Toronto Blue Jays offense is in big trouble

Toronto answered the World Series gut punch by committing seven years and $210 million to Dylan Cease. That's a franchise-level bet on strikeouts and durability, and it sets the tone for everything else.

Cease's 2025 line wasn't spotless, 4.55 ERA in 168 innings, but MLB.com and Reuters both note he's topped 200 strikeouts in five straight seasons.

Cody Ponce followed on a three-year, $30 million contract, fresh off KBO MVP hardware and a 2025 stat line of 1.89 ERA with 252 strikeouts in 180 2/3 innings.

The bullpen got its own jolt when Tyler Rogers landed for three years and $37 million, then Chase Lee arrived via trade. Different arm slots turn one lineup over into a guessing game.

With Cease's power slider and Rogers' sinking frisbee, Pete Walker can script games backwards, hunting strikeouts early and grounders late.

The Blue Jays have clearly done a great job adding pitchers but need to start turning their focus toward hitting as even the fans are starting to take notice that this could become a problem.

Toronto scored 798 runs in 2025 and finished 94-68, but the winter roster sheet still screams volatility.

Bo's not the only bat on the board, with Ty France and Isiah Kiner-Falefa also on the free-agent list, and that's before you factor in aging curves for George Springer and others.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. can't be asked to carry every big spot, and Alejandro Kirk's contact is nice, but the lineup needs another hitter opponents plan around.

Those totals look shiny, yet the World Series loss reminded everyone that one empty spot at DH can turn nine innings into a grind.

Bo Bichette is a free agent after his three-year, $33.6 million deal, and Toronto has a $22.025 million qualifying offer out there, but that decision doesn't fix the run-scoring depth.

Bichette is 27, a 2016 second-round pick, and he hit .311 with 181 hits and 44 doubles in 2025, so keeping him matters.

The next move has to be offense, ideally a middle-of-the-order bat who can DH or play a corner, take walks, and punish mistakes when pitchers avoid Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

If Toronto pairs this winter's pitching arsenal with one more reliable run producer, 2026 can be about finishing the job, not just getting back to October.

However, the Blue Jays did add international free agent Kazuma Okamoto this afternoon but fans are still hoping for a bit more.