Bryan Jaeger

The Toronto Blue Jays are off to a slow start this season in every aspect of the game. These struggles have resulted in a 6-9 record after the Minnesota Twins series, despite starting the season 3-0. A disappointing part of their start was going 1-5 over two series against the Colorado Rockies and Chicago White Sox, MLB's two worst teams last season. The Blue Jays slow start can be attributed to many contributing factors. Firstly, the injury bug has run rampant through the clubhouse, holding many key players out. Trey Yesavage, Shane Bieber, José Berríos, Yimi García, and Anthony Santander started the season on the injury list. Shortly into the season, Cody Ponce, Addison Barger, Alejandro Kirk, and George Springer joined them. Secondly, the offense has struggled, posting a -25 run differential (the second-worst in MLB). They rank 24th in runs per game (3.80) and 28th in runners left in scoring position. Lastly, the pitching staff ranks 27th in ERA (4.81) and 16th in WHIP (1.31), but first in strikeouts (168). The ERA and WHIP are heavily skewed by Brendon Little (24.55 ERA and 3.55 WHIP), who was a surprising weak link to start the season, and Josh Fleming (12.00 ERA and 2.67 WHIP). Also, catcher Tyler Heineman has made two appearances on the mound in blowouts, resulting in a 15.00 ERA and 2.67 WHIP. Because of the injuries and struggles, the Blue Jays have made several roster moves to fill holes and hopefully find some consistency. Patrick Corbin signed a one-year, $1 million contract on April 3, and a day later, Tyler Fitzgerald was acquired from the San Francisco Giants for cash considerations. They were both optioned to the minors after being acquired, but were soon recalled, joining the Blue Jays a few days later. Little was optioned to Triple A to get a breather and hopefully figure out a fix, while Fleming was designated for assignment (and later re-signed on a new minor league contract). To fill an opening, Joe Mantiply was recalled. Over 4 2/3 innings, he has a 5.79 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and an 8:2 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Kirk will miss approximately six weeks recovering from surgery for a fractured and dislocated left thumb. His replacement is rookie Brandon Valenzuela, who was going to be the backup catcher but has been asked to start more than expected, as Heineman is dealing with back spasms. Heineman’s injury isn’t expected to require a stint on the injury list, but if he were to miss extended time, the Blue Jays don’t have many internal answers to fill his shoes. CJ Stubbs played in just one game last season with the Washington Nationals, but he’s the only option at catcher with big league experience, unless a free agent is signed. Nathan Lukes has been starting in right field for Barger, who isn’t expected to spend much longer than the 10-day minimum on the injury list. Fitzgerald or Myles Straw can be called on to replace Lukes if a left-handed pitcher is on the mound. After Springer’s injury, Eloy Jiménez’s contract was selected from the minors. The former Chicago White Sox was a solid performer during spring training and in Triple A, earning Player of the Week honors after starting the season slashing .375/.429/.542 with five RBIs. He will fill the DH role until Springer’s return, which could also be just after the minimum 10-day injury list stint. In another move to add some depth, the Blue Jays acquired Lenyn Sosa from the White Sox for 18-year-old prospect Jordan Rich and a player to be named later or cash. Sosa will bring MLB experience to the bench. However, he doesn’t come with the greatest resumé. He’s a subpar defender, and in his five MLB seasons, he has only had one decent year, his breakout campaign in 2025. It was the first time he played in more than 100 games, and he hit 22 home runs, scored 57 times, and drove in 75, while slashing .264/.293/.434. This season, Sosa has struggled, hitting only .212 over 33 plate appearances with a 40 wRC+. The White Sox are moving on to their younger prospects, and even though Sosa is only 26, Colson Montgomery and Chase Meidroth are performing well in the middle infield, and there are rumors that Sam Antonacci will be called up soon, making Sosa expendable. The Blue Jays are trying to find any solution to bolster their offense after a lack of production to begin the 2026 campaign. They may have more decisions to make when Barger and Springer return if their replacements are performing well. If Jiménez is not performing when Springer returns, then it’s not a huge loss to put him on waivers. If he is performing, then Fitzgerald, Lukes, or Davis Schneider can be optioned to Triple-A. Lukes has been abysmal in his 29 plate appearances this season, posting a -37 wRC+, but he is a left-handed bat that can come off the bench. He joins either Valenzuela or Heineman (whichever isn't starting behind the plate) as the only lefty bat options on the bench. Both catchers are switch-hitters. Fitzgerald and Schneider both offer defensive flexibility, being able to play multiple infield and outfield positions. Neither is a substantial offensive threat, but both have shown some power in their brief MLB careers. They’re both right-handed bats, so one would make sense to option after Sosa officially joins the active roster. Sosa is out of minor league options. Schneider has been red-hot in 2026, so Fitzgerald is certainly more likely to be sent down today. What happens when Springer and/or Barger return is a different question. After making room for Sosa, the Blue Jays will hope they are done moving their chess pieces around, at least for now. The biggest power threats remaining on their 26-man roster – Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Daulton Varsho, and Jesús Sánchez – need to get going offensively, with none having more than two home runs. Also, Kazuma Okamoto has been slow to adjust to the American style of baseball. He has two home runs, but only four runs and three RBIs in 60 plate appearances. Kevin Gausman and Dylan Cease need help in the starting rotation; both have ERAs under and 26 strikeouts in three starts. However, Corbin, Eric Lauer, and Max Scherzer each have an ERA higher than 7.50. The bullpen has been a bright spot, throwing 15 1/3 scoreless innings in the Twins series, a franchise record, but the Blue Jays still lost the series and were outscored 25 to 10. Hopefully, the injury bug is extinguished, and the team finds a way to turn its slow start around. The good thing about baseball is that it has a long season, so there is plenty of time for a team to turn its season around. A World Series is still the ultimate goal, and the Blue Jays are making the moves to get there. View full article

