2 players who need to be added to the Blue Jays roster for the ALCS and 2 players they can do without 

The Toronto Blue Jays performed at their best in the ALDS and quickly dispatched the New York Yankees from the 2025 MLB Playoffs. Their roster construction worked and so, as the old adage goes, why mess with a good thing? With their hitting and pitching clicking and producing, it seems like the Blue Jays are pretty much set for the ALCS.

Nevertheless, with now a different formidable opponent in the Seattle Mariners, it might be best for Blue Jays manager John Schneider to just tinker their lineup just a bit to give Toronto the upper hand going forward. With that in mind, which Blue Jays players need to be added to the ALCS roster and which other ones they can probably do without?

2 players who need to be added to the Blue Jays roster for the ALCS and 2 players they can do without 

Blue Jays need to add SS Bo Bichette

Without question adding back a superstar talent like Bo Bichette could do wonders for the club (if he's healthy). With the Jays’ offense already in full flight, inserting Bichette would practically make them unstoppable. After all, the 27-year-old shortstop had been his elite self once again, reinstating himself as one of the top prolific hitters in the league in 2025. In total, Bichette put up a .311/.357/.483/.840 slash line, along with 44 doubles, 18 home runs and 94 RBIs in 139 games played.

More importantly, he has shown greater patience at the plate, registering 40 walks while posting his best strikeout-to-walk ratio of his career at 2.28 to 1. Finally, having him back would instill even more confidence and excitement for this Jays’ team, enough such that it could make them go all the way as a result.

Blue Jays can do without P Justin Bruihl

Perhaps one of the more surprising additions to the ALDS roster at the time, reliever Justin Bruihl never really factored in much of the action against the Yankees. In the end, Bruihl appeared in just one game for the Jays, and it sure wasn’t a memorable one as he gave up two runs on three hits including a home run while retiring just one batter in Game 2 of the ALDS.

The 28-year-old left-hander was also just borderline adequate during the regular season as well when he posted a 5.27 ERA, 1.90 WHIP, along with 18 strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings pitched over 15 games played. As a result, based on his lack of usage and ineffectiveness, the Jays could do without Bruihl for the upcoming series against the Mariners.

Blue Jays need to add P Chris Bassitt 

With a best-of-seven series set to begin on Sunday, the Blue Jays will likely want to add another starter to their roster. That is because a bullpen game could potentially be detrimental in a longer series, as they would be under greater exposure and could end up tiring out as well.

As a result, the starting pitcher to add is veteran Chris Bassitt. After all, Bassitt has shown time and time again to be one of the top innings-eater on the team since joining the Jays in 2023. On top of that, he has put up double digits in wins in each of the past three seasons.

So despite his struggles from time to time, Bassitt was able to produce key wins for Toronto. In addition, compared to Max Scherzer and José Berríos at this point, Bassitt’s consistency towards the end of the season where he gave up three runs or less in each of his last nine regular season starts should give him the leg up on the other two options.

Blue Jays can do without Max Scherzer 

So yes, the Jays need to add a starter, but it shouldn’t be Max Scherzer. Scherzer may have an extensive resume in being a big-game pitcher over his 18-year MLB career, with two World Series titles under his belt.

However, Father Time likely has finally caught up to the 41-year-old pitcher as he struggled immensely down the stretch this season. In his final six starts, Scherzer compiled an uncharacteristic 9.00 ERA, 1.80 WHIP, while giving up 25 earned runs including eight home runs in just 25 innings of work.

With Scherzer’s home run troubles, it certainly would not bode well for the Jays, who will be facing a home run juggernaut Mariners team in the ALCS. As a result, it’ll be a tough decision, but Toronto should hold out the three-time Cy Young winner for another series to give themselves the best chances at winning.