The Toronto Blue Jays will enter 2026 looking different in the infield, yet quietly positioned to gain something they rarely had during recent playoff pushes.
Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. celebrates. | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
Bo Bichette’s departure forced a pivot, but it did not create a collapse, because Toronto already had defensive answers waiting inside the organization.
Andrés Giménez stepping in at shortstop immediately shifts the team’s identity, even if his offensive production dipped during a difficult season.
Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Andres Gimenez throws to first. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Giménez’s value comes from elite defense, proven by three straight Gold Gloves and outs-above-average numbers that rank among baseball’s very best.
Pairing him with Ernie Clement at second base gives Toronto one of the strongest middle-infield defensive combinations in the league right now.
Clement quietly ranked near the top of baseball in outs above average, reinforcing the idea that run prevention will be Toronto’s new infield currency.
Losing Bichette hurts offensively, but his defensive struggles were real, and removing that weakness changes how pitchers can attack hitters confidently again.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s Gold Glove presence at first base further stabilizes the infield, giving Toronto reliability on nearly every routine ground ball.
The only defensive question centers on Kazuma Okamoto, whose bat is trusted far more than his glove entering his first MLB season.
Toronto can pivot to Addison Barger if needed, but consistent offense from Okamoto would make defensive compromises far easier to tolerate.
This defensive shift aligns perfectly with a pitching staff built on ground balls, including Bassitt, Gausman, BerrÃos, and reliever Tyler Rogers.
Defense may lack headlines, but postseason trends show elite fielding quietly separates contenders, and Toronto appears ready to lean fully into that truth.
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