Brendon Little was dominant during the first half of last season. Over 44 1/3 innings, he posted a 2.03 ERA, held batters to a .177 batting average, and had a 65:28 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The second half of the season was a different story. The lefty had a 4.88 ERA, a .230 average off him, and a 26:17 strikeout-to-walk ratio over only 24 innings. The struggles could have been due to his workload. At times, the only southpaw in the bullpen, he threw in 79 total games. It was the first time he had thrown in over 50 games in his short MLB career. Little's 2026 season has started even worse. Over his first 3 2/3 innings, he was abysmal, posting a 24.55 ERA (10 earned runs) and allowing a .500 batting average (10 hits) despite striking out six batters. He allowed three home runs, one more than he allowed in all of 2025. The slow start led to his demotion to Triple-A Buffalo on April 5. This move was likely a way to give Little a breather from the high-stress environment of MLB. Little relies heavily on his sinker and knuckle curve, throwing them a combined 80 percent of the time in each of his three MLB seasons. Lately, he's been leaving the sinker in the zone, resulting in him allowing batters to hit .800 off the 41 sinkers he has thrown in 2026. The pitch's 30.2 inches of drop and 12.6 inches of arm-side break weren't fooling hitters, and the reliever needs to figure out why. Little's knuckle curve has been his go-to strikeout pitch over his career. This season, it has resulted in a 50 percent whiff rate on 14 swings (36 pitches). The breaking ball has also recorded all six of the 29-year-old's strikeouts. The whiff percentage for his knuckle curve is on par with his career results, but hitters are swinging at the pitch less often, and they have a batting average of .250 against it. That batting average is higher than in the last two seasons, when hitters didn't exceed a .160 average. Little needs to figure out how to get back to limiting damage against his knuckle curve. His top two pitches are being put in play for hits too consistently to be successful in MLB. Though the start of his season has been disappointing, Little is a talented pitcher and has shown he can succeed in the big leagues. He's 29, but it's only his third MLB season, so this could be a confidence issue, as well. The struggles could also be a mechanical issue that needs a tweak. Regardless of the issue, this breather in Buffalo will allow Little to work on his game in a less stressful environment. Hopefully, when the lefty returns to the Blue Jays, we see the dominant first-half of 2025 version of Little. View full article

The last time the Toronto Blue Jays won the Rookie of the Year Award was in 2002, when Halle Berry won an Oscar for Best Actress for her role in Monster’s Ball, the New England Patriots won their first Super Bowl, and the “Rally Monkey” became famous, leading the then Anaheim Angels to the World Series title. In that season, the Toronto Blue Jays finished 78-84 under manager Buck Martinez, and Eric Hinske won the AL Rookie of the Year Award. The former third baseman and outfielder hit 24 home runs, scored 99 times, knocked in 84 runs, and stole 13 bases. It’s hard to believe that Hinske was the last Blue Jay to win the Rookie of the Year Award, but the team hasn’t had many standout rookie performances since then. The only one that was worthy of consideration for the award was Marcus Stroman’s 2014 season, when he had a record of 11-6, a 3.65 ERA, and struck out 111 batters. The wait may be over this season as the Blue Jays have the top two favorites for the award with Trey Yesavage and Kazuma Okamoto. Yesavage has +370 odds, and Okamoto has +500 odds. During the end of last season, Yesavage started three games, where he posted a 3.21 ERA and had a 16:7 strikeout-to-walk ratio. In the postseason, he came up clutch in big games. In Game 2 of the ALCS, he helped the Blue Jays take a 2-0 series lead. The rookie threw 5 1/3 innings against the New York Yankees, striking out 11 batters. In Game 6 of the ALDS, Yesavage helped the Blue Jays even the series 3-3 after throwing 5 2/3 strong innings while striking out seven Seattle Mariners batters. In Game 5 of the World Series, he got the win to give the team a 3-2 series lead, but we all know how that ended. In the game, he threw seven innings and struck out 12 Los Angeles Dodgers hitters. This success is why the righty is the frontrunner for the Rookie of the Year Award going into the season, but it'll be interesting to watch how the Blue Jays handle Yesavage's workload throughout the season. Yesavage’s teammate, Okamoto, also has a strong case to claim the award. He will be making his first season in America and in MLB. While in the Nippon Professional Baseball league in Japan, Okamoto hit at least 25 home runs in seven straight seasons before an elbow injury broke that streak last season. Though he was on a good pace to extend the streak with 15 homers halfway through the season. Yesavage and Okamoto have stiff competition for the award, though. Kevin McGonigle (Detroit Tigers) has +550 odds, Carter Jensen (Kansas City Royals) has +600 odds, Munetaka Murakami (Chicago White Sox) has +800 odds, and Tatsuya Imai (Houston Astros) has +850 odds. This may be the season the Blue Jays finally win the AL Rookie of the Year Award since 2002. With the two leading favorites on the team, it’s the best chance the team has had in a while. It won’t come easy, though, with McGonigle and Jensen heavily hyped, and two other Japanese players (Murakami and Imai) making their first appearances overseas. View full article

The Toronto Blue Jays have made two decisions regarding their Opening Day bullpen. 35-year-old Tommy Nance has made the team, while 2024 Rule 5 draft pick Angel Bastardo has been left off. Nance has struggled this spring, throwing 5 1/3 innings while posting a 6.75 ERA and an 11.1 walk percentage. However, he doesn't have any minor league options. Without an option, and given his strong performance last season (1.99 ERA and 1.01 WHIP over 31 2/3 innings), the right-handed reliever would likely have been selected off waivers by another team if the Blue Jays had designated him for assignment to try to send him down to the minors. Bastardo missed all of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery. Because he was a Rule 5 selection, not making the team means the Blue Jays must return him to his original team, the Boston Red Sox. Injuries to Trey Yesavage and José Berríos, forcing them to miss the start of the season, have moved Eric Lauer to a starting role. This situation left an additional open spot in the bullpen that Bastardo looked to be a possibility to fill. However, he has had an up-and-down spring training, posting a 4.70 ERA over seven 2/3 innings with a 15.2 strikeout percentage and an abysmal 21.2 walk percentage. Since Bastardo missed last season, the Jays would need to keep him on their 26-man roster for 90 days before they could option him. This requirement, along with Yesavage's expected return shortly after the season begins, means the Blue Jays are better off just cutting ties with Bastardo now and focusing on the relievers who can help the team all season. With two open spots in the bullpen, Mason Fluharty will fill one spot. He will join Brendon Little as Toronto's second lefty reliever while Lauer is in the rotation. Little was the only consistent left-handed presence in last year's bullpen; Fluharty and fellow southpaw Justin Bruihl had their ups and downs, while Lauer moved between the rotation and the 'pen. The team won't want Little to have too big a workload to start the season, and Fluharty's addition will help relieve the pressure on Little. Blue Jays insider Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet has reported that the final spot in the bullpen is between Chase Lee and Spencer Miles. Lee came over in an offseason trade with the Detroit Tigers