Kristie AckertWed, December 3, 2025 at 4:22 PM UTC·2 min readBlue Jays could make more big moves after Dylan Cease deal as three key needs stand out originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Toronto Blue Jays are coming off a 94–68 season, an American League East title and an AL pennant that ended one win short against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Now they’ve dropped a seven-year, $210 million hammer on Dylan Cease, the biggest free-agent deal in franchise history. The rotation finally looks like a strength again. The Winter Meetings are about everything else for the Blue Jays. Here are their top three needs.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdd a true middle-of-the-order bat.Blue Jays Nation writers are unanimous: after Cease, the next move has to be a big bat. Re-signing Bo Bichette or landing a top-of-market hitter like Kyle Tucker,Cody Bellinger or Alex Bregman sits at the top of the wish list. Without Bichette, Toronto’s shortstop depth grades just 21st on FanGraphs, and the lineup looked a hitter short at times even during a World Series run.
Lock down the late innings.Game 7 bullpen heartbreak only underscored the regular-season issues. The Jays need another high-leverage reliever who can compete with Jeff Hoffman for the ninth. Names like Edwin Diaz,Robert Suarez and Pete Fairbanks have all been floated as fits, with local coverage framing “add at least one late-inning arm” as a must, not a luxury.
Protect the infield with power and flexibility.Even if Bichette returns, third base and DH remain levers to add impact. Toronto’s current roster is long on role players and short on thump. External options such as Bregman, Jorge Polanco, or a trade for Ketel Marte have been mentioned as ways to balance the lineup and ensure against regression from depth pieces.
The Blue Jays pushed their chips in on an ace already this offseason. The Winter Meetings are where we find out if ownership is just as serious about a lineup and bullpen that can actually finish the job.
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