On Wednesday evening, the Toronto Blue Jays signed Dylan Cease.
One of their biggest priorities this off-season was adding a starting pitcher to the rotation, and they did just that by signing the right-handed pitcher. Trey Yesavage was the lone starter in the rotation guaranteed to be under contract after the 2026 season, as Kevin Gausman and Shane Bieber’s contracts come to an end, while José Berríos could opt out.
The Cease signing marks the first time the Blue Jays have signed a major league deal before the Winter Meetings in the Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins era. They aren’t done either, by all accounts. The question is, when will the next signing be, and who could it be?
After signing a starter, the Blue Jays’ biggest need is a bat. One of their better hitters, Bo Bichette, is a free agent and losing him would be a big loss in the lineup. Of course, there’s a chance he’ll be back, and it’s been reported that re-signing him is the Blue Jays’ biggest priority.
He’s not the best hitter on the market, as that title belongs to Kyle Tucker. Formerly a teammate of Myles Straw, the 28-year-old outfielder slashed .266/.377/.464 with 22 home runs this past season in what was a down year. Usually, Tucker is good for about 30 home runs and a wRC+ approaching 140. It’d be like adding a left-handed batting Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Bichette and Tucker are the best two hitters available on the market, but there’s also Alex Bregman, Eugenio Suárez, Pete Alonso, Cody Bellinger, and a handful of other notable bats. The most likely outcome seems that the Blue Jays will re-sign Bichette, but it’s anyone’s guess at this juncture.
As for when, it seems unlikely the Blue Jays will sign anyone else to a big league deal before the start of the Winter Meetings on Dec. 7. Of course, a trade could happen, but it’s been reported that the Jays will let the free agent market come to them, instead of jumping the market for a second time.
If they do sign someone before the start of the Winter Meetings, it’d more than likely be a reliever, another area of need for the team this off-season. Yimi García re-signed with the Blue Jays during the Winter Meetings on Dec. 10 last year, although it became official two days after the conclusion of the Winter Meetings. Their other big addition to the bullpen, Jeff Hoffman, signed on Jan. 10, 2025.
Using past off-seasons as a template, it seems most likely that the Jays will make their next big signing during or after the Winter Meetings, potentially around Christmas or the start of the new year. From reports out there, it’ll likely be a bat, either Tucker or Bichette.
All of that being said, it’s going to be a busy and interesting off-season, so buckle up!
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.