Leo Morgenstern

On Monday, the Baseball Writers Association of America announced the top three vote-getters for each of its five awards: MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, Manager of the Year, and the brand-new Relief Pitcher of the Year. While no Blue Jays made the podium for MVP, RotY, or MotY, Dylan Cease and Louis Varland were named "finalists" for the Cy Young and the inaugural Relief Pitcher of the Year Award, respectively. The winners of both awards will be announced on Wednesday, November 11. Cease is likely to finish as the Cy Young runner-up, behind the Yankees' Cam Schlittler and ahead of the Guardians' Parker Messick. Varland has a better chance to win his award, unless it turns out the BBWAA voters value saves significantly more than anything else. Fellow finalists Bryan Baker of the Rays and Cade Smith of the Guardians tied for the MLB lead in saves, but Varland outperformed both of them in almost every other category. View full rumor

Earlier this week, Mike LeSage wrote about all the familiar faces on DiamondCentric's list of the top free agents. It got me thinking about three of them in particular: All-Star starters Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, and Max Scherzer. The Blue Jays' priority this winter will be upgrading an offense that finished last in MLB in runs and home runs. However, Ross Atkins will also look to lengthen a starting rotation that weathered more than a dozen IL stints in 2026. With Scherzer, Bieber, Patrick Corbin, and Jameson Taillon soon to hit free agency, the Jays will be short on proven big league arms. Dylan Cease, José Soriano, and Trey Yesavage make a strong top three. Hopefully, Cody Ponce will be healthy and ready to slot in as the No. 4 next March, but even he is a question mark. And after Ponce, the question marks only get bigger. Spencer Arrighetti. Ricky Tiedeman. Bowden Francis. Jake Bloss. Chad Dallas. That's a lot of depth, but it's still not enough, especially since José Berríos will be out recovering from his Tommy John surgery until mid-season. So, there's a high likelihood the Jays will add at least one experienced MLB starter this winter. It could be someone we've never seen in Blue Jays blue before. It could be an old friend like Chris Bassitt or Robbie Ray. But just for fun, let's say it's going to be someone who pitched for Toronto in 2025 and '26. If that's the case, should it be Gausman, Bieber, or Scherzer? I think you could make a compelling case for all three. The Case for Kevin Gausman If I were betting on one of these pitchers to have the best season in 2027, Gausman would be the easy choice. I wouldn't be shocked if Bieber turned in a sharper performance, but the odds are stacked against him, considering he hasn't pitched a full season since 2022. Gausman is Mr. Reliable. He made at least 31 starts in all five years of his $110 million contract, and he hasn't been on the injured list since 2019. By ERA, 2026 was his worst season since that injury-plagued 2019 campaign. However, his peripheral numbers were as strong as ever. In short, Gausman is easily the most valuable of these three pitchers. Indeed, of anyone available on the free agent market, I think he might be the best bet to give a team 30-plus above-average starts. The question is whether that's the kind of player the Blue Jays want to spend their money on. Gausman will be seeking an annual salary near $20 million and at least a two-year commitment. That's significantly more than Scherzer or Bieber will command. Now, I'm not saying the Jays can't afford to re-sign Gausman. Of course they can. But even Rogers' money isn't infinite, and Ross Atkins might prefer to direct more of his resources toward the offense. So, whether or not Gausman makes sense depends on how confident the Jays are in their internal starting pitching options. After the season we just lived through, I would happily welcome Gausman back in 2027. But if you have more confidence than I do in guys like Ponce, Arrighetti, Tiedemann, and Berríos, I can understand why you might see Gausman as superfluous. The Case for Max Scherzer Scherzer battled through numerous injuries to give the Blue Jays 35 starts across his age-40 and 41 campaigns. He was far more valuable to the team than his 9-14 record, 5.46 ERA, and 0.7 fWAR would have you believe. Not only was he beloved within the clubhouse, but he quickly connected with the fans, who were thrilled to watch a legendary pitcher polish his Hall of Fame resume in Toronto. Scherzer has not yet confirmed that he'll try to play in 2027, but if he does, he can continue compiling counting stats. Most notably, he has a good shot at moving up a few more spots on the all-time strikeouts list. At this point in his career, Scherzer's ceiling is much lower than Gausman's or Bieber's. In terms of on-field production, he really only offers depth. However, for the reasons I laid out above, he's worth more than just his numbers. The Jays can find the kind of production they might be hoping to get from Gausman or Bieber somewhere else, but there aren't any other free agents quite like Scherzer. Furthermore, Scherzer and the Blue Jays could do something similar to what they did last winter, when they stayed in touch throughout the offseason but didn't officially sign a contract until the Jays knew they needed extra depth. Such an arrangement would benefit Scherzer, who might not be capable of pitching a full season at 42, and the Blue Jays, who wouldn't have to make space for him on the roster right away. Signing Scherzer probably only makes sense if the Jays also sign another free agent pitcher, or they're far more confident than we realize in the arms they have at home. Still, there's no such thing as too much pitching depth, and I really want to see Scherzer pass Verlander in career strikeouts. The Case for Shane Bieber In some ways, Bieber is the compromise candidate