We already know that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will post offensive numbers for the Toronto Blue Jays, but what about the rest of his infield mates?
While the Jays look fully equipped to reclaim their American League title in 2026, they are not without questions after missing out on Kyle Tucker in free agency, losing Bo Bichette to free agency and losing Anthony Santander to injury for most or all of the season.
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Most of the questions now stem from the offensive productivity and how the group will replace Bichette, who hit .311 last season with 18 homers and 94 RBIs. He’s also a multi-time All-Star selection.
The infield group will rotate, but Guerrero will play first with Ernie Clement likely seeing most of the action at second base, Andres Gimenez serving as the shortstop and Kazuma Okamoto working at third.
Let’s dive in
On the surface, Okamoto was a home run signing this offseason at four years and $60 million. A powerful and experienced hitter, he has six seasons of 30 homers or more under his belt in Japan. He also has a high walk rate and a low strikeout rate, making him an idea fit for Toronto’s power and patience philosophy.
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However, he’s still never seen consistent major league pitching. How will he adjust to the constant velocity? How about the absurd and steady spin rates? Will his power translate against that kind of pitching?
Now 29 years old, Clement is a five-year veteran of the Cleveland Guardians and Blue Jays. A career .260 hitter, he continued to break out in 2025, hitting .277 with nine home runs and 50 RBIs in 157 regular season games.
He broke out even further in the playoffs, hitting .411 with nine RBIs. His 30 hits are a postseason record for a single postseason. He’s shown that he can perform on the big stage, but can he perform in an everyday starting role? Even though he hit .260, his OPS+ in 2025 was 95, suggesting he was still a below-average offensive player.
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An excellent defender, Gimenez is another one who struggled at the plate in 2025, leading to questions for 2026. He hit just .210 over 101 games, posting an OPS+ of only 66. Is he prepared to play every day and contribute more offensively?
He also broke out in the playoffs, hitting two home runs in the ALCS and providing some punch at the bottom of the order, but can he perform over 162? This team has offensive firepower, but they will need Gimenez to be better than he was.
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