The Toronto Blue Jays’ roster appears to be set positionally for when they head to Dunedin to begin spring training. Bo Bichette is a New York Met; Kyle Tucker is a Los Angeles Dodger, and Cody Bellinger returned to the Bronx.
The Blue Jays will return much of the core from 2025 that helped bring them to their first World Series appearance since 1993, giving fans hope that another strong season awaits. If the Blue Jays are to return as American League champions, they will need production up and down the lineup.
Here is a look at three players, Daulton Varsho, Alejandro Kirk, and Addison Barger, who could be key in helping the Blue Jays’ offense and chase that elusive World Series title.
Three Players Who Could Play Key Roles in the Blue Jays Offense
Daulton Varsho
Varsho only appeared in 71 games in 2025, beginning the season on the injured list after offseason shoulder surgery. The center fielder was activated on Apr. 29 for his season debut before returning to the IL on June 1 with a left hamstring strain.
In those 71 games, the 29-year-old posted a slash line of .238/.284/.584, blasting 20 home runs in 248 at-bats. The 20 home runs placed Varsho fourth on the team, while the outfielder’s 55 RBI slotted in at seventh.
Varsho’s numbers ranked amongst Major League Baseball’s best, finishing ninth in slugging, 11th in OPS, 15th in wRC, and 14th in wRC+ for players with at least 240 at-bats, showing the value Varsho brought on the offensive side of the ball when healthy.
Varsho’s defensive metrics continued to shine in 2025 after winning his first Gold Glove in 2024. Varsho posted eight outs above replacement. In the center fielder’s Gold Glove season, the OAA was recorded at 14. The 8, OAA ranked 13th amongst all outfielders.
With a combination of George Springer and Anthony Santander in right, the Blue Jays are going to continue to rely on Varsho’s elite center field defense to help keep runs off the board.
Will we ever see a catch like this again? 😳
Daulton Varsho’s miraculous recovery in center field comes in at No. 9 on our 2025 Plays of the Year countdown.
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— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 1, 2026
Alejandro Kirk
The Blue Jays’ starting catcher was an All-Star for the second time in 2025 after turning in a slash line of .282/.348/.421, across 130 games played. The catcher belted a career high 15 home runs, while also driving in 76 runs, which also set a new high for the 27-year-old.
Tyler Heineman appears set to return as Kirk’s backup in 2026, a role that the 34-year-old filled admirably. Heineman appeared in 64 games, the most of any season, and totaled career highs in hits, total bases, home runs, RBI, average, slugging, and OPS. The Blue Jays can’t bank on that level of production again, as over the catcher’s final 15 games, the numbers dropped to a .135 average, .179 on-base, with zero home runs and three RBI, making Kirk’s production all the more necessary.
With Bichette no longer in the Blue Jays’ lineup, finding protection for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will be vital, and another strong season from Kirk could be key to sustaining run production.
On the defensive side of the ball, Kirk has the Blue Jays’ pitchers’ trust, as shown by Kirk’s American League Gold Glove nomination. Kirk led the AL in Fielding Run Value and Blocks Above Average in 2025, while also throwing out 12 runners attempting to steal.
Addison Barger
Barger took a massive step in year two of the 26-year-old’s career, hitting .243 with 21 home runs and 74 RBI, finishing fourth on the team in home runs and fifth in runs batted in. After a rookie year in which Barger batted .197 with only seven home runs and 60 strikeouts in 69 games, the former sixth-round draft pick provided a thump to last year’s lineup.
Showcased by Barger’s grand slam during the World Series, Barger can strike fear into opposing teams’ pitching, highlighted by the outfielder’s 91.7 average exit velocity. Barger really came to life during the postseason, slashing .367 with three home runs and nine RBI, to go along with a .441 OBP.
Barger brings positional flexibility to the Blue Jays, having spent time at both third base and right field in 2025. His arm strength was showcased in 2025, recording nine outfield assists, tied for the ninth most in MLB. Many fans remember Apr. 18, when Barger turned in a three-outfield assist game against the Seattle Mariners after they continued to try to run on his arm.
The Blue Jays added third baseman Kazuma Okamoto earlier in the offseason and have Santander and Springer appearing to split right field and designated hitter duties, but as we saw in 2025, Barger’s bat can be a game-changer. If Barger hits, they will find a spot for him.
Main Photo Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images