between Gausman and Scherzer. From 2019-22, Bieber pitched to a 2.91 ERA and 16.0 fWAR in 93 games. He made two All-Star teams and earned Cy Young votes in three of those four seasons, highlighted by a unanimous victory in 2020. At his best, he can lead a rotation just as capably as Gausman. Unfortunately, injuries have thrown his career off course. Unlike Gausman, he isn't in a position to seek a multi-year deal or a $20 million salary. Last offseason, he picked up his $16 million player option instead of collecting a $4 million buyout. In other words, he agreed to stay with Toronto in 2026 for a net payment of $12 million. Now, he's coming off another injury-shortened season, and one in which his performance was much worse. I'm not sure he could even command eight figures. So, with Bieber, you get a player with top-of-the-rotation upside, but his contract could look closer to Scherzer's than Gausman's. That means Bieber is the best target of the three if Ross Atkins doesn't want to spend Gausman-level money on a starting pitcher and he isn't convinced Scherzer has enough left in the tank. Personally, I'm least interested in bringing Bieber back. I wish him the best wherever he signs, but the Jays already have enough promising question marks. What they need now is the kind of insurance that the injury-prone Bieber just can't offer. View full article

Since Alejandro Kirk's rookie campaign in 2021, Blue Jays catchers have averaged just over 5.0 fWAR per year, more than any other team's backstops. This past season was more of the same. Blue Jays catchers produced 4.8 fWAR, the third-most in MLB – despite the fact that Kirk only played in 79 games. That was thanks to a spectacular defensive showing from Brandon Valenzuela. In just over 600 innings, the rookie ranked second among all catchers in FRV and fourth in DRS. So, the Blue Jays will enter 2026 with one of the strongest catching tandems in the sport. Kirk is one of the most well-rounded catchers in the game, and Valenzuela looks like a worthy backup. Yet, as we learned in 2026, having two catchers isn't always enough. That's why I'm starting this year's Depth Check series behind the plate. Starting Catcher: Alejandro Kirk In his worst offensive seasons, Kirk was still an average hitter for his position. At his best, he blends contact skills, plate discipline, and pop into a very productive package. Defensively, he is consistently one of the league's most talented pitch-framers, while his pitch-blocking skills are unparalleled. In 2026, he took to the ABS system naturally, to no surprise. I could easily argue that Kirk is a top-five catcher in baseball. Backup: Brandon Valenzuela If there is any knock on Kirk, it's that he hasn't proven he can consistently handle a heavy workload. The 2025 campaign was the first year in which he started more than 90 games or fielded more than 800 innings. That isn't Kirk's fault; he shared his job with Danny Jansen from 2021-24, and the thumb injury he suffered in 2026 could have happened to anyone. Still, it's worth keeping in mind. Thankfully, Valenzuela's breakout means Kirk's durability is much less of a concern than it could be. Don't get me wrong – the Blue Jays are better off with Kirk's bat in the lineup than Valenzuela's. Kirk uses a sharp eye and great timing to make the most of a slower swing. Valenzuela has yet to show the same skills. However, Valenzuela looked every bit Kirk's equal on the other side of the ball. Valenzuela still needs time to develop in the majors and show us who he really is. That said, I believe in the glove, and I think the Blue Jays do too. I'm more skeptical about his offense, but all things considered, that's low on my list of concerns. When your backup catcher plays Gold Glove-calibre defense, anything he does with the stick is just a bonus. 40-Man Depth Right now, the Blue Jays only have one other catcher on their 40-man roster: 27-year-old Shawn Ross. It's anyone's guess how long they will keep him around – 40-man spots are valuable in November – but for now, he's the third-string catcher. Ross started his pro career with the Pirates and worked his way up their system until he made his MLB debut this past summer. He appeared in two games for Pittsburgh before he was designated for assignment. While he only had one hit in his five trips to the plate, it was a big one. Facing future Blue Jay Jameson Taillon, Ross hit a go-ahead two-run home run, getting his first big league hit, run, RBI, and home run out of the way with one swing. The Mets claimed Ross off waivers in August and subsequently DFA'd him a month later. That's when the Blue Jays swooped in. He caught seven games for Triple-A Buffalo. If I had to guess, I'd say that Ross isn't in the Blue Jays' plans for 2027. It made sense to claim him in September to have some experienced depth around in case of emergency, but he hasn't done enough to hold on to a 40-man roster spot through the offseason. Maybe if he goes unclaimed on waivers, he will return to the Jays on a minor league deal. Rule 5-Eligible Depth The Blue Jays have two catching prospects who will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft this winter: Edward Duran and Jacob Sharp. The Jays acquired Duran from the Marlins in 2022. FanGraphs currently has him ranked as the No. 21 prospect in the organization, with a 40 FV. Before the season, their evaluators praised his framing and arm strength but questioned his bat and other defensive skills. Brendan Gawlowski wrote that he "projects as a solid backup." Unfortunately, the 2026 season was a step backward for Duran. The 22-year-old finished the season with a .605 OPS and 61 wRC+ in 65 games, mostly at High-A Vancouver. He fell off Baseball America's list of the top 30 Blue Jays prospects after their July update, and I wouldn't be surprised if he's lower on the next FanGraphs ranking as well. All of this to say, I would be