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After coming up short of an American League postseason berth, the Toronto Blue Jays are facing a rather big offseason this winter.
There is some uncertainty about a potential lockout looming on December 1, but after the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays finish the World Series, it will be business as usual until the potential lockout.
General manager Ross Atkins has a lot of decisions to make and build his roster for 2027 (hopefully) and beyond. Whatever happens between the owners and players before and after December 1 is between the two sides.
As far as roster decisions go, if there was one thing we learned from this past season, the Blue Jays roster has a lot of holes in them that need to be filled.
Starting pitching is at the top of that list, but so is the likely need for an outfielder and a possible DH. It feels like George Springer's time is coming to an end in Toronto, and if he does leave, that opens up the need for a DH. If that does happen, the Chicago Cubs have just might have what the Blue Jays need going into 2027 for fill the open outfield slot and DH position.
The Cubs have Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ as pending free agents this winter, and Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report listed some potential landing spots for the duo, including one of the top landing spots: the Blue Jays. Truth be told, it's not that far-fetched. Last month, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic (subscription required) suggested it about Suzuki.
"This offseason, said a league source who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss offseason plans, the Jays are expected to pursue Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki," Bannon wrote.
Suzuki would be just what the Blue Jays need in the outfield and at the plate. He hit 26 home runs this past season, which would have been second in Toronto, and slashed .270/.368/.473 with 86 RBIs.
As for Happ, he is someone who could fill the DH role should Springer leave in free agency and provide outfield depth for manager John Schneider.
Currently, Toronto has a projected outfield of Nathan Lukes, Brett Bateman, and Addison Barger, who played in just nine games in 2026. That looks good on paper, but it wouldn't be surprising if Atkins looked to upgrade the outfield or DH spots, and both Suzuki and Happ would be a duo that could fill both needs.
We'll see how things play out, but this makes sense if Toronto is going to look to contend with the rest of the division next season.