Blue Jays Need Gold Glove Winner To Boost Offense

Daulton Varsho's power surge could help fill void left by Bo Bichette's departure

Mar. 22, 2026 at 3:21pm

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The Toronto Blue Jays will need to find more offensive production from different players this season after losing two-time All-Star Bo Bichette to the New York Mets in free agency. The team is hoping that Gold Glove outfielder Daulton Varsho can build on his power surge from last season to help boost the offense.

Why it matters

Bichette has been a key part of the Blue Jays' offense for the past seven seasons, so his departure leaves a significant void that the team will need to fill. Varsho's elite defense in center field makes him a valuable player, but if he can translate his increased power production into a full season, he could emerge as an MVP-caliber player.

The details

Varsho, 29, hit 20 home runs in only 271 plate appearances last season, a significant increase from the 20 homers he hit in 581 plate appearances the previous two seasons combined. MLB.com's Mike Petriello believes Varsho could be poised for a breakout season if he can maintain that power pace over a full year.

  • Varsho hit 20 home runs in 271 plate appearances last season.
  • Varsho will turn 30 years old this summer.

The players

Bo Bichette

A two-time All-Star who has played a massive role in the Toronto Blue Jays' offense for the past seven seasons, before departing for the New York Mets in free agency this offseason.

Daulton Varsho

A 29-year-old Gold Glove outfielder for the Toronto Blue Jays who has mashed 58 home runs over the last three seasons, including 20 in only 271 plate appearances last year.

Kazuma Okamoto

A new addition to the Toronto Blue Jays' roster this offseason who is expected to help boost the team's offense.

Mike Petriello

An MLB.com writer who believes Varsho could be poised for an MVP-caliber season if he can maintain his increased power production over a full year.

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What they’re saying

“This one's different, because unlike Alvarez and Naylor, it's long been established that Varsho is who he is, which is to say 'an absolutely elite defensive center fielder who strikes out too much and has poor OBP skills, but you live with it because a 20-HR Gold Glover is a valuable player.' After parts of six seasons in the Majors, all that's changed is that he no longer moonlights behind the plate, as he once did with Arizona. He turns 30 this summer. What more could there be?”

— Mike Petriello, MLB.com writer

“But two years after hitting 20 homers in 581 plate appearances, Varsho hit 20 homers in only 271 plate appearances, around time missed with shoulder and hamstring issues. Focus on the idea that if Varsho did what he did last year over a fuller season: That's a 40-homer bat with elite center field defense. That's borderline MVP territory -- if he shows it.”

— Mike Petriello, MLB.com writer

The takeaway

The departure of Bo Bichette leaves a significant void in the Toronto Blue Jays' offense, but the team is hoping that Daulton Varsho can build on his power surge from last season to help fill that gap. If Varsho can maintain his increased production over a full year, he could emerge as an MVP-caliber player and give the Blue Jays' offense a much-needed boost.