Quiet bats and a string of injuries to starting pitchers helped prevent the Toronto Blue Jays from returning to the post-season.
asserted
bats → start → season
With team brass set to hold season-ending availabilities Wednesday, here’s a look at what went wrong with the Blue Jays this year and where they might go from here.
uncertain
they → set → Jays
First baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was on top of the world last fall as he showed why the team rewarded him with a lucrative long-term contract.
asserted
team → show → contract
Guerrero was a monster at the plate and led the team to within a whisker of a World Series crown.
asserted
Guerrero → lead → crown
Guerrero hit eight home runs in the post-season alone last year but managed just nine dingers in the entire 2026 campaign.
asserted
Guerrero → hit → campaign
He posted career lows in batting average (.260), slugging percentage (.356) and OPS (.688) this season.
asserted
He → post → average
The 27-year-old is signed through 2039.
asserted
old → sign → 2039
Getting him back on track is one of the top priorities for the club.
asserted
Getting → get → club
Free-agent signing Dylan Cease was as advertised in his first season with the Blue Jays.
asserted
Cease → advertise → Jays
However, the rest of the starting pitchers endured ups and downs, with injuries a consistent storyline.
asserted
injuries → endure → ups
Cody Ponce (knee), Jose Berrios (elbow) and Bowden Francis (elbow) were all lost for the season, while Trey Yesavage (knee, shoulder) and Shane Bieber (elbow, shoulder) had multiple stints on the injured list.
asserted
Yesavage → lose → list
Former ace Kevin Gausman had a so-so first half before being dealt to Chicago, while trade-deadline acquisition Jose Soriano showed he could be a solid No. 2 behind Cease.
uncertain
he → have → Cease
Max Scherzer had injury issues (forearm, ankle, back) throughout the year but was dependable down the stretch.
asserted
Scherzer → have → stretch
Yesavage, Ponce and Spencer Arrighetti are the current favourites to fill out the starting five in 2027.
asserted
Yesavage → fill → 2027
Toronto set franchise highs by using 41 pitchers and 64 players this year.
asserted
Toronto → set → pitchers
When the Blue Jays were introduced on opening day at Rogers Centre, some of the loudest cheers were for hitting coach David Popkins.
asserted
some → introduce → Popkins
He seemed to unlock something in the Toronto hitters in 2025.
asserted
He → seem → 2025
The Blue Jays led the league in several offensive categories — including batting average (.265) and on-base percentage (.333) — a year ago.
asserted
Jays → lead → base
Eight players reached double digits in home runs.
asserted
players → reach → runs
Toronto was tied for eighth this year with a .247 team batting average, but the slugging numbers dropped significantly.
asserted
numbers → tie → average
The Blue Jays were last in the 30-team major leagues in homers (152), 26th in slugging percentage (.381) and tied for 28th in OPS (.691).
asserted
Jays → tie → OPS
Kazuma Okamoto had a strong year with 33 homers and 92 RBIs — by far the team leader in both categories.
asserted
Okamoto → have → categories
Designated hitter George Springer, who is set to become a free agent, was next with 15 homers and 54 RBIs.
asserted
who → set → homers
Louis Varland took on the closer’s role with aplomb (35 saves, 1.27 ERA) and Mason Fluharty led the major leagues in appearances (83) while posting a 7-1 mark and 3.30 ERA.
asserted
Fluharty → take → mark
Braydon Fisher (3-4, 3.21 ERA, 75 appearances) and Tyler Rogers (2-3, 1.77 ERA, 74 appearances) also proved to be consistent high-leverage options.
asserted
Fisher → prove → ?
Bullpen games became the norm down the stretch, and the relievers delivered.
asserted
relievers → become → stretch
Rule 5 pick Spencer Miles enjoyed a standout rookie campaign with a 6-2 mark and 2.63 ERA over 49 appearances, including eight starts.
asserted
Miles → enjoy → starts
The Blue Jays should get a boost next year when a number of key offensive players return after extended injury absences.
asserted
number → get → absences
Slugger Anthony Santander (shoulder, back) missed the entire 2026 season, and Addison Barger (elbow) played just nine games.
asserted
Barger → miss → games
General manager Ross Atkins will most likely be looking to add a power bat in the off-season along with some pitching depth.
asserted
Atkins → look → depth
The Blue Jays had a payroll of about US$275 million this year and currently have about $195 million on the books for next year.
asserted
Jays → have → year
Labour uncertainty is expected to hover over the off-season.
asserted
uncertainty → expect → season
The current collective bargaining agreement between Major League Baseball and its players’ association is set to expire on Dec. 1.
asserted
agreement → set → Dec.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 29, 2026.
asserted
report → publish → Press
The Aporia