very surprised if the Blue Jays protected Duran from the Rule 5 draft. He might be ready to debut at some point in 2027, but no other team should be willing to guarantee him a 26-man roster spot. Sharp joined the Jays in 2024. He came over from the Mariners with Jonatan Clase as the return for Yimi García. Now 25, he's about three years older than Duran, and he has more experience at the Double-A level. However, he's never been a ranked prospect. It's highly unlikely he would be selected in the Rule 5 draft, and even if he were, the Jays could stomach that loss. More Minor League Depth Aaron Parker spent the 2026 season with Double-A New Hampshire. He was a three-true-outcomes hitter, knocking 19 homers with a 12.3% walk rate and a 32.3% strikeout rate. It all added up to a 115 wRC+. The 23-year-old is currently playing in the Arizona Fall League, where he's continued to hit well in a handful of games. Parker is a bat-first catcher, which goes against the Blue Jays' MO, but he's probably the closest to MLB-ready of any of the prospects in Toronto's system. We could see him in 2027 if the Jays need an emergency stopgap behind the plate, though I think they're more likely to sign a veteran on a minor league contract to play that role. View full article

The Blue Jays worked Mason Fluharty too hard in 2026. The sophomore made a league-leading 83 appearances. He became one of only three pitchers in the last decade to pitch in more than half the season's games. Fluharty also became the first pitcher since Jonathan Broxton in 2007 to pitch at least 83 games in his age-24 (or younger) campaign. I should be clear that Fluharty was up to the task. He finished the season with a 7-1 record, a 3.30 ERA, and 19 holds. His 2.83 expected ERA (per Statcast) was especially impressive; only five AL pitchers threw more innings with a lower xERA. Even so, it's not sustainable to ask one reliever to take on so much responsibility. While Fluharty's surface-level numbers were stellar in August and September, I grew more and more nervous during his outings later in the season. From March through July, he posted a 27.3% strikeout rate, a 9.6% walk rate, and a 38.6% groundball rate. In August and September, his strikeout rate plummeted to 18.4%, his walk rate climbed to 13.2%, and he induced groundballs at just a 29.4% clip. Somehow, he only gave up two runs in 27 appearances during that stretch, but the signs of fatigue were there. His average arm angle fell as the year went on, and with that, the release point on all three of his pitches dropped and moved farther toward the first base side. That could help to explain why he struggled to locate his pitches and put hitters away. Having said all that... I didn't actually plan to write about Mason Fluharty today. What I really want to discuss are the Blue Jays' other left-handed relievers. Fluharty dominated left-handed hitters this past season. He held them to a .189 wOBA and a 1.83 xERA. That's why John Schneider called on him so often. Well, that and the fact that Schneider didn't have enough other lefty relievers he trusted. So, if the Jays are going to give Fluharty a bit of a break in 2027, they'll need some more left-handers they can count on. Here's my question: Are those lefties already in the building? Brendon Little was Toronto's best southpaw in 2025. He looked completely lost early in 2026, but he figured things out by the end of the year – though you wouldn't know it by looking at his overall numbers. Little's 6.35 ERA and negative fWAR obscure just how good he was in the second half. Post-All-Star break, Little looked every bit as dominant as he was before the break in 2025. In 23.2 innings this July, August, and September, he worked to a 2.28 ERA, a 2.47 xERA, and a 37% strikeout rate. His walk rate was still astronomical, but that's just who Little is. He doesn't need to get his walk rate down – he just needs to rack up enough strikeouts that the walks can't hurt him. Another lefty flashed terrific stuff for Toronto late this past season: Brendan Cellucci. The 28-year-old rookie only threw 8.2 innings, but in that tiny sample, he struck out 11 batters. His four-seam and sweeper made a perfect pair. The Blue Jays aren't going to save a spot for Cellucci on next year's Opening Day roster. Yet, he has earned the right to stick on the roster this winter and compete for a job in the spring. The fact that he has two option years remaining will hurt his chances to break camp, but it's great that the Jays could have some optionable left-handed depth with big strikeout stuff. That description also applied to Ricky Tiedemann, the last piece of this puzzle. The Blue Jays presumably want Tiedemann to stretch out as a starter in 2027. That means he'll probably start the year with Triple-A Buffalo. However, if the big league club needs a new lefty for the bullpen, Tiedemann will be another option they can call on. So, do the Blue Jays need to bring in another left-handed reliever? Well, it all depends on their internal evaluation of Little, but I'm leaning no. Barring an injury or a surprising trade, Fluharty will be on the Opening Day roster next season. Little is out of minor league options, and his stuff is too good for the Jays to just let him go. So, I'm guessing he makes the OD roster too. It will be a bit of a gamble, but giving up on him would be a gamble too. And with Cellucci and Tiedemann as backup plans, I think gambling on Little is the right move. Ross Atkins will still need to look for bullpen depth this offseason. He should hand out several low-risk minor league contracts, and I expect he'll add one veteran on a guaranteed deal as well. Could that veteran be a southpaw? Sure. It's not like the Jays are starved for righty relievers. But I don't think they're going to be seeking a lefty specialist for the middle innings. The guys they already have have got that covered. View full article

