Blue Jays need to think outside the box this offseason

If the Toronto Blue Jays are not going to be players on elite free agents, the brain trust will need to think outside the box to attain their offseason goals.

The Blue Jays have their work cut out for them if they plan to fill their pitching and outfield needs before Opening Day in 2020. Their starting pitching talent pool is shallow with very little front of the rotation talent especially seeing Nate Pearson will begin the campaign in Buffalo.

The outfield currently projects to be Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Randal Grichuk and Teoscar Hernandez if the season started tomorrow. This is where Ross Atkins and company may have to take an unorthodox approach when thinking outside the box this offseason.

The Blue Jays have the luxury of utilizing Cavan Biggio at second base or in the outfield, although his primary position is second base. Could the team lure free-agent Didi Gregorius north of the border and convince him to play second base.

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Gregorius is a shortstop by trade but the 29-year old would instantly make the team better offensively. The infielder has hit 88 homers over the past four seasons with the Yankees. If the Blue Jays are content with Biggio in the outfield, they could also pursue Starlin Castro who is a second baseman and available on the open market.

The Diamondbacks are reportedly making Robbie Ray available via trade as the 28-year old is in his final season before free agency. Ray could be a viable target if the Jays could negotiate a trade and sign agreement.

Ray battled an inflated earned run average last season but still fanned 235 batters and would definitely leapfrog to the top of the Jays rotation.

Or the hell with it and just blow the bank on Anthony Rendon and move Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to first base a few seasons early. Regardless of what they do, expect Atkins to get creative whether it is on the open market or via trade.