because the Tigers needed to open a roster spot for Kyle Finnegan. Lee offers the Blue Jays MLB experience, having thrown 37 1/3 innings last season with a 4.10 ERA and 1.10 WHIP. He also offers a different look with his -4 degree sidearm angle. The sidearmer has been impressive in a short spring stint, not allowing a run over six innings, but he did walk two batters while only striking out four. Miles was a 2025 Rule 5 selection from the San Francisco Giants, which means he will need to spend the entire season on the Blue Jays' 26-man roster or else be sent back to the Giants. He was selected in the 2022 MLB Draft, but missed the 2023 season after undergoing back surgery. The righty returned in 2024, but only made five appearances before requiring Tommy John surgery due to a right flexor strain. Miles made his return in the Arizona Fall League last year at the conclusion of the minor league season. He threw eight 2/3 innings, posting a 4.15 ERA, but he struck out 12 batters while only walking one. This spring, he has made a case to make his MLB debut. Miles produced a 3.72 ERA over nine 2/3 innings and had a 23.9 strikeout percentage. However, he's struggled with his control, walking batters at a 10.9 percent clip and posting a 1.66 WHIP. Zwelling said both players will travel to Toronto Monday night, and the club expects to make the final decision by Wednesday afternoon. Lee's experience and shutout spring performance may give him the edge, but with Miles making it to the final cut, the Blue Jays must see something they like. Lee's availability to be optioned to Triple A hurts his case, as Toronto can keep both players if he is sent down. If this plays out with Lee being demoted, the sidearmer will still play a role in the Blue Jays bullpen at some point this season. View full article

I may be in the minority here, but I've never been impressed by Jimenez. However, at some point, the Blue Jays need to give him a chance to see if he can improve on his ugly 2025 brief season at the MLB level. If he does make the team, then it has to be for Schneider. Need another left-handed bat (Lukes) off the bench other than Heineman, imo.

Well, my projection has already been ruined. It's just been announced that Trey Yesavage will begin the season on the IL with a right shoulder impingement. That means Eric Lauer will begin the season in the starting rotation, and either Chase Lee or Angel Bastardo will take up the open bullpen spot.

The Toronto Blue Jays were busy this offseason, working to retool their team in hopes of returning to the World Series (with a different outcome, of course). They improved their pitching staff by adding Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce, and Tyler Rogers in free agency. Not as much was added to the offense, but the team did sign Kazuma Okamoto. After the news that Anthony Santander needed surgery on his left labrum and would miss five to six months, the Blue Jays acquired Jesús Sánchez in a trade with the Houston Astros. A few key players, including Santander, will miss Opening Day. Shane Bieber and Yimi García aren't projected to be out long. José Berríos was recently diagnosed with a stress fracture in his elbow, and his timetable is uncertain. He's taking a few days off before testing his elbow out again. These injuries help narrow down who will make the Opening Day roster, as some of the few remaining question marks that loomed around the team have been cleared up. There could still be a surprise addition, but here is who will likely be on the roster to start the season: Blue Jays Projected Batting Order George Springer, DH Addison Barger, RF Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B Daulton Varsho, CF Alejandro Kirk, C Jesús Sánchez, LF Kazuma Okamoto, 3B Ernie Clement, 2B Andrés Giménez, SS Bench: Tyler Heineman, C; Davis Schneider, UTL; Nathan Lukes, OF; Myles Straw, OF This lineup configuration gives manager John Schneider a nice righty-lefty rotation through the top seven spots. Okamoto and Ernie Clement will be back-to-back right-handed bats, but the rotation continues with Giménez, a lefty, batting ninth. There's a ton of power in the starting lineup as well, with each of the top seven capable of hitting 17 to 20 home runs at a minimum. I really wanted to see Eloy Jiménez on the bench, given his hot spring training (128 wRC+), but the only person he could replace is Nathan Lukes, which leaves you with three right-handed hitters and a switch-hitter on the bench. That lineup construction would limit the Blue Jays late in games if an opposing team were to bring in a right-handed pitcher. The only other question to consider is whether Leo Jiménez can beat Davis Schneider for a place on the bench. Right now, however, that seems unlikely. An injury would be required to find room for either Jiménez on the roster. Now let's take a look at the pitching staff. Blue Jays Projected Pitching Staff Update: Shortly after this roster projection was published, the Blue Jays announced that Trey Yesavage will begin the season on the IL with a right shoulder impingement. This means Eric Lauer will begin the season in the starting rotation, and either Chase Lee or Angel Bastardo will take up the open bullpen spot. Starting Rotation Kevin Gausman, RHP Dylan Cease, RHP Cody Ponce, RHP Trey Yesavage, RHP Max Scherzer, RHP Bullpen: Jeff Hoffman, RHP; Tyler Rogers, RHP; Louis Varland, RHP; Tommy Nance, RHP; Eric Lauer, LHP; Brendon Little, LHP; Braydon Fisher, RHP; Mason Fluharty, LHP Max Scherzer steps in to take what would have likely been Berríos's spot, though Scherzer has been electric this spring. He's pitched 8 2/3 innings, allowed only two hits, and has yet to give up a run. The lone concerns are that he's struck out only six batters and walked three. However, what do you expect out of a pitcher who turns 42 in July? The Blue Jays just need to get semi-quality innings from him to help ease the workload on their younger pitchers. The days of posting a mid-2.00s ERA and striking out 200 batters are long behind the pitcher known as Mad Max for his fiery demeanor on the field. If I were the manager, I'd prefer to have a left-handed starter or two, but the Blue Jays are limited in this aspect. Lauer is the only option currently on the projected 26-man roster, though promising left-handed prospects Ricky Tiedemann and Adam Macko are waiting in the wings. Both starting pitching prospects are on the 40-man roster. Tiedemann missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery during the 2024 campaign. However, his spring has been delayed due to soreness in his left elbow. The lefty has resumed throwing, but the Blue Jays will ease him back into a normal routine. The last bullpen spot that would have been García's is open to Fluharty or Chase Lee, who the Blue Jays acquired this offseason in a trade with the Detroit Tigers. With so many righties in the bullpen, I chose to leave Lee off the 26-man roster, but he will make his return to MLB at some point this season. The Blue Jays have a well-configured roster that has a legitimate shot to defend their AL East and American League titles. There's far more optimism revolving around the team than they had at the start of last season after finishing 2024 with a 74-88 record and coming in last in the AL East. Gear up, Blue Jays fans, it's going to be an exciting season. View full article

