Just when it seemed like the sky was well and truly falling — a sweep over the weekend at the hands of the New York Mets, Bo Bichette seemingly halfway out the door, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. contract talks not going much of anywhere — Ross Atkins and Mark Shapiro pulled a rabbit out of their hat. Sure, plenty of questions still persist about the future of the Toronto Blue Jays; but those questions feel a lot easier to answer on Monday, after the team reached an agreement with Vladdy on a massive 14-year, $500 million contract extension that will keep the star first baseman in Canada for the long haul.
Losing Guerrero Jr. would have meant well and truly starting over, beginning with a likely front-office overhaul as Atkins and Shapiro's contracts expire next winter. Now, though, there's a path forward, a legitimate star to build around. The Jays know that they'll have Vladdy at first base for years to come, and now it's up to Atkins and Co. to put the necessary pieces around him.
The good news is that the coming offseason should provide opportunity to do just that, with interesting players at a variety of positions of need. Here's how everything could shake out if the Jays play their cards right and build a lineup worthy of their face of the franchise.
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Blue Jays dream 2026 lineup after Vladimir Guerrero Jr. extension
Player | Position |
|---|---|
Kyle Schwarber | DH |
Alex Bregman | 3B |
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. | 1B |
Anthony Santander | LF |
Alejandro Kirk | C |
Andres Gimenez | SS |
Orelvis Martinez | 2B |
Daulton Varsho | CF |
Alan Roden | RF |
Moving forward, Santander, Kirk and Gimenez are the long-term pieces in place around Guerrero Jr. But there are still holes to fill, notably at DH and on the left side of the infield (assuming that Bichette is indeed set on leaving town).
It just so happens that this offseason is a good one for the former, as both Kyle Schwarber and Marcell Ozuna are set to hit the market (with Luis Arraez and maybe Cody Bellinger options as well). Schwarber feels like an ideal lefty counterpoint to Guerrero Jr., a high-OBP tablesetter for the big boppers behind him, and he could be had given his age and lack of defensive profile.
From there, the next most pressing question becomes the infield. We know that the Jays were in on Alex Bregman this past offseason, and if he opts out again next winter, why not make another run? He'd be a massive upgrade over Ernie Clement at the hot corner, and if Gimenez replaces Bichette at short, Toronto's left side would be elite defensively. That alignment would also make room for Orelvis Martinez, who showcased massive pop this spring and seems ready to finally stake his claim to a big-league lineup spot.
This lineup might not strike fear into the Los Angeles Dodgers, but it's quality one through nine, especially if Roden continues his strong first impression. There's a bit of everything here, and there should be enough money in the payroll even with Vladdy's new deal on the books.