The Blue Jays scored 648 runs in 2026. That was the lowest number in the majors this year, and the worst in franchise history (in a full season) since 1980. Of the 25 players who stepped to the plate for Toronto, only seven were above average offensively, according to FanGraphs. Only four reached double-digit home runs. The defense was much better, thanks largely to a phenomenal group of catchers. Still, the Jays' position players finished the season with a mediocre 19.1 fWAR, a huge step back from last year's 32.6. The pitching staff overcame countless injuries to produce postseason-calibre numbers, but the bats couldn't back them up. Of course, the blame doesn't fall on everyone. A handful of Blue Jays hitters still had seasons worth celebrating, and those are the names you'll find below. Read More Toronto Blue Jays 2026 Starter of the Year Toronto Blue Jays 2026 Reliever of the Year Honourable Mentions I came into this exercise planning to pick a top three and a couple of honourable mentions. After thinking back on the season and looking at the numbers, I decided there were only two players who deserved serious consideration to be Jays Centre's Hitter of the Year. All three players I was considering for the bronze medal position on this list felt more like honourable mentions, so that's how I left them. They're listed here in alphabetical order. Brett Bateman 2026 Stats: 41 G, 181 PA, 2 HR, 3 SB, .329/.402/.424, 138 wRC+, +4 FRV, 1.9 fWAR Brett Bateman was a stud for the Blue Jays post-deadline. He hit .329 with 28 runs scored and a 138 wRC+, flashing every tool except for power. His 1.9 fWAR didn't just lead Toronto from the day of his call-up onward – it placed him among the top 20 position players in the league. As terrific as Bateman was, the fact that a rookie who only played a quarter of a season was even in consideration for this list says as much about the Jays' disappointing year as it does about Bateman himself. The kid deserves plenty of praise, but I can't justify anything more than an honorable mention for a player who didn't debut until August 7. Andrés Giménez 2026 Stats: 148 G, 508 PA, 9 HR, 20 SB, .244/.291/.359, 81 wRC+, +16 FRV 2.8 fWAR We technically call this article "Hitter of the Year," but really, it's our award for position players. I needed to mention that here, because Andrés Giménez isn't on this list for what he did with the stick. Rather, he compensated for an 81 wRC+ (sixth-worst among qualified AL hitters) with good baserunning (20 SB) and superb defensive range (19 OAA). In his first full season at shortstop, Giménez ranked third at his position (and top 10 in MLB) with a +16 Fielding Run Value. That helped him finish with 2.8 fWAR, second-most on the Blue Jays. He might have earned that bronze medal I mentioned if it weren't for some other defensive metrics (like DRS and DRP) not being as high on his glovework at short. While FanGraphs will tell you he had about a three-win season, Baseball Reference and Baseball Prospectus put him closer to one-win territory. Nathan Lukes 2026 Stats: 125 G, 450 PA, 10 HR, 1 SB, .277/.327/.387, 102 wRC+, +8 FRV, 2.2 fWAR Nathan Lukes had a solid season. I wish he could have played more of a supporting role, but it's not his fault that he was one of Toronto's better all-around players. Lukes posted a wRC+ just above league average, thanks to his strong splits against righties (and his limited playing time against lefties). He also played strong defense in right field. His range was good, and his arm was dangerous, helping him keep runners honest and mow them down when they dared to test him. Lukes was one of only seven players with 10 or more outfield assists in 2026, and he ranked third in Statcast's arm value metric. Runner-Up: Alejandro Kirk 2026 Stats: 79 G, 313 PA, 10 HR, 1 SB, .278/.351/.415, 114 wRC+, +10 FRV, 2.8 fWAR If it weren't for the broken thumb that shelved him for two months, Alejandro Kirk might have earned the top spot. He essentially repeated his All-Star 2025 season, albeit in three-fifths of the games. Kirk's .767 OPS and 114 wRC+ were well above average for a catcher, while his glove was elite by every measure. Particularly impressive was Kirk's work in the second half. It seemed like his thumb injury was still bothering him in June and early July. After the All-Star break, however, he took off. His 138 wRC+ ranked third among qualified catchers in the second half, while his .851 OPS ranked fourth. Combine that with his strong defense, and he posted 2.5 fWAR post-deadline, second among catchers and 13th in all of MLB. Still just 27 years old, Kirk is one of the best catchers in baseball. The Blue Jays are very fortunate to have him under contract for less than $50 million over the next four years. Hitter of the Year: Kazuma Okamoto 2026 Stats: 156 G, 636 PA, 33 HR, 1 SB, .232/.310/.452, 113 wRC+, -2 FRV, 3.0 fWAR Kazuma Okamoto hit 33 home runs in 2026, more than twice as many as any of his teammates. He also led Toronto in runs, RBI, walks, and every version of position player WAR. The result of it all was the best season Blue Jays fans have seen from a rookie hitter since Eric Hinske. It wasn't all perfect. Okamoto may have set the Blue Jays' rookie home run record, but he also set the franchise record for strikeouts in a season. He missed on nearly one-third of his swings. Yet, he made up for the strikeouts with timely hitting and power to all fields. Sure, he had his ups and downs, but by and large, Okamoto was the one hitter Blue Jays fans could count on throughout the season. And that's why he's Jays Centre's 2026 Toronto Blue Jays Hitter of the Year. View full article

