Report: Blue Jays Expected To Pursue Seiya Suzuki This Offseason
The Athletic's Mitch Bannon reported Monday, citing a league source, that Toronto is expected to pursue Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki once he reaches free agency.
"This offseason, said a league source who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss offseason plans, the Jays are expected to pursue Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki," Bannon wrote. "His 26 homers would've ranked second on the Jays this year and his .841 OPS would've led all qualified Jays by nearly 80 points."
Toronto's Need Is Obvious
The Blue Jays finished the season 79-83, and their offense was the central problem all year.
Toronto ranked dead last in the American League with 648 runs scored and finished 30th in all of baseball with 150 home runs.
The Blue Jays are expected to pursue Seiya Suzuki this offseason, via @MitchBannon:
— Baseball Is Dead (@baseballisdead_) September 28, 2026
“This offseason, said a league source who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss offseason plans, the Jays are expected to pursue Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki.“ pic.twitter.com/19ph8QGjQI
Suzuki, 32, is coming off arguably his best major league season, hitting .270/.368/.473 with 26 home runs, 86 RBI, and 5.1 bWAR for the Cubs, and he's hit 20-plus home runs in four straight seasons with an .823 career OPS.
He ranked among the top right fielders in baseball in both home runs and OPS last season, giving Toronto exactly the kind of consistent power bat its lineup lacked.
A Second Name Worth Watching Too
Bannon's reporting didn't stop at Suzuki.
He wrote that Toronto will also certainly check in on Teruaki Sato, a left-handed power bat expected to be posted by Nippon Professional Baseball's Hanshin Tigers this winter.
Sato put together a monster season in Japan, hitting .315/.392/.620 with 37 home runs, 100 RBI, and a 1.012 OPS over 136 games.
Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith added that the Blue Jays have already been scouting both Sato and fellow NPB player Kaima Taira, suggesting Toronto's international scouting has been building toward this for a while.
The #BlueJays are expected to pursue OF Seiya Suzuki in free-agency this winter, per @MitchBannon pic.twitter.com/haB4fq5IHJ
— MLB Deadline News (@MLBDeadlineNews) September 28, 2026
Bannon also reported mutual interest in a possible reunion between Toronto and free agent pitcher Shane Bieber, giving the Blue Jays multiple avenues to address both their offense and rotation this winter.
Roster fit would still need to be sorted out too, since Vladimir Guerrero Jr. already occupies first base, meaning Suzuki would need to play right field regularly, with Toronto's outfield picture also depending on whether pending free agent George Springer returns, which appears most unlikely.
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