Jays Centre is taking a close look at every position on the Toronto Blue Jays heading into the 2026 season. Check out prior entries in the series here: Catcher First Base The Toronto Blue Jays' starting second basemen were considered a defensive strength, but not an offensive weapon, over the last couple of decades. The only offensive standouts were Aaron Hill, hitting 62 home runs between the 2009 and '10 seasons, and Marcus Semien, hitting 45 long balls in his only campaign with the Blue Jays (2021). Last season was no different, with Ernie Clement's 3.2 fWAR being heavily lifted by his 11.7 defensive runs above average. However, over the course of the postseason, Clement became a Blue Jays legend. He set the single-postseason hits record with 30, breaking Randy Arozarena's 2020 record (29). That total led to a .411/.416/.562 slash line, 13 runs, and nine batted in. It was a performance that made the Blue Jays' second base decision for this season an easy one. The position is Clement's, but the Blue Jays have plenty of flexibility with players who can play multiple positions. Toronto Blue Jays Second Basemen at a Glance Starter: Ernie Clement Backup: Davis Schneider Depth: Leo Jiménez, Andrés Giménez, Addison Barger, Prospects: Josh Kasevich, Arjun Nimmala Jays 2B fWAR in 2025: 13th out of 30 Jays 2B FGDC Projection for 2026: 13th out of 30 The Good The Blue Jays enter the season with a clear view of who their second baseman will be. Clement has continued his postseason hitting spree this spring, going 5-for-10 at the plate with a double and a triple while with the Blue Jays. With Team USA, he is 1-for-5 but has walked twice and scored three runs. During the WBC, he's played in four games in a complementary role. Defensively, he's as sure-gloved as a player can get. In the last two seasons as a full-time utility man, he's received fWAR ratings of 2.1 and 3.2, respectively, but defensive ratings of 8.2 and 11.7 heavily skew these numbers. It's tough to find a more defensively sound player. Another benefit the Blue Jays have is defensive flexibility. Clement can play any position, even pitch if needed. However, he's not Toronto's only flexible defender. Schneider and Barger can also play all over the field, and shortstop Giménez can handle second and third base. Clement will never be a massive earner like Vladimir Guerrero Jr., due to his limits offensively. So, the Blue Jays are in a wonderful financial position with Clement. He's 29, making $4.6 million this season, and under team control through 2028. This makes him an excellent secondary teammate to the number of superstars above him in the batting order. The future is bright at the position as well. Kasevich and Nimmala are primarily shortstops, but moving to second wouldn't be a massive transition, and most shortstops can move all over the infield. Of the two, Nimmala is the more promising prospect offensively (though Kasevich is closer to the majors). Last season, Nimmala hit 13 home runs and stole 17 bases over 543 plate appearances at the High-A level. Though he showed power and speed, his contact skills need improving. He has yet to posta batting average higher than .240 over his three minor league seasons, and he struck out 21.4 percent of the time at High A. Despite these struggles, he's found ways to be productive offensively, with only one season under a 120 wRC+. The Bad Toronto's downfall at second base is an awfully low offensive ceiling. Clement puts the ball in play exceptionally well, only striking 10.4 percent of the time last season, but that's where his offensive prowess ends. He hit 12 home runs in 2024, but that seems like a ceiling given how poorly his important power metrics are rated, according to Baseball Savant. Stat Percentile Number Avg. Exit Velocity 8th 86.6 mph Barrel Percentage 6th 2.4% Hard-Hit Percentage 2nd 26% Bat Speed 5th 67.6 mph These stats show Clement's lack of power. However, he will likely be in the ninth spot in the batting order. So, he won't be relied on to do the heavy lifting of carrying the offense. Let's be honest, though, second base isn't a position that you expect to get massive offensive production out of. Last season, only five primary second basemen hit more than 20 home runs: Jazz Chisolm Jr., Brandon Lowe, Ketel Marte, Jose Altuve, and Lenyn Sosa. This shows that second base is more thought of across MLB as a defensive position. The Bottom Line The Blue Jays aren't asking Clement to hit 20 home runs. It appears they're fine with someone who can put the ball in play and perform well defensively, which Clement excels at. He's also known as a gritty player who can play through injuries. Last season, he suffered a hairline fracture in his left middle finger, a shin injury that required 10 stitches, and a knee injury from diving for a ground ball. However, he still played in 157 games. Clement brings stability and a solid glove to second base for the Blue Jays. View full article

Eloy Jiménez was once a promising rookie, blasting 31 home runs in his MLB debut in 2019, but injuries and poor production since then have made him an afterthought. He spent last season in Triple A, mainly with the Tampa Bay Rays' affiliate. He was released in July and signed by the Toronto Blue Jays in September to play in Triple-A Buffalo. The now-29-year-old played in six games with the Bisons before the season ended. Over 215 combined plate appearances last season, he hit three home runs, scored 17 runs, and knocked in 30. Despite his 82 wRC+ in the minors last season, the Blue Jays decided to bring him back for another year. Jiménez has been hot this spring, slashing .321/.367/.536 with a 131 wRC+ over 30 plate appearances. However, even with that strong start, he will likely begin the season in Triple A. According to Blue Jays insider Arden Zwelling of SportsNet, Jiménez is open to that possibility. Zwelling said on his podcast, At The Letters, "It's my understanding that [Jiménez] doesn't have an opt-out at the end of spring training, so he can just go straight to Triple A. And he told me he would go to Triple A." Barring an injury, this is the best move for the Blue Jays. Jiménez has no clear path to playing time as part of the 26-man roster right now. He is a right-handed bat who can play the corner outfield and possibly learn to play first base, but Toronto already has two righty bats on the bench in Davis Schneider and Myles Straw. There's also switch-hitting backup catcher Tyler Heineman, which would make adding a fourth right-handed bat highly problematic for lineup flexibility. Schneider has two options remaining, but he is the only bench infielder currently projected to make the 26-man roster. That said, he could be sent down to open a spot on the bench for Jiménez with the thought that Addison Barger or Ernie Clement could be the infield utility option if needed. Straw is in the last year of the five-year, $25 million contract he signed in 2022 with the Cleveland Guardians. He has too much MLB service time to be sent down to the minors. That makes Nathan Lukes, who has one option year remaining, the only other player Jiménez could replace. Lukes is a left-handed hitter, though, and the Blue Jays would have very little left-handed depth on the bench if Lukes were sent down, besides the switch-hitting Heineman. So, Jiménez replacing Lukes likely won't happen. The only way for Jiménez to make the Opening Day roster that really makes sense is if we see Schneider sent down to Triple A and Jiménez takes his spot. However, before the 29-year-old could be considered for a job in MLB again, he needs to get his home run swing back. One home run and two RBIs over 30 spring plate appearances isn't the way to prove that you're ready to play at the highest level. View full article