The qualifying offer might not be long for this world. When MLB and the MLBPA agree on a new CBA, they could decide to scrap the qualifying offer system altogether. Yet, for at least one more year, we still have to think about the QO and how it could impact the upcoming free agent class. As a quick refresher, the qualifying offer reflects the average salary of the league's 125 highest-paid players. This year, that number is reportedly $23.15 million. Under the QO system, teams can offer a one-year, $23.15 million contract to any player who becomes a free agent, provided that (a) the player spent the entire preceding season in that team's organization and (b) the player has not received the qualifying offer before. Teams have until the fifth day after the conclusion of the World Series to issue qualifying offers, and players will have until a set date in November to accept or reject the deal. If a player rejects his qualifying offer and signs with a new team, his former club will receive a compensation pick in the next draft. Meanwhile, any team that signs a free agent who rejected the QO will face a penalty in the upcoming draft (and possibly a forfeiture of international bonus pool space as well). The Blue Jays are unlikely to issue any qualifying offers this winter. Six months ago, Daulton Varsho and Shane Bieber both seemed like strong candidates. However, Varsho struggled for four months before Toronto traded him, making the point moot. Bieber started and finished the season on the injured list. He would have had to be amazing in the 11 starts he managed to make to warrant a QO. He wasn't. The good news is Toronto's front office won't have to waste any time debating QO candidates over the next few weeks. The bad news is they can't count on any compensation picks to soften the blow of the penalties they'll face for signing a free agent who rejected a QO elsewhere. As competitive balance tax payors, the Jays would sacrifice their second- and fifth-highest selections in next year's draft, as well as $1 million in international bonus pool space, by signing a QO free agent. That's the price they paid last year when they signed Dylan Cease. Well, except they only actually lost one draft pick. The other pick they technically lost was their compensation pick for Bo Bichette. Bichette rejected a qualifying offer, so when he signed with the Mets, the Blue Jays gained a pick between the fourth and fifth rounds. That would have been the Jays' fifth-highest selection, so it was one of the picks they "lost" for signing Cease. Otherwise, they would have forfeited pick No. 164, which came with $421,300 in bonus pool space, and which they used to draft right-hander Nolan Higgins. This year's free agent class is weak. Moreover, several of the top free agents will be ineligible for the qualifying offer. Some were traded mid-season, like Tarik Skubal. Others have already received it, like Michael King. There are also the NPB stars to consider. Even so, there is a pretty good chance the Jays will sign another QO free agent this winter. They have signed a player who rejected the QO in three of the last four offseasons. This year, Ross Atkins should be as motivated as ever, and he will have plenty of payroll to work with. The Jays have already been linked to Seiya Suzuki, who is a lock to receive the qualifying offer from the Cubs. With that said, the odds of Toronto signing multiple QO free agents are much lower. That's probably for the best. The penalty for signing more than one player who rejected the QO would be the Jays' second-, third-, fifth-, and sixth-highest draft picks, as well as $1 million from their international bonus pool. That would make director of amateur scouting Marc Tramuta's job a whole lot harder next season. Finally, I should note that all of this presumes the QO free agents in question sign before the CBA expires, or that the new CBA doesn't significantly change the QO system. The qualifying offer has survived several CBAs since it was implemented in 2012. Yet, it's not popular with the players' union because it limits star players' earning power. If the new CBA does indeed do away with the qualifying offer, there is a good chance that players who signed before the inevitable lockout will still be tied to draft pick penalties/compensation, while players who waited to sign will not. That's what happened during the 2011-12 offseason, when the league changed the free agent compensation system. The changes were not retroactive, so players who signed before they came into effect were still bound to the old rules. View full article

When I wrote about the Blue Jays' arbitration-eligible players last offseason, I sorted them into categories based on the likelihood of each of them being tendered a contract. This year, I would be at least mildly surprised if the Blue Jays non-tendered any of the arb-eligible players on their roster. So, instead of using discrete categories, I've listed this group of eight in order of how long I think the front office will spend considering their merits and shortcomings before deciding to keep them around. Some of them will warrant a real conversation, while others are complete no-brainers. Salary projections are from MLB Trade Rumors unless otherwise stated. Josh Smith (Arb 2) - Projected Salary: $3.7 million Josh Smith was hot for his first few weeks in Toronto, but he fell back down to earth and finished his season with some pretty atrocious offensive numbers (.203 BA, .611 OPS, 75 wRC+). He's a versatile defender, but his glove isn't good enough to warrant a $3.7 million salary if he's going to keep hitting like that. However, Smith was much more productive in 2024 and '25 (.254 BA, .716 OPS, 107 wRC+). The hope that he can return to that level of performance is what's going to convince the Jays to tender him a contract. Davis Schneider (Arb 1) - Projected Salary: $1.3 million Davis Schneider had a rough year in 2026. The fact that he spent so much of it with Triple-A Buffalo – where he was clearly too good for the competition – makes me think the Jays didn't have a ton of faith that he could turn things around. Still, Schneider has two things working