Blue Jays Regrouping After Missing Out on Two Superstar Free Agents

Toronto was trying to get the best of both worlds, now they need to make sure they have enough to move forward without either.

Maddy Dickens

35 minutes ago

The free agent market is rapidly starting to dwindle, and while the Toronto Blue Jays have been aggressive during this offseason, one of their top pursuits just signed with the reigning world champions. Outfielder Kyle Tucker will be playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2026, as the Jays came up short in their bidding war to land him.

In a perfect world, Toronto was hoping to not only land Tucker but also their homegrown hero, Bo Bichette. The Dodgers are paying an astronomical $60 million a year to have Tucker on their roster, and while the Blue Jays have been willing to spend this offseason, they weren't going to fork over that much cash.

Retaining both Bichette and Tucker would have been a dream come true for the organization, but a nightmare came to be for the Jays instead. The team not only lost Tucker to their nemesis, but were unable to retain Bichette.

The New York Mets came way out of left field to sign Bichette to a three-year, $126 million contract, meaning the Toronto Blue Jays just lost one of their key pieces to the 2025 roster. It is going to take more than one player to replace the production that he is taking with them, and time is running out.Retaining both Bichette and Tucker would have been a dream come true for the organization, but a nightmare came to be for the Jays instead. The team not only lost Tucker to their nemesis, but were unable to retain Bichette.

The New York Mets came way out of left field to sign Bichette to a three-year, $126 million contract, meaning the Toronto Blue Jays just lost one of their key pieces to the 2025 roster. It is going to take more than one player to replace the production that he is taking with them, and time is running out.

Missing Bichette in the Infield

After signing Kazuma Okamoto as a strong utility man for the infield, and with Bichette now suiting up for the Mets, John Schneider will be relying on Okamoto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Ernie Clement to lead the lineup, which they are more than capable of doing.

The real concern, and the player who needs a comeback, is going to be Andres Gimenez.

By the end of the regular season, the Blue Jays were easily one of the best offenses in baseball, but Gimenez stood out among players who played in at least 100 games. He finished with the worst slash line of his career and on the Jays: .210/.285/.313 to bring his OPS to a mere .598.

Bichette lead the team in hits and runs batted in last season as the face of their all-around offensive masterpiece. If the Jays are up to the task of taking down the Dodgers, they need Gimenez to look like the player he was in Cleveland, where he batted no worse than .252.

After an incredible start to their offseason, they emerged as the easy front runners to take another division title. But, manager John Schneider is looking for another pennant, and redemption in the Fall Classic, meaning losing out on both Tucker and Bichette, cannot derail their goals.

Ernie Clement Poised to Fill Bichette's Shoes

Goodbye Bichette, hello Ernie Clement. While he's no stranger to Toronto (he's set to enter his fourth season with the club), the 29-year-old now becomes a middle infield fixture. Yes, he will probably end up locked in at second base while Andres Gimenez shifts back to shortstop, but the transition from Bichette to Clement seems clear.

Clement may not be the offensive force that Bichette is, but he can hold his own. He hit .277 over a career-high 545 at-bats in the regular season, then reached historic heights in the playoffs by hitting .411 and recording the most hits (30) in a single postseason in MLB history. What he lacks in power (he hit just nine home runs last season) can potentially be offset by the arrival of Okamoto.

Defensively, Clement represents a clear upgrade. The Rochester, NY native and soon-to-be Team USA World Baseball Classic representative led all of baseball in 2025 with 22 defensive runs saved. He is equally adept at playing shortstop and third base, offering some valuable positional versatility.

Who knows, maybe the Blue Jays aren't done and could look to add talent from a free agent pool that still includes the likes of Cody Bellinger, Eugenio Suarez and Luis Arraez. However, with Bichette gone and Toronto's front office remaining mindful of not disrupting the team's exceptional clubhouse chemistry, it's hard to foresee any scenario that doesn't include Clement playing a pivotal role in 2026.

Bichette's departure is a painful loss, to be clear. No team can lose a 27-year-old everyday player who hits for average (.311) and power (18 home runs, 94 RBI) without facing some kind of setback. Fortunately, the Blue Jays have the talent and depth to move forward, and Clement is a big part of that. He may not be the better player, but you'd certainly rather have him at $4.6 million than Bichette at $42 million.

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Royals “Increasingly Unlikely” To Trade For Jarren Duran, Brendan Donovan

By Nick Deeds | January 18, 2026 at 12:05pm CDT

The Royals have been fairly active this offseason on the trade market and have already worked out deals that brought outfielder Isaac Collins (alongside righty Nick Mears) and lefty setup man Matt Strahm to Kansas City. They’ve explored bigger trades than those throughout the winter as well, but Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported recently that the club is “increasingly unlikely” to be successful in their efforts to trade for either Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran or Cardinals utility man Brendan Donovan. While that doesn’t completely rule out the club pulling off one of those deals, it’s surely disappointing news for Royals fans who had been dreaming on a big trade.

Upgrading the team’s lackluster outfield mix has been a priority in Kansas City this winter, and either Duran or Donovan surely offer a big boost. Duran is a full-time outfielder who has experience in both left field and center field, and would likely play center for the Royals if acquire. That would push Kyle Isbel into a depth role and move Lane Thomas over to right alongside Jac Caglianone. Donovan, meanwhile, is capable of playing all over the infield and outfield. If acquired, he’d likely split time between the outfield corners and second base. That would cut into playing time for Collins in left field, Caglianone in right field, and Jonathan India at second base while also moving Thomas into a timeshare with Isbel in center.

Either of those situations would substantially improve the Royals’ lineup, but it seems a deal coming together is a long shot at this point. That’s not necessarily a shock. The team’s top trade chip at this point might be southpaw Kris Bubic, but both Duran and Donovan are valuable enough that it would be hard to see them being moved for a rental player.

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[ This is a good thing. Brendan Donovan, Jarren Duran, Harrison Bader, and Luis Robert are all on my wish list. I'm hoping for at least one of the four mentioned to be in a Guardian uniform by opening day. ]

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