Playing outside of the United States hasn’t stopped the Toronto Blue Jays from being aggressive in the offseason, and the organization deserves immense credit for wanting to take risks. Look no further than last winter, when they signed veteran pitcher Dylan Cease and snagged Japanese third baseman Kazuma Okamoto.

And while plenty of Blue Jays fans understandably want Tarik Skubal, they may also want to lower their expectations. The two-time Cy Young winner is expected to meet with the Mets, and he’s reportedly still interested in returning to the Dodgers. Where that leaves Toronto is unclear, especially after the Blue Jays’ disappointing 83-loss campaign. 

ESPN published a 27-man survey ahead of the Dodgers’ NLCS victory over the Atlanta Braves, and Skubal’s average projected contract was eight years and $355 million. Assuming that he intends to sign elsewhere, the Blue Jays need to consider directing their money toward other players.

Which free agents should the Toronto Blue Jays target instead of Tarik Skubal?

All projected contract figures come courtesy of ESPN:

Look, we don’t see the value in spending the full $355 million elsewhere. The Blue Jays already committed $500 million to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in a contract that could age extremely poorly, given its 14-year length and his immature comments about the deal. 

But as for those whom the Blue Jays should target, let’s start with someone they’ve frequently faced over the past few years.

Jazz Chisholm Jr., 2B (two years, $46 million)

We personally wouldn’t give Chisholm anything exceeding a one-year, prove-it deal, but we understand ESPN’s logic here. Our biggest concern with the two-time All-Star is whether he’ll have the maturity needed to rebound from his disappointing 2026 campaign, and that has nothing to do with jewelry or bat flips. He arguably gave up on understanding the expectations that once came with wearing a Yankees uniform, with the infamous lollipop incident especially standing out. 

Chisholm knows the AL East, and his blend of power and speed makes him an ideal fit in the Blue Jays’ lineup. He’s also an obvious upgrade over All-Star second baseman Ernie Clement, even if the Great White North loves the versatile infielder. 

Kevin Gausman, RHP (three years, $51 million)

Gausman went 53-51 with a 3.62 ERA over nearly five seasons with the Blue Jays, and he’s widely considered one of the better free-agent signings in recent franchise history. He spoke glowingly of the organization ahead of the August trade that sent him to the Cubs, and he even called signing with the Blue Jays the “best decision” he’d ever made.

“It’s the people more than anything,” Gausman said at the time. “I think about the staff we have in there, from trainers to clubhouse personnel. It’s just a great group of people who make it easy to come to work every day.”

Gausman turns 36 in January, so there’s always the age-related regression risk. But he nonetheless remains a workhorse, and this season’s 6.3 percent walk rate marked his best since 2022. 

Alex Vesia, LHP (two years, $25 million)

Toronto signing Vesia, who turns 31 next April, would be both bittersweet and heartwarming; You might remember that Blue Jays players and coaches wrote or wore his No. 51 on their caps during the 2025 World Series after the tragic loss of his newborn daughter. Blue Jays fans also donated at least $70,000 to a pediatric hospital in Toronto following the World Series.

Vesia is a steady left-hander who recorded a 2.66 ERA over 328 innings with the Dodgers, and he frequently performed at a high level during the playoffs. We really like this fit, and he’ll certainly come cheaper than Padres reliever Adrián Morejón.

Casey Mize, RHP (one year, $15 million)

Mize is your typical veteran starting pitcher seeking a bounce-back opportunity, though that’s not the conversation we expected to have three months ago. The 2018 No. 1 pick effectively tanked his free-agent stock with a dreadful 10-start stint in San Diego, erasing any good will he’d built during an efficient first half with the Tigers.

There’s no shame in Mize profiling as a No. 4 or No. 5 starter moving forward, and moving to Toronto is an excellent place to begin his redemption arc. We wish him good luck in dealing with the rest of the American League East, though. 

And speaking of the AL East …

Trent Grisham, OF (one year, $14 million)

ESPN suggested teams could consider Grisham as a corner outfielder, though he’s exclusively played center since 2020. Assuming the Blue Jays want the two-time Gold Glove winner to stay in center field, there’s your answer. 

Grisham likely won’t match his 34-homer output from 2025, and his defensive metrics have dropped in recent years. Teams looking for a competent starting outfielder can do far worse, though we suggest the Blue Jays place him lower in the lineup; he managed just a .199 average and .680 OPS in nearly 360 plate appearances batting leadoff, which speaks volumes about Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman’s stubbornness.