JFVoll, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0&gt;, via Wikimedia Commons

By Aaden Lam

After a heartbreaking end to what was an unforgettable 2025 MLB season, the only thing that Jays fans can do at the moment is look to the future. It is not ridiculous to say that the future is already here, as the Jays have made several moves early in the 2026 offseason that has many fans optimistic about the season to come. 

Blue Jays sign RHP Dylan Cease to a seven year, $210 million dollar deal

In contrast to recent years, the Jays’ sudden offensive surge in the 2025 season exposed how weak their pitching was. The team finished 19th in team ERA at the end of the regular season (mlb.com), meaning that without this massive change in offense, the season could have looked a lot different. To strengthen that, the Jays added former All-star Dylan Cease, whose role will be to anchor down this rotation and consistently strike out hitters, as he ranked in the 89th percentile in strikeouts last season (Davidi). 

When asked about plans for the offseason in mid-November, Ross Atkins, GM of the Blue Jays, said:

“Honestly, you’re not going to love my answer,” Atkins said. “But [the objective] is just to get better. Fortunately, we have some flexibility and we’ll be open to making our team better any way we can, and pitching is important.” (Chisholm)

It is apparent that Atkins followed through with this statement with this signing. 

Blue Jays sign RHP Cody Ponce to a three year, $30 million dollar deal

To further build on pitching, the Jays also made a surprise signing of Cody Ponce, the KBO (Korean Baseball Organization) MVP in 2025. Despite this achievement, the return of Cody Ponce to Major League Baseball was overlooked by the media. Ponce’s stats in the MLB are underwhelming to say the least, boasting a measly 5.86 career ERA. However, in his MVP season abroad, Ponce achieved a 1.89 ERA with a league-leading 252 strikeouts (Nicholson-Smith). His return to Major League Baseball will be one of the Jays’ biggest variables in the season to come. 

Bo Bichette: Is He Returning?

Bo Bichette has become one of the Jays’ most iconic players in recent years, forming a dynamic duo with Vladimir Guerrero Jr.. Together, they have come up through the minor league system and have been the backbone for this team since the turn of the decade. This has caused Bichette to become a fan favourite, with many fans begging the organization to bring him back. With teams such as the Red Sox, the Braves, and Dodgers pursuing him, it will be interesting to see where Bichette decides to sign. 

Works Cited

Chisholm, Gregor. “Blue Jays Notebook: Bo Bichette Turns down Qualifying Offer with Rivals Circling.” Toronto Star, 18 Nov. 2025, http://www.thestar.com/sports/blue-jays/blue-jays-notebook-bo-bichette-turns-down-qualifying-offer-with-rivals-circling/article_aa3b46bd-9c01-46f2-9702-16162862f0e5.html. Accessed 6 Dec. 2025.

Gallegos, Martín. “Atkins Holds Court on Bichette, Pitching, Coaching Staff at GM Meetings.” MLB.com, MLB, 13 Nov. 2025, http://www.mlb.com/news/blue-jays-gm-ross-atkins-talks-offseason-team-needs. Accessed 6 Dec. 2025.

mlb.com. “2025 MLB Team Pitching Stat Leaders.” MLB.com, 2025, http://www.mlb.com/stats/team/pitching/era?sortState=asc.

Nicholson-Smith, Ben. “Blue Jays Agree to Deal with KBO MVP Cody Ponce.” Sportsnet.ca, 2 Dec. 2025, http://www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article/report-blue-jays-cody-ponce-finalizing-three-year-30-million-deal/. Accessed 6 Dec. 2025.

Shi Davidi. “Blue Jays Agree to Seven-Year, $210M Deal with Dylan Cease.” Sportsnet.ca, 26 Nov. 2025, http://www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article/reports-blue-jays-sign-dylan-cease-to-seven-year-210m-deal/. Accessed 6 Dec. 2025.