The Toronto Blue Jays have been aggressive this offseason to bolster their team in hopes of making another run at a World Series trip, but with a different outcome. The starting rotation was a focus after finishing last season ranked 20th in ERA (4.34), 17th in WHIP (1.27), and 14th in strikeouts (786). They made an early splash by signing the best free agent starter available, Dylan Cease. The team then followed that move by bringing Cody Ponce back to America after spending the last four seasons overseas. He's fresh off finishing as the KBO League MVP last season, posting a 17-1 record, 1.89 ERA, and a KBO single-season record of 252 strikeouts over 180 2/3 innings. Both additions join a rotation of familiar faces, with Shane Bieber exercising his player option to return and Max Scherzer recently re-signing. The only loss in the rotation was Chris Bassitt signing a free agency contract with AL East foe Baltimore Orioles. With most of the starting rotation still intact after finishing in the bottom half of most stats, each pitcher could make improvements to ensure better performance this season. It's unclear who will be in the rotation and if it'll start as a six-man rotation or the traditional five-man arsenal. There is still time for John Schneider to assess their performances and see if injuries play out. In the meantime, let's take a look at the possibilities and identify a tweak to improve each of their past performances. This article was inspired by Randy Holt's piece about Cubs hitters on our sister site North Side Baseball. Kevin Gausman: Efficiency Kevin Gausman is a prototypical workhorse, throwing at least 170 innings in eight of the last 10 seasons. That amount of innings takes a significant toll on a pitcher, especially for a 35-year-old. One thing Gausman has struggled with is going deep into games. So he's throwing more pitches but failing to make it into the seventh inning. In his 32 starts last regular season, he pitched seven or more complete innings only 10 times. Even more alarming is that, over his 193 innings, he faced 775 batters. The number of batters is greater than the 748 batters two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal faced over 195 1/3 innings. If Gausman wants to be considered among the elite pitchers, he needs to find a way to throw fewer pitches but more innings. With the Blue Jays' bullpen struggles last season, one way to ease the stress on the bullpen is to have your ace throw deeper into games. Dylan Cease: Control The Blue Jays have paired one workhorse in Gausman with another. Cease has thrown 165 or more innings in each of the last five seasons. He's phenomenal at striking out batters, as he's the only pitcher with more than 200 strikeouts in each season over the same time span. However, he's been inconsistent in throwing strikes over his career. Last season, he finished in the 20th percentile in walk percentage, which he's only surpassed twice in his seven-year career. Despite his 9.8 walk percentage and 4.55 ERA last season, the righty had an expected ERA of 3.45. Meaning he pitched better than his ERA suggests by eliminating poor defense and poor luck. Cease brings an elite arm to Toronto, but fans should expect some inconsistency. Trey Yesavage: Workload Management It's evident from Trey Yesavage's postseason performance that the Blue Jays have a young star in their midst. The important thing for him and the team is keeping him healthy. Last season was the first of Yesavage's professional career, where he threw 139 2/3 innings between the minors and MLB in the regular season and postseason. The 22-year-old will begin this season as the number three starter for the Blue Jays, but the team will need to monitor his workload. A midseason adjustment to Yesavage's pitching schedule could help lessen his workload, including skipping a start here and there or stretching out the days between starts. José Berríos: Find Success the Third Time Through the Order José Berríos's struggles last season came the further he pitched into a game. He posted a 3.12 ERA in 66 1/3 innings, facing the batting order for the first time. His ERA dipped to 3.52 over 61 1/3 innings during the second time through, then rose to 6.69 over 36 1/3 innings during the third time through. These struggles deeper into games have been a common occurrence for the 31-year-old over his career, but the discrepancy hasn't been as drastic as it was last season. Maybe that was due to the biceps tendon injury he suffered this time last season, but he pitched through. Obviously, a third time through the lineup, a pitcher won't be as sharp, but having a 3.17 difference in ERA from the second to third time through the lineup is too large to ignore. Berríos is healthy now and ready for a rebound season, but his role remains uncertain to start the season. His role will likely depend on how long Shane Bieber is unavailable and how Ponce is used. Cody Ponce: Maintain KBO Success in MLB To go from a career MLB ERA of 5.86 to achieving one of the greatest seasons a KBO pitcher has ever had, you'd need to tweak your pitches and mechanics. In 2021 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Ponce's four-seam fastball averaged 93.2 mph. However, he raised that average to 95.5 mph and topped out at 98 last season. With the increased velocity, the 31-year-old added a new kick changeup that ranges in the mid-to-high 80s. These two pitch adjustments round out a five-pitch arsenal that includes a cutter, slider, and curverball. Ponce was also able to increase his ground ball rate to 45.7 percent, which was a 5.3 percent increase from the last time he threw in MLB. He's slotted in as the number five starter, but he could also be useful coming out of the bullpen with the arsenal he throws. Eric Lauer: Leverage Breaking Balls With Two Strikes Eric Lauer's flexibility was clutch for the Toronto Blue Jays' pitching staff last season. He posted a 3.77 ERA over 74 innings as a starter and a 1.76 ERA over 30 2/3 innings in relief. However, some of his success can be attributed to the increase in put-away percentage that he brought back over from a brief KBO stint in 2024. Lauer isn't a fireballer by any means; his fastball averages 91.7 mph, his curveball sits around the mid-70s, and his cutter, slider, and changeup range in the mid-80s. When you aren't a high-speed pitcher, you need to rely on your mechanics and off-speed movement to be deceptive and miss bats. In 2023, while with the Milwaukee Brewers, Lauer struck out 43 batters over 46 2/3 innings. He relied heavily on his four-seam fastball and cutter to miss bats. The lefty threw these pitches 78.5 percent of the time and had a 20 percent put-away rate for both pitches. Lauer's off-speed pitches are where his put-away percentage drastically fell, producing far below-average rates. His curveball put away batters at a 10 percent rate, his slider