Infield spots, No. 5 starter top Jays’ to-do list

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TORONTO — Seventy-eight days ago, the business of baseball shut down in the middle of free agency and it hasn’t been heard from since.

Toronto Blue Jays pitchers and catchers would’ve been scheduled to hit the field in Dunedin this week, but that’s not happening, and won’t until a new CBA is agreed to.

There are ominous signs that a deal may not be on the immediate horizon.

Whenever things do return to normal, there’s going to be a frenzied roster-building window that the Jays and GM Ross Atkins are sure to be a part of.

Getting Kevin Gausman signed to a lucrative multi-year pact to pair with Jose Berríos atop the rotation just prior to the lockout was a great start, but as a club billed as a serious World Series threat now there are holes that absolutely must be addressed.

Like last year around this time, it’s important to remember that every single need doesn’t have to be satisfied prior to the start of a marathon season that might just be a little bit shorter this year when all is said and done if things drag into March as many are predicting.

Waiting until trading season in July — like last year with some bullpen reinforcements and the Berríos blockbuster — could be in the cards once again.

With that being said, there are four items on the to-do list for the Jays front office that stand out above the rest.

Offensive impact at 2B or 3B

The current behind-the-scenes expectation around the game is that there could be about a seven-day window for off-season business to get done across the league prior to the start of spring training once the CBA is signed.

From a position player and lineup perspective, it’s all about the second base and third base spots for the Jays when the transactions start flowing