A very busy offseason has the Toronto Blue Jays in line to win back-to-back AL East titles.
They've made pitching additions (Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce), and added some thump to the lineup (Kazuma Okamoto) despite losing long-time shortstop Bo Bichette to the New York Mets.
Toronto could benefit from making one more outfield move, given Anthony Santander's injury-riddled 2025 season and failing to land coveted free agent Kyle Tucker, who joined last year's World Series opponent, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
While signing Cody Bellinger away from the New York Yankees is not out of the realm of possibility, the Blue Jays could pivot to an AL Central Gold Glove Award winner they pursued last summer.
Blue Jays inquired about Guardians' Steven Kwan
The Athletic's Mitch Bannon detailed on Tuesday that last year, the Blue Jays gave the Cleveland Guardians a call, asking about the availability of left fielder Steven Kwan.
"The Jays checked in on Steven Kwan at the trade deadline last year, and his lefty contact bat would fit perfectly, hitting between Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. At the top of the lineup," Bannon wrote. "However, the Cleveland Guardians were said to be asking for a gargantuan return."
A "gargantuan return" most likely meant several prospects and at least one Major League-ready player who could make an immediate impact for the Guardians. Clearly, the Blue Jays felt the asking price was way too high.
Even without Kwan, one of MLB's best contact-oriented leadoff hitters, Toronto projects to have one of the top lineups, led by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. And George Springer.
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