The Toronto Blue Jays are getting business done ahead of potential arbitration cases.
The team announced Thursday that they reached agreements to avoid arbitration with infielder Ernie Clement, catcher Tyler Heineman and outfielder Daulton Varsho.
Clement, 29, appeared in 157 games last season for the team, posting a 4.3 WAR. He batted .277 with 151 hits, nine home runs, 50 runs batted in and a .711 OPS.
The Rochester, NY native starred in the team’s run to the World Series. In 18 postseason games, Clement hit .416 with a major-league record 30 hits, a home run, nine runs batted in and a .977 OPS.
Originally taken with a fourth-round pick of the 2017 MLB Amateur Draft out of Virginia, Clement made his big-league debut with the Cleveland Guardians in 2021. Waived by Cleveland in September 2022, he finished the season with the Oakland Athletics before signing with the Jays ahead of the 2023 season.
Clement is now under Blue Jays team control through 2028.
Daulton Varsho avoided arbitration with the Blue Jays, signing for $10.75M.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) January 8, 2026
Varsho, 29, spent his third season with Toronto in 2025. Limited to only 71 games due to injury, he batted .238 with 58 hits, 20 home runs, 55 runs batted in and an OPS of .833.
A Gold Glover in 2024, Varsho hit .227 in 18 playoff games with 17 hits, three home runs, 10 runs batted in and an OPS of .667.
A native of Marshfield, WI and the son of former major leaguer Gary Varsho, Varsho spent the first three seasons of his career with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was acquired by the Blue Jays ahead of the 2023 season in a deal that sent Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Gabriel Moreno the other way.
Varsho will become a free agent next offseason.
Heineman, 34, signed a one-year deal worth $1.2375 million. Heineman served as backup to catcher Alejandro Kirk last season, appearing in 61 games and hitting .289 with three home runs.
Lauer, Blue Jays on track for hearing
The Blue Jays were able to come to agreements with three of their four arbitration-eligible players, but are reportedly set to go to a hearing with left-handed pitcher Eric Lauer.
Per The Athletic’s Mitch Bannon, the Blue Jays filed at $4.4 million, while Lauer filed at $5.75 million. The two sides are now on track to negotiate before an arbitrator to determine Lauer’s contract for the 2026 season.
Lauer, 30, was a pleasant surprise for Toronto this past season after spending the 2024 campaign in Korea. He made 28 appearances (15 starts) for the Blue Jays, and pitched to a 3.18 earned-run average with 102 strikeouts over 104.2 innings.
Lauer finished the season with a 9-2 record, and held a 3.12 ERA over five appearances in the postseason.
