Addison Barger poised to be a standout for Toronto Blue Jays in 2026
Photo credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
Toronto Blue Jays slugger Addison Barger is set to do some damage in 2026.
Barger just finished his first full MLB season with the Blue Jays, cashing in 21 home runs, 74 RBIs, and a .756 OPS (105 OPS+).
He accrued 2.2 fWAR while splitting time between third base and right field, embodying the Blue Jays' defensive versatility.
Barger saved his best baseball for the postseason. He slugged two home runs against the Seattle Mariners in the ALCS, then slashed an eye-popping .480/.536/.680 in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Barger strode up to the plate and worked a 2-1 count, and then he took the fourth pitch he ever saw in the World Series and he launched it over the centerfield wall at the Rogers Centre, authoring the first-ever pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history while more than 44,000 fans lost their minds.
«I was losing my mind too,» a grinning Barger said, standing in the clubhouse after a resounding 11-4 win over the Dodgers to open the World Series, the first win on this stage for the Blue Jays in more than three decades. «I was like, 'Oh, this is crazy."
Barger built for the moment under the brightest lights
He can't and won't hit at the level he did in the World Series for a full season, however that doesn't mean his performance isn't a sign of good things to come in 2026.
Barger has the raw physical tools to be an impact player. He consistently makes hard contact at the plate thanks to his elite bat speed.
His 91.7 mph average exit velocity last year ranked in the 86th percentile, while his 51% hard-hit rate was in the 91st percentile.
Defensively, Barger's best tool is his elite arm strength. It's an asset whether he's playing third base or the outfield, as many baserunners learned the hard way.
However, which of the two becomes his permanent position is a question that still needs to be answered.
While the eye test and highlight reel suggest Barger is a better outfielder than an infielder, the data says otherwise.
He recorded +1 defensive runs saved and zero outs above average as a third baseman in 2025, compared to -4 in each category as a right fielder.
Addison Barger's perfect throw prevents a run at the plate #WorldSeries
Ultimately, the sky is the limit for Barger in 2026 if he can better withstand the marathon that is a 162-game MLB season and stick at one position defensively. What he showed in the World Series could be a preview of greatness to come.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 19 | 75 ANSWERS Addison Barger poised to be a standout for Toronto Blue Jays in 2026 Do you think Addison Barger will have a career year in 2026? | ||
| Yes | 67 | 89.3 % |
| No | 2 | 2.7 % |
| Too early to tell | 6 | 8 % |
| List of polls | ||