Toronto

Blue Jays

Varsho has never quite taken off like many expected when he was traded from the Diamondbacks to the Blue Jays after the 2022 season. Last year, he hit .238/.284/.548 with 20 home runs and just two steals in 71 games. The power was nice to see, and Varsho plays tremendous defense in center field, but he has hit just .221 in three seasons with the Blue Jays, which significantly caps his fantasy upside, especially if he’s no longer stealing 15 or more bases in a season.

The playoff superstar was tremendous for the Blue Jays in 2025, hitting .277/.313/.398 with nine home runs and six steals in 157 games while playing all over the field. With the team signing Kazuma Okamoto, Clement is the favorite to begin the year at second base in 2026.

Heineman appeared in 61 games for the Blue Jays in 2025, hitting .289/.361/.416 with three home runs in 174 plate appearances. He should continue to serve as the backup quarterback in Toronto.

With Kazuma Okamoto now in Toronto, the only spot for Bichette is at second base, and the Blue Jays have Ernie Clement currently slotted in to play there. Rosenthal believes that the Blue Jays would be more inclined to let Bichette walk and try to spend money to bring Kyle Tucker on board. If the Blue Jays are out on Bichette, that would leave the Yankees, Cubs, Phillies, and Red Sox, who reportedly prefer to add Alex Bregman.

The Jays needed to clear a spot on their 40-man roster for the addition of Kazuma Okamoto on Sunday and unfortunately for Schultz it appears as though he drew the short straw this time around. The 27-year-old hurler posted a 4.38 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and a 28/8 K/BB ratio over 24 2/3 innings with the Jays in 2025. He could attract some interest on waivers with so many teams starved for quality bullpen depth.

The deal is now official. Okamoto takes over as Toronto’s everyday third baseman after slashing a healthy .322/.411/.581 with 15 homers and 51 RBI in just 314 plate appearances with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan last season. He’s a strong candidate to reach 15-20 home runs with a respectable batting average, especially in the hitter-friendly AL East, but he offers little stolen base upside. It’s a phenomenal landing spot for the 29-year-old infielder, who represents an intriguing late-round option in fantasy drafts this spring.

MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reports it’s a four-year, $60 million contract and includes a $5 million signing bonus. There are no opt-outs. Okamoto lands with the reigning American League champions shortly before his signing deadline later this weekend. The 29-year-old international star was also linked to linked to the Pirates, Red Sox, Padres, Mariners and Angels as a potential corner infield option. He’s the overwhelming favorite to start at third base for Toronto next season, while also occasionally heading out to patrol left field, and projects as a versatile 20-homer threat with a respectable batting average. He doesn’t offer much from a stolen base perspective, but dropping into one of the most explosive offenses in baseball provides a definite boost to his fantasy appeal as an intriguing late-round dart throw in drafts this spring.

Feinsand adds that Okamoto has been linked to the Pirates, Red Sox, Padres, Mariners and Angels as a potential corner infield option. He has until 5:00 p.m. ET on December 4 to reach an agreement with a major-league team. The Athletic’s Will Sammon adds that Okamoto’s limited experience in left field could make him a potential fit for the Blue Jays. The 29-year-old projects as a potential 20-homer threat with a respectable batting average in his impending stateside debut but he’s unlikely to chip in more than a handful of stolen bases. There should be a definitive update regarding his long-term future by the conclusion of the weekend.

That’s a huge get for Mexico. They did get a quality performance from Austin Barnes behind the plate last time around, but Barnes is pretty much out of the league at this point. Mexico has also confirmed that Randy Arozarena and Jarren Duran will participate once again. Duran backed up Alek Thomas in 2023, but he’ll surely be a lineup fixture this time around. One big remaining question is whether Isaac Paredes will be allowed to participate while coming off his hamstring injury.

It’ll be a two-year, minor league deal. The surgery was previously unreported, but it’s not a big surprise after the right-hander missed much of 2025 with elbow inflammation. The 27-year-old Winckowski had a 4.20 ERA in 21 starts and 100 relief appearances over four seasons with the Red Sox before being non-tendered last month.