The Toronto Blue Jays went all-in after their World Series loss, handing Dylan Cease a seven-year, $210 million contract and locking up reliever Tyler Rogers for three years. Shane Bieber surprised everyone by picking up his $16 million player option instead of testing free agency. They added KBO MVP Cody Ponce and depth pieces like Jorge Alcala.
Most teams would call that a successful offseason and head to spring training. But, Mark Shapiro isn’t most executives.
The Blue Jays president delivered a clear message Saturday during his appearance on MLB Network Radio. Toronto isn’t done spending, and Shapiro’s philosophy doesn’t allow for half-measures when building a championship roster.
“My philosophy on free agents is there’s no such thing as close. So, you either are done or you’re not done. And that’s, you know, there’s nothing in between. You know, we’re still working to get better,” Shapiro said.
Blue Jays’ Immediate Future
“Our division is an absolute beast.”#BlueJays President Mark Shapiro on targeting more players via the free agent market this offseason:
🔗 https://t.co/iXax8hx4iO pic.twitter.com/hgwOqKrpiz
— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) December 21, 2025
Those aren’t empty words. Kyle Tucker visited Toronto’s Dunedin facility earlier this month, and ESPN’s Jeff Passan recently suggested the Blue Jays could land Tucker, Alex Bregman or Bo Bichette before pitchers and catchers report. Tucker hit .266 with 22 home runs for the Cubs last season and will command north of $350 million.
Bichette represents the hometown choice after hitting .311 with 18 homers in his bounce-back 2025 campaign. Bregman opted out of his Red Sox deal after a solid season in Boston. The Blue Jays have even been linked to Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte in trade talks, showing they’re exploring every avenue to upgrade.
AL East Rivals Force Blue Jays to Keep Adding
Toronto Blue Jays Flag | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Shapiro didn’t sugarcoat his assessment of the division. He called the AL East “an absolute beast” and rattled off reasons why Toronto can’t afford to stand pat while watching rivals improve.
Baltimore made the biggest splash Friday, acquiring Shane Baz from Tampa Bay just days after trading for outfielder Taylor Ward from the Angels. The Orioles also signed Pete Alonso to a $155 million deal and added closer Ryan Helsley.
“We already knew Baltimore was going to be better than they were last year. They’ve clearly gotten better with Taylor Ward and yesterday was Shane Baz and others,” Shapiro said.
The Yankees aren’t finished spending either. Tampa Bay will compete despite budget constraints because “they’re never bad,” according to Shapiro. But Boston drew his strongest assessment when discussing long-term threats.
“Boston probably is positioned as well as any team in baseball for the next five years with young talent and flexibility,” he said. The Red Sox farm system includes pitcher Payton Tolle and infielder Franklin Arias among prospects ready to contribute soon.
Shapiro’s message is clear after Toronto came within two outs of a World Series title last month. The Blue Jays view that near-miss as motivation to add more talent, not a reason to celebrate what they’ve already accomplished this winter.
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