in his favor. One: He remains a fan favourite, even if he's starting to lose his shine. Two: He has another option year left. The Blue Jays learned a lot of lessons about the importance of depth this past season. Schneider won't be guaranteed a spot on the Opening Day roster, but spending a little extra dough to keep him around as insurance is worth it. Meanwhile, cutting him would only further alienate a fan base that's already unhappy. Bowden Francis (Arb 1) - Projected Salary: $1.3 million Just Baseball put out their own arbitration estimates this year, and this was the one case where the difference between their number and MLBTR's number felt notable. Just Baseball projected a $925,000 salary for Bowden Francis, which is about 30% lower than MLBTR's $1.3 million projection. Either way, I think Francis is worth keeping around – he is optionable starting pitching depth with upside – but the Jays will hem and haw a little longer if they think it will take more than a million to retain him. Spencer Arrighetti (Arb 1) - Projected Salary: $1.9 million The Blue Jays traded for Spencer Arrighetti because they needed innings ASAP. At the same time, they knew he was going to be a long-term project. So, despite his struggles in a handful of August and September outings, I don't see the Jays giving up on him this quickly. Besides, even if he doesn't have a higher ceiling to reach, a sub-$2 million price tag for an optionable innings eater with MLB experience is worth it for a team with pockets as deep as Toronto's. Ernie Clement (Arb 2) - Projected Salary: $7.6 million Ernie Clement disappeared in the second half of 2026. Through the All-Star break, Clement was batting .296 with a 109 wRC+. He was the AL's starting second baseman in the All-Star Game (and the AL's top vote-getter!), and that will increase the amount he can expect to receive in arbitration. Yet, post-ASG, Clement hit just .203 with a dismal 36 wRC+. Combine that with his surprisingly poor defensive metrics in his first full season at second, and a non-tender candidate almost starts to emerge. Indeed, if you only looked at the numbers without further context, you might question whether the Jays would want to retain Clement for this much money. He ranked among the 10 worst qualified hitters in OPS, wOBA, and wRC+ this past season. His xwOBA was dead last. He produced -2 DRS and a -1 FRV at second base. The thing is, we're also talking about a player who is only one year removed from posting 3.2 fWAR and 4.3 bWAR in 2025. He is the all-time record holder for hits in a single postseason. And perhaps most importantly, he is utterly beloved by the Blue Jays fan base. The worst-case scenario if they tender him a contract is that the Jays have a slightly overpaid utility player on their roster. The worst-case scenario if they let him go is so much worse. Nathan Lukes (Arb 1) - Projected Salary: $2.1 million In an ideal world, Nathan Lukes plays a little less often than the Jays have asked him to over the last two seasons. Even so, a salary around $2 million is a bargain for a great defensive right fielder who can hold down the heavier half of a platoon. I would keep Lukes around for $2.1 million even if he were just a fourth/fifth outfielder off the bench – and he is significantly more than that. José Soriano (Arb 2) - Projected Salary: $5.6 million José Soriano's first 10 starts with Toronto weren't as successful as either party hoped for, but the Blue Jays didn't trade Arjun Nimmala for 10 starts. Soriano should be a key member of the rotation for the next two seasons. Considering his 3.90 ERA and 7.3 fWAR in just over 500 career innings, a $5.6 million salary is far, far less than Soriano would command on the open market. Louis Varland (Arb 1) - Projected Salary: $3.8 million There is absolutely no question the Blue Jays will tender Louis Varland a contract. I am curious, however, how much money he'll actually end up making. MLBTR's $3.8 million projection would be a nice chunk of change – it's the highest projected salary for any player with less than three years of service time – but I wonder if Varland will seek significantly more. In the 21st century, only two pitchers have thrown more relief innings in a season with a lower ERA: Eric Gagné in 2003 and Blake Treinen in 2018. Gagné sought an $8 million salary in his first year of arbitration eligibility the following winter. The Dodgers countered with $5 million – and won – but still, that was a massive raise, especially in 2004. Treinen was entering his second year of arbitration eligibility, and he sought $6.4 million. He won, setting a new record for the highest second-year raise for an arb-eligible reliever. Varland's case isn't quite the same as either Gagné's or Treinen's. Gagné won the Cy Young. Treinen had a sub-1.00 ERA. But Varland could have something working in his favour that neither Gagné nor Treinen had: the first-ever BBWAA Relief Pitcher of the Year Award. As Tarik Skubal proved last winter, if you ask for an unprecedented salary in arbitration, you might get it. So, will Varland ask for a number that better reflects his talent? View full article