at a 5.7 percent rate, and his changeup at a 50 percent rate, but he only threw the pitch six times that season. He struggled with the Pirates' and the Houston Astros' Triple-A teams in 2024, which led to a move to the KBO. While overseas, he leaned on his cutter less often (20.5 percent) and relied on his breaking balls to get his strikeouts. His curveball's put-away percentage jumped to 23.2 percent, and the slider increased to 24.3 percent. Both are drastic improvements over his 2023 production. Lauer also threw 128 more changeups, but surprisingly, his put-away percentage was only 2.2 percent. The increase in put-away stuff led to 102 strikeouts over 104 2/3 innings. Regardless of what role Lauer plays this season, he will need to continue leaning on his breaking balls late in counts to keep batters off balance and miss bats. Shane Bieber: Continue Developing the Changeup The changeup had been an afterthought in Shane Bieber's five-pitch arsenal before the 2024 season. In his first six MLB seasons, he never threw the offspeed pitch more than nine percent of the time. During this period, he used the pitch primarily against left-handed batters because he could keep the ball hidden, and it dropped off the table due to its lower spin rate compared to his other pitches. Bieber threw the pitch 568 times to lefties compared to 43 times to righties. Last season, he started mixing in his changeup against batters on both sides of the plate more frequently (57 times to lefties and 26 times to righties). The increase in the pitch amount led to a 38.2 whiff percentage, his highest amount among all five pitches. His arm slot hides the ball from hitters, and the 1,396 spin rate makes the pitch drop as it reaches the plate. This rpm is drastically lower than Bieber's four-seam fastball (2,414 rpm) and the slider (2,611 rpm). Bieber is 30 years old, which means his velocity will start to decline, though he averages only 92.6 mph on his fastball. This suspected decline will force the righty to lean on his changeup more than 13 percent of the time. Bieber is dealing with forearm fatigue this offseason and won't start the season on the Opening Day roster. However, he's not expected to miss a significant amount of time. Max Scherzer: Bring the Mad Max Mentality Back Let's be honest, when it comes to a 41-year-old pitcher, there really aren't any major improvements you can ask for. At this point in a player's career, fans can only ask for a glimpse of the player's successful self. Last season, he threw 85 innings but posted his worst career ERA (5.19). Despite the ERA increase, Scherzer's velocity remained in line with his 2017 level, the last time he won a Cy Young Award. The Blue Jays aren't expecting him to post Cy Young statistics; they only need him to stay healthy and give them innings when needed. It's uncertain what role Scherzer will have this season, but he can start games or join the bullpen. The Blue Jays will ease him into the season due to his age and the lack of urgency to use his arm. One thing the three-time Cy Young Award winner can control is his fiery mentality. This passion can be contagious, giving the rest of the team a boost. That's about all you can expect from a guy who has been in the big leagues since 2008. View full article

The Toronto Blue Jays seemed to have their starting rotation set. Then they decided to bring back a familiar face from last season. Max Scherzer has reunited with the Blue Jays on a one-year, $3 million contract. The three-time Cy Young Award winner is returning for his 19th MLB season. The addition of Scherzer was likely made to replenish the depth that took a hit after the news that Bowden Francis underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery and Shane Bieber, dealing with forearm fatigue, would miss the start of the season. Scherzer had been the definition of a workhorse before the 2024 season, when injuries held him to only nine starts. Before that season, the righty had pitched a minimum of 145 innings in each season from 2009 through 2023 (excluding the shortened 2020 season). The injuries he sustained in 2024 were complications from an offseason surgery to repair a herniated disc in his lower back. He returned to the big leagues on June 23, but his eight starts before going back on the injury list were marred by shoulder fatigue. Mad Max would make one more start on September 14 before his season was shut down due to a hamstring injury. Last season, he made one start to begin the season before he suffered a thumb injury that forced him to miss 75 games. He returned to the Blue Jays on June 30; however, he'd miss more time in July with the same injury. The injuries persisted, as back tightness forced Scherzer to take a step back in September. When the 41-year-old was healthy in 2025, he pitched 85 innings, posting an ERA above 4.00 for the first time since 2011. He finished last season with a 5.19 ERA and an 82:23 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The struggles and late-season injuries forced the Blue Jays to hold him out of the ALDS, though the emergence of Trey Yesavage helped ease that decision. However, Scherzer came up clutch in the ALCS, pitching 5 2/3 innings of two-run ball in Game 4, which evened the series against the Seattle Mariners. Scherzer's offseason has been focused on getting healthy. He received interest from a few other teams, but his daughter's wish came true regarding his eventual destination. With a 10-out-of-10 rating on the cuteness scale, his eight-year-old daughter wrote a letter to the Blue Jays in December asking them to re-sign her daddy. She has a strong future if she decides to become a sports agent. In her letter, she wrote: "Dear Blue Jays, I am so sorry that you didn't win the World Series. I hope that you win next time. I hope my dad is back on the team. My whole family loves spending time in Toronto with our dad. We loved the aquarium, CN Tower, and of course, the stadium. I am looking forward to coming back next season. Love, Max Scherzer's daughter" Although Scherzer signed for only $3 million, he can earn an additional $10 million in incentives based on the number of innings he throws. The incentive ladder begins with an extra $1 million for throwing 65 innings, and for every 10 additional innings thrown, he earns another $1 million. This ladder goes all the way to 155 innings, with that threshold being the last rung. Even a total salary of $13 million would be a discount if Scherzer can offer a glimpse of his Cy Young Award form. The major question regarding the righty is: If healthy, what expectations can Blue Jays fans have? Despite being 41, Scherzer hasn't lost velocity in his five-pitch arsenal; in fact, some of his pitches have gained speed compared to his 2023 season. Below is a table showing the difference in average pitch speed and BA against on his various pitches from the 2017 season, when he won the Cy Young Award; the 2023 season, when he last pitched 140 innings; and last season. 