Speaking on Saturday afternoon, Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider made his desires for Alejandro Kirk and Kazuma Okamoto this spring clear.

Per Hazel Mae of Sportsnet:

John Schneider would like to get Alejandro Kirk and Kazuma Okamoto into games early this spring before they leave for the WBC.

Schneider said he’d like to see Okamoto play in the #BlueJays first game on Feb 21 vs. PHL

With both Mexico (Kirk) and Japan (Okamoto) projected to make reasonably long runs in the World Baseball Classic, both players could be away from the Jays for a significant length of time.

A 27-year-old native of Tijuana, Kirk hit .282 last season with 15 homers and 76 RBIs. He was an integral part of Toronto's World Series run and he's a two-time All-Star and a Silver Slugger winner.

Okamoto, signed to a four-year deal worth $60 million this offseason, is a fascinating player to watch heading into 2026. Not known as a great defender, he projects to get most of his time at third base, though he could play some first base, some DH and some outfield.

An excellent hitter, he had six seasons of 30 homers or more in Japan. He also carries a low strikeout rate and a high walk rate, something very conducive to the Blue Jays style of play. In the absence of Anthony Santander, his power will be important.

Okamoto reported to camp on Friday and was slated to meet a large media contingent on Saturday.

--The Blue Jays made a trade for slugging outfielder Jesus Sanchez on Friday and he'll work to alleviate the loss of Santander, who will miss most of the season with injury. We took a look at what general manager Ross Atkins said about the move, and how it impacts Nathan Lukes moving forward.

--The Jays also signed veteran right-hander Jesse Hahn to a minor league deal on Saturday morning. He appeared in three games for the Seattle Mariners in 2025.

--Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia, who left the team before the World Series to cope with the death of his infant daughter, addressed the media at spring training on Friday. In that media session, he thanked the Blue Jays for their support and called them a "first-class organization." 

Around the rest of the American League East: Former Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt signed with the Baltimore Orioles and Orioles 2B Jackson Holliday is going to be out for a while with a fractured hamate bone.

--Gerrit Cole was back on the mound for the New York Yankees on Saturday. He missed all of last season with Tommy John surgery and is scheduled to miss at least the first month of the season in 2026.

--Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony is expected to replace Corbin Carroll on Team USA's WBC roster.

Remember to join our BLUE JAYS on ROUNDTABLE community, which is FREE! You can post your own thoughts, in text or video form, and you can engage with our Roundtable staff, as well as other Blue Jays fans. If prompted to download the Roundtable APP, that's free too!