Dave Litman
The memories of Game 7 won’t be fading anytime soon. The Toronto Blue Jays were inches away from a World Series championship last fall—a multitude of times—but came up short.
It is time now, however, to turn the page (and the [Andy] Pages), as they throw out the first pitch on the 2026 season in an attempt to defend their American League Championship. Are the Jays a better team this season? General manager Ross Atkins thinks they are. But that doesn’t mean much until they get between the white lines and we see how this team comes together.
Bo Bichette and Chris Bassitt are the most notable absentees this season. Isiah Kiner-Falefa is also not back, but Toronto fans would prefer to forget about the last time they saw him in a Jays uniform.
Atkins hopes he has replaced Bichette’s production with Japanese slugger Kazuma Okamoto. The Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce additions to the pitching staff more than make up for the loss of Bassitt on the mound (though his clubhouse presence will be missed).
So what questions does this team have going into 2026? Well, plenty. Let’s take a look at four of the biggest ones:
4 Questions Facing Blue Jays in 2026
1. Can Okamoto really replace what Bichette provided at the plate?
Okamoto had a .277 average and .882 OPS in his 10 seasons in Japan’s NPB. With an on-base percentage of .355 and a slugging pct. of .521, he’s shown that he’s got not only power, but strong contact skills. He’s always maintained a low strikeout rate and the ability to draw walks. Most experts believe those skills should transfer well to the major leagues. His .316 average and 1.066 OPS in 23 Grapefruit League at-bats are hopeful signs.
2. Can Addison Barger take the next step into a full-on breakout slugger?
Barger gave Jays fans some tantalizing appetizers in 2025, with 21 long balls in 502 plate appearances in the regular season, and a memorable, historic grand slam in the World Series.
If Barger can somehow translate his terrific playoff run into this season, he’d be on his way to being the top power threat that Toronto needs him to be. Sure, he won’t be expected to duplicate his .367 postseason avg. or 1.015 OPS, but just maintaining consistency in the clean-up spot in the order and driving in runs would be a huge boon to this team.
Not that spring training numbers are reliable by any means, but he, too, had a nice Grapefruit League showing, launching three homers with 13 RBIs, a .310 average and a .991 OPS.
How will Cody Ponce fare in move back to MLB?
3. How will Cody Ponce’s success in Korea translate back to North America?
The difference between Ponce and Okamoto’s arrival with the Jays this year is that Okamoto was a star over most of the past decade in Japan. Ponce just broke out in the Far East in 2025, dominating batters in the KBO.
But the ‘new’ Ponce has vastly improved stuff than what he showed in his last go-round in the majors. He posted a 5.86 ERA in 55.1 total innings of work with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2020 and 2021. His 2026 spring training work—0.66 ERA in 13.2 innings—is once again a cautiously optimistic sign.
4. How will the bullpen shape up in 2026?
Much of the time for major league teams, the bullpen is very much a crapshoot. Success or failure one season often doesn’t carry over to the next year for relievers. And while there is a shortlist of 100% reliable closers around MLB, Jeff Hoffman is certainly not one of them.
Atkins chose not to pursue another closer this past offseason, deciding to once again put his trust in the man who gave up the World Series Game 7, ninth-inning tying home run to the LA Dodgers’ No. 9 hitter. And let’s just say that wasn’t the only time in 2025 that Hoffman was burned by the long ball. His 15 HRs surrendered were far and away the most of any closer in baseball.
But the Jays did make one noteworthy move to shore up the ‘pen, signing submarining set-up man Tyler Rogers to an extended free agent deal. Contrary to that ‘crapshoot’ proviso above, Rogers has been as reliable as they come in his bullpen role, with a 2.76 career ERA over the past seven years. Here’s hoping that his age-35 season is no different.
All of these questions, and many others, will begin to be answered over the next several weeks and months.