2017 2023 2025 Pitch type MPH BA Pitch type MPH BA Pitch type MPH BA Four-Seam 94.0 .237 Four-Seam 93.7 .255 Four-Seam 93.6 .248 Slider 85.4 .129 Slider 84.0 .250 Slider 86.3 .240 Changeup 84.6 .110 Changeup 83.8 .207 Changeup 84.9 .279 Curveball 77.4 .200 Curveball 75.4 .187 Curveball 76.7 .349 Cutter 87.9 .111 Cutter 88.4 .135 Cutter 88.1 .250 These numbers, which come from Baseball Savant, show that Scherzer still has the stuff to be successful at a high level. However, his BAA in 2023 and again in 2025 was worse on most of his offerings, with the exceptions being his fastball and slider in 2025, which improved slightly compared to 2023. Considering his injury struggles over the last two seasons, it is a luxury for the Blue Jays that they can ease him back into the starting rotation. However, even when he's healthy, it’s possibly the righty may best serve the team by moving to the bullpen. The Blue Jays look to have one of the best starting rotations among all MLB teams, with Kevin Gausman, Dylan Cease, Trey Yesavage, José Berríos, and Cody Ponce. Plus, they have Eric Lauer, who performed exceptionally well as a starter last season, waiting in the bullpen. As a starter in 2025, Lauer pitched 75 innings with a 3.77 ERA and a 74:18 strikeout-to-walk ratio. That said, he was far better as a reliever, posting a 1.76 ERA and 28:8 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 30 2/3 innings. The team also has Bieber, who isn't expected to miss much of the season. The Scherzer addition may mean either Berríos or Lauer gets traded to free up space, or that Scherzer will be a long reliever when he’s ready to pitch. Regardless of how everything plays out, the Blue Jays hit this signing out of the park. It'll be interesting to see how manager John Schneider plays all his pieces. One thing is for certain: The Blue Jays reloaded well, and with the talent they have, they should be at the top of the standings all season long. View full article

The Toronto Blue Jays rode their narrow World Series defeat into an aggressive offseason push. Their front office put the pedal to the metal and hasn't let up. Sadly, though, for a third straight year, they pursued the top free agent available, only to be outbid by a bigger-market foe. This time, it was Kyle Tucker; it seemed he was choosing between the Blue Jays and the New York Mets before the Los Angeles Dodgers swooped in. The Mets then quickly signed Bo Bichette before a reunion in Toronto could come together. Despite those two swings and misses, the Blue Jays still flexed their financial muscles over the offseason. They beefed up their pitching staff by signing Dylan Cease, Tyler Rogers, and Cody Ponce. Offensively, the Blue Jays needed power bats, so they went overseas to sign Kazuma Okamoto, then traded for Jesús Sánchez. These acquisitions bolster a team that was already strong, but the bullpen could have used an upgrade at the closer position. Jeff Hoffman struggled mightily in his first full season as the ninth-inning arm. He posted a 4.37 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over 68 innings. The righty also allowed 15 home runs, the second most in his 10-year career, as well as a one-out solo home run to Miguel Rojas in the top of the ninth to tie up Game 7 of the World Series. Hoffman will likely resume his duties as the closer, but things could change during spring training. The Blue Jays have shown a willingness to improve, but are they a better team than the one that was two outs away from ending its 32-year World Series drought? They may not have added the big name that fans desired, but yes, the Blue Jays are a better team. Grading Every Blue Jays Offseason Move Free Agent Signing: Dylan Cease for seven years, $210 million The Blue Jays quickly found their weapon to bolster their pitching staff. This signing is the largest free agent deal in Blue Jays history, surpassing George Springer's six-year, $150 million contract during the 2020-21 offseason. Of course, both contracts are modest compared to Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s monstrous $500 million extension. The big question is, did the Blue Jays overpay for a 30-year-old pitcher with control issues? The righty brings a powerful arm that has been durable over his last five seasons. In each of those seasons, Cease has struck out more than 210 batters. Though he has the skills to strike out batters, he struggles with his control, averaging 3.68 walks per nine innings over this time span. Walks weren't the only issue, with his ERA fluctuating from 3.47 to 4.58 in four of the five seasons, excluding his 2022 campaign, in which he pitched like a genuine ace and posted a 2.20 ERA. Up-and-down surface-level performances mean the fireballer has never earned an MLB All-Star appearance. Yet, Cease was the best starting pitcher available this offseason, and to acquire him quickly, the Blue Jays had to pay him more than expected. His $30 million annual salary is more than Max Fried's ($27.25 million) and Garrett Crochet's ($28.33 million) annual salaries, both of whom signed their deals last offseason. This comparison makes Cease's contract look like an overpayment for a pitcher who has never won a postseason start (four appearances) with an 8.74 ERA in October. The Blue Jays already had a strong starting rotation returning, so adding Cease wasn't a priority. An arm was needed to allow Eric Lauer to return to a long-relief role, though. All season, the question will be: Could the team have acquired Tucker if they had saved some of the money Cease received by, say, adding someone like Ranger Suárez instead? Suárez signed a five-year contract worth $130 million ($26 million annually) and has posted extremely comparable numbers to Cease, though Suárez doesn't have the durability or the strikeout skills that Cease possesses. The Blue Jays acquired the better pitcher, but if their power numbers don't improve from last season (11th in home runs), fans will wonder what might have happened if Tucker had landed in Toronto. Signing Grade: B+ Free Agent Signing: Cody Ponce for three years, $30 million If Ponce can maintain the excellence that he displayed in Korea last season, then the Blue Jays hit a home run with this free agent signing. Last season, he won the KBO MVP Award after striking out 252 batters and posting a 1.89 ERA over 180 2/3 innings. The 31-year-old does come with some reason for hesitation, though. Ponce's last time pitching in MLB was in 2021 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, when he posted a 7.04 ERA and a 36:11 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 38 1/3 innings. In between his time in MLB and the KBO, Ponce tried his hand in Japan. He was solid in 2022 and '23, posting ERAs of 3.35 and 3.66, respectively, but in 2024 the wheels fell off. During that season, he posted a 6.72 ERA and only struck out 56 batters across 67 innings. The KBO is known for having great contact hitters, so for Ponce to post a 36 percent strikeout rate, a 0.94 WHIP, and hold batters to a .197 batting average against him was quite the feat. There's little pressure on Ponce in his return to MLB, as the Blue Jays just need him to be a quality back-of-the-rotation pitcher. Kevin Gausman, Cease, rookie phenom Trey Yesavage, and (hopefully) Shane Bieber should be the top-end arms. Signing Grade: B Rule 5 Draft Pick: Spencer Miles The Blue Jays selected Miles in the Rule 5 draft this offseason from the San Francisco Giants. Although he was drafted in 2022, the righty has only thrown 14 2/3 innings in the minor leagues. The injury bug has been the 25-year-old's worst nightmare. He missed the entire 2023 season, needing back surgery, and only