Addison Barger leads the way among Blue Jays' most impactful reinforcements for 2027

In 2026, the Toronto Blue Jays dealt with several significant injuries, with some key players missing the entire season. The potential impact that they could have had for Toronto was unmeasurable, but it hasn't stopped Blue Jays fans thinking "what if?"

With the bulk of those players set to return to the lineup at some point in 2027, the majority of them will be looking to redeem themselves and make up for lost time. Even just a couple of the players below could give the Blue Jays a much rosier outlook for next season.

Addison Barger

After his breakout 2025 campaign with the Blue Jays, Barger was expected to take another step in establishing himself as one of the stars on the team. However, injuries would remove the 26-year-old from being a significant part of the roster last year. He had all but two RBIs to show for in nine games.

Toronto fully expects Barger to be ready by spring training next year and projects him to continue to blossom into an elite player heading into his prime years.

Jake Bloss

Bloss has been sidelined by injuries for most of his Blue Jays tenure. Whether it be Tommy John surgery in 2025, or a right teres major shoulder strain in 2026, Bloss has been limited to just 17 starts during the past two years in the Blue Jays’ minor league system. Entering 2027, the 25-year-old right-hander will remain a depth option as Bloss will need to prove that he has put aside all of his injury woes.

Bowden Francis

Following his breakout performance in the latter parts of the 2024 season, Francis appeared to have solidified his spot in the Blue Jays’ rotation. However, he struggled in 2025 and underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery in 2026. Francis faces a long road back to re-establish himself as a valuable piece for the Blue Jays’ pitching staff. He isn’t expected to be back until at least midway through 2027.

José Berríos

After falling out of favour towards the end of the 2025 season, Berríos was looking to regain a spot in the starting in 2026. However, he also underwent Tommy John surgery missing the entire season. Based on the recovery timeline, Berríos could return towards the latter half of 2027.

Anthony Santander

After signing a massive five-year contract with Toronto prior to the 2025 season, injury woes have limited Santander to just 54 games over two seasons. When Santander was healthy, he disappointed with a rather abysmal .175 average and .565 OPS with six home runs and 18 RBIs over those 54 games.

A fully healed Santander might not be able to replicate his 2024 All-Star numbers with the Baltimore Orioles, but he should provide a boost to the Blue Jays’ lineup after their severe offensive power outage in 2026.

Cody Ponce

An ill-timed ACL injury in his very first start ended his season. As a result, the Blue Jays were left scrambling for rotation replacements all season. Ponce will be given every opportunity to rejoin the rotation out of camp. Even if he doesn’t end up getting a role in the rotation, Ponce should be able to secure a relief role and could work as a valuable swingman for the upcoming season.

Why Addison Barger is the Blue Jays' most important comeback

Of all the names on this list, Barger is the one the Blue Jays need back the most. Toronto proved in 2026 that it can patch together pitching depth over a 162-game grind, but a 26-year-old bat coming off a World Series run is far harder to replace.

A healthy Barger gives the Blue Jays a middle-of-the-order threat entering his prime, along with the versatility and arm to plug holes around the diamond, and he’s expected to be ready from the first day of Spring Training.

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