be forced to play left field which he hasnt done before.

ONeill rebounded in Boston after an offseason trade last year, hitting .241/.336/.511 with 31 home runs in 113 games.

He does most of his damage against left-handers, posting a 1.180 OPS against them in 2024.

But he was on the IL three times in 2024 and has played in more than 100 games in a season only twice.

His right-handed power bat could help the Blue Jays, though, as a platoon partner with Loperfido and/or Varsho.

And as a bonus, he is Canadian.

Infield These three will be the biggest names in the infield market.

Alonso has hit more than 30 home runs in every season hes played (except 2020), so his big bat could help the Blue Jays, but as a first baseman, his fit is awkward unless the Blue Jays and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

are serious about him moving to third base full-time which seems unlikely.

Advertisement Bregman has a career .848 OPS and hit 26 home runs last season.

As a third baseman, he fills a real position of need for the Blue Jays and he grades out above-average at the position, per Defensive Runs Saved.

(He won his first Gold Glove on Sunday.) Bregman also has a history with Springer, which can sometimes be a factor in free-agent decisions.

Of the three players in this tier, Bregman looks like an ideal fit, but hes predicted to command a seven-year, $185.5 million contract.

Adames is also coming off a strong season with the Milwaukee Brewers , where he hit a career-high 32 home runs and had a .794 OPS in 161 games, all at shortstop.

With Bo Bichette on the roster, however, Adames doesnt fit as seamlessly with the Blue Jays.

He will probably get enough suitors who will play him as a shortstop, making Toronto a less likely landing spot.

Walker is coming off a 26-home-run season, despite missing a month with an oblique injury.

He has averaged a 120 wRC+ over the last three seasons, hitting at least 26 home runs in each.

Hes a Gold Glove first baseman, though, so like Alonso the fit is awkward unless Guerrero changes positions or Walker is primarily the DH.

Still, his power bat could help the lineup.

DeJong had a decent season split between Chicago and Kansas City , with 24 home runs in 139 games, but he was still a below-average offensive player (95 wRC+).

However, his ill-fated tenure in Toronto in 2023, in which he struck out 18 times in 44 plate appearances, makes a reunion feel unlikely.

Positionally, DeJong could fit at third base.

After back-to-back 20-plus home-run seasons in 2022 and 2023, Torres hit just 15 this year with the New York Yankees and was overall less consistent at the plate, slashing .257/.330/.378.

The Blue Jays seem more inclined to fill second base internally, and Torres doesnt have much recent experience at third base, so the fit isnt ideal.

Back-up catcher The Blue Jays have downplayed their need for a second catcher, with Atkins saying after the season they believe Alejandro Kirk can catch at least 100 games and finding a second catcher is not something that we are going to put at the top of our list.

For that reason, it would seem unlikely they would go after Jansen or Higashioka, two of the top catchers on the market.

Both are likely to attract teams who will pay them as primary catchers who can catch 80-100 games.

McGuire is familiar with the organization, having spent parts of four seasons with the Blue Jays, and brings a steady defensive presence behind the plate, but his bat isnt much of a step up from Tyler Heineman .

Hedges received rave reviews with the Cleveland Guardians for his leadership and defensive prowess behind the plate.

A reunion with the Guardians seems likely.

(Top photo of Alex Bregman with George Springer: Jon Blacker / The Canadian Press via Associated Press).

This article has been shared from the original article on theathleticuk, here is the link to the original article.