Even though the Blue Jays came up short in the World Series against the Dodgers, there’s still plenty for them to be proud of. They posted an AL-best 94–68 record in the regular season and pushed the Dodgers to the brink in the Fall Classic. That kind of performance has both fans and the front office thinking big for next year.

Sure, with key names like Bo Bichette, Shane Bieber, and Max Scherzer heading into free agency, it might look like the Jays’ strength could take a hit. But don’t jump to conclusions just yet. According to the latest projections, Toronto could be in line for a significant boost heading into next season.

“The most likely scenario is that Bichette will eventually find his way back to the Blue Jays, which seems like the best fit for all parties after an emotional postseason run. Everyone should feel like they have a job to finish,” NBC Sports’ DJ Short shared. He even projected $224 million for 8 years for Bichette.

Could there be anything better than this for the Jays fans to heal their World Series wound? Here’s where things get even more interesting.

The Blue Jays might actually have the upper hand over the Dodgers right now, as the latter is reportedly aiming for Bo Bichette. But the Jays aren’t backing down.

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In fact, FanDuel currently has Toronto favored at -210 to keep Bichette. That translates to about a 70% chance he stays put. Plus, what really tilts things in the Jays’ favor is Bichette’s own stance.

“I’ve said I want to be here from the beginning,” he made it clear that Toronto remains his preferred home.

But keeping him won’t come cheap.

Reports suggest it could cost around $224 million. Then again, that price tag reflects his value: Bichette has slashed .294/.337/.469 with 111 HRs over seven big-league seasons. This year alone, he hit .311 with 18 HRs in 139 games and delivered a massive three-run blast in Game 7 of the World Series.

And just when we thought that the Blue Jays might be skeptical about spending this big after their $500 million investment on Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Mike Sapiro’s latest comment might change the narrative.

“Even now, the sting of falling short remains. That ache comes from our shared desire to bring you – and all of Canada – the World Series Championship you so richly deserve. We’ll use that disappointment as fuel for what comes next. The pursuit continues, with even greater resolve.” Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro shared his feelings via an open letter to the fans.

As MLB.com puts it, Bichette indeed was a “hobbled hero” in the WS. His 442-foot blast off of Shohei Ohtani put the Blue Jays in a 3-0 lead by the bottom of the 3rd inning. In fact, John Schneider later shared his feelings about Bo’s performance.

“So at the end of the day, players, they can become legends or they can be this close, and we were this close.” And boy, were they close!

Bichette came back from seven weeks on the shelf and delivered, that too, at 2B for the first time in his MLB career. If that doesn’t scream patience and perseverance, what does! Plus, how can we deny Vladdy’s love for Bo that might also influence the Jays’ decision!

“I would love to finish my career playing with him,” Guerrero remarked.

So, if the team could show “greater resolve” in retaining their core, chances are high that Bichette would stay back in Toronto! They already showed that resolve with Guerrero. Now, probably it’s Bichette’s turn.

With the Bleacher Report keeping the Yankees, Dodgers, and Padres as the top destinations for Bichette, Sapiro’s promise seems to be the silver lining for the Jays fans.

The Blue Jays shift to their offseason mode

While Bichette’s future is still not secured with the Blue Jays, the front office is already making efforts as per Sapiro’s promise. And it started with retaining Shane Bieber!

He is exercising his $16 million player option for 2026.

With Bieber officially back and Bichette likely staying put, things are already looking bright at Toronto. But that’s not the end of the story.

If there’s one thing Toronto learned in 2025, it’s that taking down a powerhouse like the Dodgers requires depth and talent across the board. And that’s exactly where they’re turning their attention, starting with the pitching staff.

The name that stands out here is Dylan Cease.

Despite a low-key 2025, Cease remains one of the most intriguing options on the market. He finished fourth in AL Cy Young voting in 2024 and was also the NL runner-up two years earlier while with the White Sox. Yes, he issued 71 walks last season, but his raw stuff is undeniably electric. And if the Jays could help rejuvenate Max Scherzer’s career, there’s every reason to believe they could do the same with Cease.

While there’s no shortage of star power in this year’s free-agent pool, Toronto’s main focus will likely be keeping its core intact. Because after all, breaking up the combination that carried them to the World Series isn’t something this front office seems eager to do.

In 2025, much of their leap can be traced back to internal player development. As a unit, the position players posted a collective fWAR of 32.6, up sharply from about 21.0 in 2024. Their wRC+ jumped to 112, compared with roughly 101 the year before.

On the acquisition side, the front office made key moves, but they acted more as enhancements than the core driver of the turnaround. Collectively, this suggests that perhaps 60–70% of the improvement stemmed from internal growth, with the remainder attributable to innovative additions.