After taking the Los Angeles Dodgers to seven games in the 2025 World Series, the Toronto Blue Jays are just 12 days away from beginning their 2026 campaign against the Athletics.
After spending nearly $350 million this offseason, the Blue Jays enter the season as American League favorites, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t without flaws or questions.
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As spring training winds down, let’s take a look at three pressing ones:
Signed to a four-year deal this offseason, Kazuma Okamoto was certainly going to be an excellent supplementary piece to the Jays offense. After six seasons of 30 homers or more in Japan, it was clear that Okamoto could hit, and his patient profile is a plus as well.
If he was just part of the offense, it would have been perfectly fine for him to ease into Major League Baseball and learn the league and the velocity that comes with it.
However, with the team missing out on Kyle Tucker in free agency, Anthony Santander out for the most of the season with a labrum injury and Bo Bichette gone in free agency to the New York Mets, Okamoto needs to be more than just part of the offense. He needs to be a driving force.
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We got a better look at Okamoto in the World Baseball Classic, where he hit .211 with an RBI for Team Japan. He doubled against Seattle Mariners reliever Eduard Bazardo on Saturday in Japan’s elimination from the tournament and he’s on his way back to camp now.
A month ago, we thought the starting pitching group had too many people in the room. Fast forward to a season-ending injury for Bowden Francis, a season-starting injury for Shane Bieber and a worrisome injury situation for Jose Berrios and here we are.
The team signed Max Scherzer to help alleviate the issues, but it looks like veteran swing man Eric Lauer will go from a secondary long reliever to critical component in the rotation, at least for a little while. Even if he doesn’t start directly, he could piggyback off Trey Yesavage.
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A key piece of the Blue Jays’ magical October, Clement hasn’t gotten a lot of at-bats with Team USA at the World Baseball Classic. In fact, heading into Sunday’s semifinal against the Dominican Republic, he’s played in three of the five games, but he has only five at-bats and one hit.
No one can blame Team USA for utilizing Brice Turang, but will Clement be ready or rusty when he gets back to Dunedin?
Clement at spring training in 2026. Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
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