The Toronto Blue Jays face a massive task this offseason. They must add offense after a disappointing 2026 season.
Second base is one clear spot to upgrade. Ernie Clement’s production fell in the second half after being selected as an All-Star. He finished with a .259 average, a .285 on-base percentage and nine home runs. His 78 OPS+ trailed the league average of 100.
So for 2027, Toronto could move Clement into a super-utility role. That role fits his numbers better than an everyday job.
That would open second base for an upgrade. One analyst says the Blue Jays should steer clear of two of the biggest names at the position.
Jim Bowden Tells Toronto Blue Jays To Pass On 2 Free Agents
Jim Bowden of The Athletic warned the Blue Jays against pursuing Ketel Marte and Jazz Chisholm Jr. He made the comments on the Foul Territory show.
“He and free agent Jazz Chisholm, I love both their talents, don’t get me wrong. But I put them kind of in that box where I’m just not sure that’s what I want to win with,” Bowden said of Marte.
“I’d rather go younger, rather go with less baggage, rather go with more hard-nosed, consistent players that come to the ballpark every day and play the game the right way, where I don’t have to have all the other issues come involved. I don’t have to worry about teammates guiding them. I don’t have to worry about lollipops being licked at second base.”
The lollipop line refers to a June 22 game in Detroit. Chisholm took the field at second base in the fifth inning with a lollipop in his mouth.
Marte missed time in 2026 under unusual circumstances. On Aug. 17, Marte did not show up for a game at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox.
The 33-year-old has a connection in Toronto. He is the cousin-in-law of Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. That bond could matter if Toronto explores a trade. Guerrero could offer support as Marte works through the issues that cost him time in Arizona.
But Bowden still wants Toronto to steer clear of them.
Toronto Blue Jays Have Other Alternatives at 2B
Gleyber Torres is the first alternative. The 29-year-old hit .260 with a .364 on-base percentage for the Detroit Tigers in 2026. He hit eight home runs and drove in 38 runs in 96 games. His 105 OPS+ topped the league average.
Torres accepted Detroit’s one-year, $22.025 million qualifying offer last winter. Because he already received one, he cannot receive another.
Brandon Lowe is the second alternative. The 32-year-old second baseman hit .260 with 35 home runs and 96 RBIs for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2026. He posted an .824 OPS and a 121 OPS+ in 150 games.
Luis Arraez is another name on the market, but contact is not Toronto’s problem. The Blue Jays batted .247 and ranked in the top 10 in both batting average and hits. They ranked last in runs and home runs.
Arraez hit .310 with six home runs in 151 games for the San Francisco Giants and Philadelphia Phillies.
Toronto Blue Jays Warned Against Pursuing 2 Top Targets This Offseason