I know that the market has been slow, but don't you think there is a possibility that the front office is holding out for a bargain? Everybody is waiting for big moves, but is it possible they only make minor moves, unless a bargain comes to them?
-- Marty W.
It's certainly possible, but it depends on your definition of a bargain. The Blue Jays should have upwards of $20 million-$25 million to spend, and despite a slow-moving offseason, there's no reason to believe Toronto is going to sit on the extra money. However, instead of using most of the available funds on one player, it is far more likely the Blue Jays will spread it around and address several areas.
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Realistically, the top level of free agents are out of reach. Pitchers such as Yu Darvish and Jacob Arrieta and a slugger like J.D. Martinez likely won't be signing in Toronto, and instead a second-tier group will be considered. In that sense, the Blue Jays are waiting for bargains, but this roster also won't be rounded out with a bunch of players on Minor League deals.
I've seen talk of using Devon Travis at second base and the outfield. Same for Aledmys Diaz, and Joe Biagini's role is not clear. Is there some kind of advantage in this uncertainty or does it reflect a lack of direction?
-- Patrick B., Halifax, Nova Scotia
Toronto's roster flexibility might be its biggest asset right now because it gives general manager Ross Atkins a lot of options. At some point, roles will have to be defined, but that can wait until the start of Spring Training. In the meantime, Toronto can move in a number of directions.

Atkins has the ability to upgrade almost every single aspect of the team without having to get rid of anybody. The in-house options can be shuffled around to accommodate whatever players the Blue Jays sign or acquire. The approach won't necessarily make fans happy, but the "options and alternatives" Toronto has means the club has been content to wait out the market in the hopes that prices drop.
Is there any scenario in which we could dump Kendrys Morales' contract and get rid of Troy Tulowitzki? We need to retool, but with those albatross contracts, I believe it greatly hinders our ability to do so.
-- Mike R., Toronto
There's no such thing as an unmovable contract because prospects or money can always be included to facilitate a deal, but it doesn't seem very realistic here. Tulowitzki has $58 million remaining over the next three years and possesses a full no-trade clause. Morales' inability to play more than a handful of games in the field means he could only be moved to another American League team. The market for full-time DHs is not exactly robust, and even the clubs who might consider an addition know there are more affordable deals to be found on the open market.
Marcus Stroman led the league in ground-ball percentage; infield defense will be needed to make him an ace. Since it'll help other pitchers, too, should that be more of a priority?
-- Kozak D., London, Ontario
It's easy to say infield defense should be more of a priority, but there's not much the Blue Jays can do with their current situation. Josh Donaldson, Tulowitzki and Justin Smoak are locked into their respective positions and second base will go to either Travis or Diaz. What you see is what you get, but that's not necessarily a bad thing for this part of the roster. Toronto's defense was a weakness all season, but some of that can be blamed on injuries and the regressions of Ryan Goins and Darwin Barney. A healthy Donaldson and Travis should help, as will the addition of defensive specialist Mpho' Ngoepe.

How likely is it that the Blue Jays will sign Lorenzo Cain? Will Danny Jansen make the team out of Spring Training?
-- Brooke H.
Cain is one of the bigger free-agent names that should not be entirely ruled out, but a Thursday report from ESPN suggesting Texas is making a big push to sign him won't help. Before the latest development, Cain's market had been slow to develop, which gave some hope that Toronto might get him at a reduced rate. That might be changing, and while there's an obvious match between these two sides, it doesn't mean they will find common ground on money.
Jansen has a strong chance of making his big league debut in 2018, but it won't be at the start of the season. He needs everyday at-bats to continue his development, and that's not possible in Toronto with Russell Martin as the clear starter. Unless someone else is added in the coming weeks, expect Luke Maile to open the year as the backup, with Jansen's opportunity coming if Martin hits the DL.
Travis is a potential .300 hitter but can't stay on the field due to health issues. Why not make him a full-time DH? He's perfect.
-- Ron, Nanaimo, British Columbia
Travis at DH is not something the Blue Jays are considering, and in my opinion, nor should they be. It's true that Travis' bat will play just about anywhere, but he's still a much bigger asset at second base, and to a lesser extent left field. There's so much upside here that the Blue Jays have to exhaust all of their options and give him every opportunity to regularly play the field. If Travis sustains another major injury, then that would potentially be a conversation worth having. The way this team is built, Travis needs to play the field.