I've already graded the Blue Jays' position players and starting pitchers. Now, I'm finishing the series with the bullpen arms. Toronto ranked third in MLB in bullpen innings, with their relievers averaging 4.23 innings per game. Those relievers also ranked among the top third of teams in ERA, xERA, and FanGraphs WAR. Their 52 saves were the third-most in the majors, behind only the Rays and Brewers, who finished with the best records in their respective leagues. Similarly, the Blue Jays finished third in save percentage, trailing only Aroldis Chapman's Red Sox and Josh Hader's Astros. One Toronto reliever led the AL in ERA and fWAR, while another led the majors in holds. Three Blue Jays ranked among the top 10 relievers in games pitched, including one who led all MLB hurlers with 83 appearances. The last time any pitcher made more appearances in a single season was 2011. It wasn't all sunshine and roses for a Blue Jays bullpen that was often overburdened, but by and large, it was a successful season for the arm barn. Let's get to the grades. Tanner Andrews: B- Andrews made two scoreless appearances in May, then spent the rest of the season in Buffalo. Brendan Cellucci: B+ The 28-year-old rookie was quietly excellent for the Blue Jays in September, pitching 8.2 scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts. Chad Dallas: C+ Dallas threw some innings. Aside from one blow-up outing, he did his job. Lazaro Estrada: C Estrada threw some innings. They were fine. A long IL stint kept him from pitching more. Braydon Fisher: A- I briefly considered being cheeky and grading Fisher as both a starter and a reliever. After all, he started 10 games, he finished 10 games, and he made at least one appearance in every inning from the first to the 11th. The righty is the only pitcher in major league history to pitch at least 75 games in a season, start at least 10 of them, and finish at least 10 of them. And he did all that with a 3.21 ERA and 1.63 WPA. Josh Fleming: C Fleming had some success for Triple-A Buffalo, but he gave up four runs in three innings in his only appearance for Toronto. Mason Fluharty: A Fluharty pitched in more than half of Toronto's games this year, and I only wish he could have pitched in more; the Jays were 46-37 (.554) when he played and 33-46 (.418) when he didn't. The southpaw dominated same-handed hitters, ranking third among AL relievers (min. 50 BF) in wOBA and second in xwOBA against lefties. All told, Fluharty finished with a 7-1 record, 19 holds, and a 3.30 ERA. Tyler Heineman: B Heineman pitched 3.1 innings in 2025, giving up 12 runs on 15 hits. In 2026, he threw another 3.1 frames for the Jays, but this time he only gave up five runs on seven hits. That improvement earns him a solid grade (despite his 13.50 ERA). Jeff Hoffman: B Some blown saves in March and April cost Hoffman the closer's job. Yet, all things considered, his 2026 was an improvement over his 2025. His 3.94 ERA with the Jays was solid, and his underlying numbers were even better. Hayden Juenger: C After several years in the Blue Jays' minor league system, Juenger gave up three runs in one inning during his big league debut. He only pitched one more game for Toronto before he was DFA'd. John Klein: B Klein threw four scoreless innings in his lone outing for the Jays. Chase Lee: C- I was hoping for more from the side-armer. He didn't deliver. Brendon Little: C+ In 2025, Little was dominant through the first half and struggled after the break. This year, it was the other way around. He gave up 11 runs in his first 3.2 innings, then spent most of the next three months in Buffalo. After he rejoined the Jays in the second half, he posted a 2.28 ERA with similarly strong peripherals down the stretch. I struggle to justify a grade above the C-range given his full season numbers, but I'm optimistic about Little heading into 2027. Michael Lorenzen: D+ Lorenzen was not very good for the Blue Jays. Adam Macko: C The Slovakia-born, Alberta-raised lefty made his MLB debut in 2026. Only eight players on this list gave the Jays more innings than Macko. Joe Mantiply: B+ Mantiply was trying to get his career back on track after a dismal 2025. He largely succeeded, pitching to a 3.00 ERA in 27 frames. Spencer Miles: A+ The Toronto Star's Mike Wilner asked Blue Jays players to vote for four team awards: MVP, top pitcher, top rookie, and unsung hero. Miles received votes in all four categories. I can't quite see the argument for Miles over Cease or Varland in the MVP and top pitcher categories, but I'm giving him the same grade as both of them because of how wildly he exceeded expectations. A Rule 5 pick, Miles came into the season with almost no professional experience. He turned in 95.2 innings over 45 games with a 2.63 ERA and 2.0 fWAR. Tommy Nance: B Nance took a step back from his shockingly impressive 2025, but he was perfectly solid in a low-leverage role for the Jays. Before he was traded, he pitched to a 3.82 ERA in 33 innings. José Rodríguez: B Rodríguez made four scoreless appearances in September. I have very little else to say about him. Yariel Rodríguez: D+ It was a rough year for Rodríguez. His ERA and xERA both started with a seven, and his strong numbers at Triple-A Buffalo weren't strong enough to convince the Jays to give him a longer leash in the majors. Then he spent the last three months on the injured list. Tyler Rogers: A+ The rubber-armed Rogers has casually become the game's premier setup man. He has thrown at least 70 innings in each of the last six years, reaching 30 holds in five of them. By ERA, 2026 was his best full season yet, thanks to a career-high groundball rate and a career-best hard-hit rate. Connor Seabold: C Seabold gave up three runs in 3.1 innings for the Blue Jays. Paul Sewald: B+ The former closer made 17 appearances for Toronto. He only gave up one earned run in 14.1 innings of work. Myles Straw: B+ Straw took over as the team's go-to emergency arm after Heineman was traded. He made it through his first three outings without allowing a run before he gave up a homer in his final pitching appearance of the season. Ricky Tiedemann: B+ The former top prospect made his long-awaited big league debut in 2026. He threw six innings in five games and only gave up one run. CJ Van Eyk: C Van Eyk was a human being who pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2026. Louis Varland: A+ Do I even need to explain this one? Varland wasn't just the best reliever on the Blue Jays – he was the best reliever in the American League. He saved 35 games in 37 chances, pitching to a 1.27 ERA. I hate to say it, but if Varland had been the closer from day one, maybe this whole season would have turned out differently. Austin Voth: C Voth was a human being who pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2026. Matt Waldron: C Waldron was a human being who pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2026. (Can you tell I'm getting tired?) Simeon Woods Richardson: B- Woods Richardson was surprisingly effective for the Jays until the wheels came off in his final appearance. View full article

