3 under-the-radar Blue Jays offseason targets who address Ross Atkins’ biggest concerns

Toronto Blue Jays General Manager Ross Atkins was pretty blunt about what didn't work for his team in 2026. During his year-end media availability he said, the Blue Jays, "didn’t put the ball in the seats, draw walks or get on base nearly enough."

Toronto can address those shortcomings by pursuing a big-ticket bat such as Seiya Suzuki, Brandon Lowe or Randy Arozarena. The Blue Jays should have the financial flexibility to land at least one of those guys. They'll also dip their toes in the Japanese free agent market and there is one big bat to keep an eye on their in Teruaki Sato.

But if they strike out at the top of the market, three under-the-radar options could help fill those needs at a fraction of the cost.

Three hitters who could address the Blue Jays’ biggest offensive needs

JJ Bleday

JJ Bleday could provide some of the power the Blue Jays were missing. Of course they'll need more than nine home runs from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and they'll have to replace George Springer's 15 bombs. So Bleday isn't a be-all-end-all solution, but he does bring some pop.

Bleday had a roller-coaster campaign in 2026. He won NL Player of the Month after a massive May but by July he was being mentioned as a possible trade chip for the Reds. He cooled off in the second half to finish at .217/.324/.416, but still managed a career-high 24 home runs and 58 RBIs in 133 games. His isolated power ranked 37th in the majors.

His projected $3-million salary isn't enormous, but at 28-years-old he may not be in the Reds' long-term plans and they could look to cash in on what may be Bleday's peak season.
Does this have Jesús Sánchez 2.0 written all over it? It does. Sánchez outperformed Bleday each year from 2023 through 2025, but the difference is pitch selection.

Bleday’s chase rate ranked in the 88th percentile in 2026, the best mark of his career, while his walk rate ranked in the 93rd percentile. He also posted a career-high 39.5 per cent hard-hit rate and improved his bat speed to the 67th percentile.

Since the start of 2024, his 11.4 per cent walk rate ranks 19th among players with at least 1,500 plate appearances. That combination of power and patience directly addresses two of Toronto’s biggest weaknesses from this past season.

Taylor Ward

Speaking of walk rates, can I interest anyone in Taylor Ward?

The Blue Jays already have one former Baltimore Orioles outfielder whose Toronto tenure has been underwhelming in Anthony Santander. But if they want someone who can show patience, work the count and take a walk, Ward stands out in free agency.

Ward posted a 16.3 per cent walk rate in 2026, including a 17.2 per cent mark through 111 games with Baltimore before a deadline trade to Seattle. His power completed disappeared this year with only seven home runs with the Orioles and none with the Mariners. But he also launched 98 home runs from 2022 through 2025 with the Los Angeles Angels, including a career-high 36 in 2025. He then signed a one-year, $12-million deal with Baltimore.

Ward will be 33 when next season begins, so betting on a full power rebound would be wishful thinking. His eye at the plate, however, appears to be improving with age. His walk rate and chase rate have improved in each of the past four seasons. In 2026, he ranked in the 100th percentile in chase rate and the 80th percentile in whiff rate.

His defensive value has declined, but Toronto ranked 29th in the majors in walks last season. Ward should not be overlooked as a lower-cost option who can do something the lineup badly needs. As the famous saying in Moneyball goes: “He gets on base.”

He could be especially useful in a platoon with Nathan Lukes. Against left-handers in 2026, the right-handed-hitting Ward posted a 17.5 per cent walk rate, a .356 on-base percentage and a 105 wRC+.

Andrew Vaughn

Finally, there is Andrew Vaughn for purely getting on base.

Vaughn crushed left-handed pitching in 2026 but also held his own against right-handers, starting roughly half the time against them after returning from injury. In 104 games and 78 starts, he hit .336/.421/.517 with a .938 OPS and 161 wRC+ in 116 at-bats against lefties, striking out only 18 times. Against righties, he produced a .285/.369/.395 line, a .764 OPS and 117 wRC+ in 172 at-bats.

His .390 on-base percentage ranked fifth in MLB among players with at least 300 plate appearances. By increasing his walk rate from 6.9 to 10.6 per cent while continuing to cut his strikeout rate in Milwaukee, Vaughn has stuck to what has worked since the Brewers acquired him.

He changed his swing mechanics and has become a more effective hitter who doesn't give away easy at-bats and is coming off the most valuable offensive season of his career, posting 12.3 offensive runs above replacement and 1.6 fWAR overall

The 2027 season will be his final year of arbitration before he reaches free agency so this will have to come down to the Blue Jays giving up a couple of assets to get him. That could be tricky as well given the Blue Jays would be acquiring him to be mostly a backup / platoon player since Vladimir Guerrero Jr. occupies first and they are both right-handed.

None of Bleday, Ward or Vaughn is the complete offensive answer. However, if the Blue Jays miss on the more obvious names, each could serve as a practical backup plan who addresses a specific flaw Atkins identified.

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