4 former Blue Jays that Toronto should consider reuniting with in free agency

As the Toronto Blue Jays look to retool their roster this winter in preparation for another run to the playoffs in 2026, all eyes are on Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins to see what he can do to bolster the ballclub. There are plenty of elite and solid options for both position players and pitchers in the free agent market in which Toronto can target.

But among those players that the Blue Jays can pursue, there are a select few that have previously played for the organization that could be a helpful piece in a potential reunion for the upcoming season. One of those intriguing pieces was actually Ryan Yarbrough, who just removed himself from the market by signing a one-year deal to return to the New York Yankees for 2026.

Nevertheless, let’s take a look at four other free agents that the Blue Jays would love to have back on their roster that had played in Toronto prior to 2025.

4 former Blue Jays that Toronto should consider reuniting with in free agency this offseason

P Steven Matz

With Yarbrough and his swingman ability no longer available, the Blue Jays should quickly pivot to another quality swingman that could potentially pay huge dividends. That former player is none other than Steven Matz.

Back in 2021, Matz was a key starter for the Blue Jays in the back end of their rotation as he went a strong 14-7 with a 3.82 ERA along with 144 strikeouts in 150 2/3 innings pitched over 29 starts. 

Since then, Matz has slowly evolved into more of a shutdown bullpen arm in recent years with the St. Louis Cardinals and the Boston Red Sox. As a reliever, the 34-year-old left-hander has posted a solid 5-3 record with a 3.20 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, together with 83 strikeouts in 107 total innings over 74 appearances. More importantly, Matz has even developed into a dominant lefty specialist, as he held left-handed batters to just a .211 average and .584 OPS last year.

At the same time, he has been able to still take on the role as a starter whenever called upon, as he made nine starts in the past two seasons. That swingman ability, along with his dominance as a veteran lefty in a relief role could provide surprising value for the Blue Jays in 2026.

OF Rob Refsnyder

Back in 2017, the Blue Jays acquired Rob Refsnyder from the New York Yankees around the trade deadline to serve as a potential valuable utilityman for the team. However, Refsnyder disappointed while amassing just a .196 average, .496 OPS, with five runs scored, one double and two stolen bases in 32 games played with Toronto. 

But since then, Refsnyder has evolved into a versatile outfielder, especially during his past four seasons with the Red Sox. During those four years, the 34-year-old veteran has recorded a bWAR of 3.6, along with a solid .276/.364/.440/.804 slash line with 117 runs scored, 27 home runs and 119 RBIs in 309 games of action while playing solid defense in the field for Boston.

More importantly, Refsnyder has done well against left-handed pitching for his career, registering a .281 average, .826 OPS with 22 home runs, 95 RBIs and 105 walks in 668 at-bats.

For a Blue Jays team that flourishes with quality at-bats and solid defense in the field, Refsnyder certainly fits the bill despite an already-crowded outfield group in Toronto. Nevertheless, his versatility could still play well off the bench as a potent pinch-hitter, pinch-runner and defensive replacement all-in-one for the Blue Jays to at least consider.

P Derek Law

Many Blue Jays fans might not have remembered that Derek Law actually pitched for Toronto in 2019. In fact, he was one of the pieces that the Blue Jays received in the trade that sent fan favourite Kevin Pillar to the San Francisco Giants. Law would end up spending just one season in Toronto, posting a 1-2 record with a 4.90 ERA, 1.67 WHIP, with 67 strikeouts in 60.2 innings pitched over 58 appearances that included four starts.

However, Law would find his game since moving over to the National League. In particular, he put together a dominant campaign in 2024 with the Washington Nationals in which he compiled a 7-4 record with a 2.60 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, with 76 strikeouts in 90 innings of work over 75 relief appearances.

Unfortunately, Law injuries ended up wiping out practically his entire 2025 season. With the 35-year-old right-hander likely back to full health by the time 2026 rolls around, he could potentially be a low-risk, high-reward free agent option.

C Danny Jansen

Tyler Heineman did a fine job for the Blue Jays in 2025 as their primary backup catcher, as he batted close to .290 for the season while providing some solid defense along the way. However if the Blue Jays feel like he might regress, former Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen is on the market. Jansen could be an upgrade for the right price as his ability to come up big in the clutch could be worth the contract alone.

Jansen spent the past season split between the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers where he compiled a .215 average, .721 OPS, along with 38 runs scored, 14 home runs and 36 RBIs in 337 total plate appearances. More importantly, he appeared to settle in nicely in a backup catcher role when he joined the Brewers at the trade deadline, batting a solid .254 with a .779 OPS in the process.

Looking back at his ability to the change the game with one swing of the bat, think of how many times the Blue Jays could have used that in the World Series.