pitched seven innings in 2024 before requiring Tommy John surgery. The injury situation makes selecting Miles a low-risk, high-reward move for the Blue Jays. This acquisition only cost the team $100,000 to have a look at a right-handed pitcher who can throw a mid-to-upper 90s fastball that sinks before reaching the plate, resulting in groundballs. The prospect returned last season to throw in the Arizona Fall League, where he struck out 12 batters in 8 2/3 innings. As a Rule 5 pick, Miles will need to be on the Blue Jays' active 26-man roster all season long or else be offered back to the Giants. He will face competition from Angel Bastardo, who is in the same situation as another Rule 5 pick in Blue Jays camp. They won't both make the Opening Day roster, making spring training a head-to-head battle for a roster spot. However, with the Blue Jays' bullpen depth, it's possible neither prospect makes the team out of camp. That said, the news that Yimi García will miss the beginning of the season may have opened the door for Miles or Bastardo to break camp with the Blue Jays. The pressure just intensified for the two prospects. Signing Grade: N/A (minor move) Trade: Chase Lee for Johan Simon Lee was acquired in a trade with the Detroit Tigers. The swap occurred because the Tigers needed to move Lee to open a spot on their 40-man roster after signing Kyle Finnegan. The 27-year-old reliever gives the Blue Jays another bullpen depth arm with MLB experience. Lee is a sidearmer who posted a 4.10 ERA and 36 strikeouts over 37 1/3 innings last season in his MLB debut. It's a good trade for the Blue Jays to acquire depth in the bullpen after they struggled in that department in 2025. Their bullpen finished 16th in ERA (3.98) and 14th in WHIP (1.28) among MLB teams. Simon is only three years younger than Lee, but he spent three seasons in Rookie ball before finally advancing to Single A, High A, and Double A last season. So, the Blue Jays didn't give up much value to acquire an MLB-ready bullpen arm with the potential to play a significant role. Signing Grade: N/A (minor move) Free Agent Signing: Tyler Rogers for three years, $37 million Acquiring Rogers may wind up being the most impactful offseason move during this upcoming campaign. The Blue Jays' bullpen's 2025 struggles that I mentioned above make the signing of Rogers monumental. He was consistently outstanding throughout his seven-year career with the San Francisco Giants, before being traded to the New York Mets at last season's trade deadline. He continued to shine in New York. In 2025, Rogers posted a 1.98 ERA, a 0.94 WHIP, and a 38:4 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 77 1/3 innings. His success is due to his insanely low release point (1.33 feet off the ground). The submarine pitcher will continue to pitch in the setup role in which he's been highly effective throughout his career. In his seven seasons, he's converted 154 of 168 hold opportunities. This is the kind of stability the Blue Jays desperately needed in their bullpen last season, especially late in games. Signing Grade: A+ (Is there a grade higher than A+?) Free Agent Signing: Kazuma Okamoto for four years, $60 million The Blue Jays' power numbers last season left much to be desired. They finished in the top five among MLB teams in most offensive categories; however, they tied for 11th in home runs (191). Before they traded for Sánchez, Okamoto was the only power bat the Blue Jays added this offseason. He does bring a big bat with him over from Japan, where he's hit more than 30 home runs in six out of the last eight seasons. He was on pace to exceed 30 long balls last season, with 15 halfway through the season, but injuries derailed that plan. Okamoto will be compared to Bichette all season long. Offensively, the former should provide more power, even if the latter is the better hitter overall. However, defensively, the Japanese slugger holds a massive edge. Bichette's glove was a liability; he was tied for the worst outs above average (-13) among all MLB shortstops last season. Okamoto will be handling third base, but he can also handle first base if Guerrero needs a day off or a DH day. The main question revolving around Okamoto is how quickly he will adjust to the American game and pitchers. Signing Grade: A- Trade: Jesús Sánchez for Joey Loperfido The Blue Jays desperately needed a power bat after Anthony Santander underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder; he is expected to be out for five to six months. The trade cost the Blue Jays a promising player with future value, but it was a necessary move. Sánchez had played six seasons with the Miami Marlins before being sent to the Houston Astros at last season's trade deadline. He's not the biggest power bat to have in the lineup, with between 13 and 18 home runs in each of the last five seasons, but the potential he possesses is why the Blue Jays acquired the right-handed bat. Sánchez ranked in the 93rd percentile last season in average bat speed (75.9 mph). This metric shows he's not going to get cheated on a swing. History tells us he'll probably only hit 15 home runs, but there might not be anyone else on the roster (besides Guerrero) that offers this kind of power potential. Sánchez closely resembles Addison Barger at the plate. Losing the switch-hitting Santander does hurt the lineup's flexibility, but the Blue Jays gained another weapon against right-handed pitchers. Sánchez will platoon with Davis Schneider or Myles Straw, and with the Blue Jays wanting to keep their World Series momentum going, acquiring a bat like Sánchez was a smart move. Trade Grade: B Blue Jays Offseason Overall Grade: A- View full article

Max Scherzer has had an exceptional 18-year career, which includes three Cy Young Awards. However, his first season with the Toronto Blue Jays didn't live up to Mad Max's standards. He suffered a career-worst ERA (5.19) and his second-worst WHIP (1.29), and an injury was an issue. The 41-year-old made one start last season before going on the 60-day injury list with right thumb inflammation. Scherzer would return in late June, but he just wasn't his usual self. His up-and-down performance could have been due to the thumb injury or simply to the fact that he was 40. Despite the struggles, he still looked like his fiery self at times, including in a World Series Game 7 start, in which he threw 4 1/3 innings of one-run baseball against the Los Angeles Dodgers. News regarding Scherzer has been limited this offseason, as expected for a player of his age, but things may be heating up. Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet has reported, "The Blue Jays' talks with Max Scherzer have gotten more serious in the last week." This comes a day after the news that Shane Bieber, who will start the season on the injured list, is hoping to begin throwing off a mound in the next week or two. The Blue Jays have a loaded starting rotation, even with Bieber not throwing yet. Kevin Gausman, Dylan Cease, Trey Yesavage, José Berríos, and Cody Ponce currently form their starting five, with Eric Lauer available as depth. So, it will be interesting to see how the rotation works out if Scherzer is added. Will Ponce get moved to the bullpen, or will Berríos be traded? There are many different ways the Blue Jays could utilize Scherzer. View full rumor