Yesterday, I graded every position player who took at least one plate appearance for the Blue Jays this past season. Today, I'm moving on to the starting pitchers. Eight pitchers made at least one start and at least one relief appearance for the Jays this year. A few more made multi-inning relief appearances following an opener but technically never started a game themselves. For the sake of these report cards, I sorted most of the borderline names into the "reliever" category, with the exception of Spencer Arrighetti. He only started two games for the Jays, but he pitched more than two innings in six of his seven appearances. Below, you'll find all 11 members of Toronto's 2026 starting rotation listed in alphabetical order, with a few lines to explain their grades. Spencer Arrighetti: D The Jays knew Arrighetti was a project when they acquired him, but still, they were hoping to get some solid innings out of him. Instead, he gave up 20 runs in 22.2 frames of work. Shane Bieber: C+ When Bieber exercised his $16 million player option for 2026, many of us celebrated. In hindsight, we should have realized he had some pretty legitimate concerns about his health. There were times when the former Cy Young winner looked like his old self, but his peripherals were concerning, and he only gave the Jays 55.2 innings between stints on the IL. Dylan Cease: A+ Cease led the AL in strikeout rate, home runs per nine, and FIP. He started the All-Star Game in the summer, and he will likely finish as the Cy Young runner-up when awards are announced in the fall. Despite going on the injured list for the first (and second) times in his career, he still qualified for the ERA title for a sixth year in a row. This was an easy A+. Patrick Corbin: C Corbin was a lifesaver for the Jays in April and May. The team was desperate for arms, and he pitched to a 3.65 ERA over his first 10 starts. Of course, regression was inevitable, and the veteran gave up 30 runs over his next 30.2 innings before he suffered a season-ending injury in July. Kevin Gausman: B+ Gausman had some uncharacteristic blow-up outings, but overall, his 4.38 ERA with the Jays was perfectly solid, and his underlying numbers were as strong as usual. Even though he was traded at the deadline, he still finished the year ranked second on the team in innings and strikeouts. Eric Lauer: D Lauer's follow-up to his heroic 2025 campaign in Toronto couldn't have gone worse. After he pitched to a 6.03 ERA in seven games, the Blue Jays designated him for assignment in May. To add insult to injury, he was a solid inning eater for the Dodgers over the rest of the season. Cody Ponce: B- Grading Ponce was easier than I thought. Anything lower than a B- felt unfair. Anything higher than a B- felt unearned. B- it is. Max Scherzer: B- Scherzer and Corbin posted nearly identical numbers, and my expectations for Scherzer coming into the year were higher. So why does he get a higher grade? You know why. Scherzer delivered one of the best performances of the season in Game 162. Whether he retires this offseason or not, that was a game I'll remember for a long time. José Soriano: C+ Even at his best, Soriano never looked spectacular for Toronto. At his worst, he really struggled. I'm still optimistic about Soriano heading into 2027, but his 2026 ended on a rough note that dropped him from the B range to the C range. Jameson Taillon: B- The Blue Jays didn't get much out of Taillon between his two trips to the IL, but he only gave up four runs in 10 innings, and Toronto won all three games he pitched. Trey Yesavage: A- I was hoping for more from Yesavage this year, but it wouldn't be fair to grade his first full season on the standard he set last fall. Twenty starts, 97 strikeouts, and a 3.69 ERA from a 22-year-old rookie deserves an excellent grade. What do you think about my grades? Who would you grade differently? Share your thoughts in the comments, and check back soon to read about the Blue Jays' relievers. View full article

Last week, Nick Nelson of Twins Daily graded every player who appeared for Minnesota this past season. I decided to do the same for the Blue Jays. (Five players appeared for both clubs in 2026. Bragging rights if you can guess all five! Hint: They're all right-handed pitchers.) First up are the position players. Twenty-five guys took at least one plate appearance for the Jays this year, from Kazuma Okamoto, who led the team with 636 PA, to fellow 30-year-old rookie Rudy Martin Jr., who stepped to bat three times. You'll find all 25 players listed below in alphabetical order, with a few lines to explain their grades. Brett Bateman: A+ Even though we saw it coming, it was still disappointing when the Blue Jays traded away beloved veterans Kevin Gausman and Daulton Varsho. Then, somehow, an unheralded prospect named Brett Bateman spent the next two months making those trades look like the best decisions of the season. Bateman was so good that he would have earned an A even if he were a top prospect. The fact that he came out of nowhere to post an .826 OPS and 1.9 fWAR in 41 games is what bumps him up to an A+. Addison Barger: C I really want to give Barger an "incomplete," but I said I'd grade every player, so I'm going to grade every player. His 1-for-22 performance at the plate deserves a D (if not an F), but I'm bumping him up a whole letter grade because he put his body on the line for one of my favorite defensive plays of the season. Daz Cameron: C Cameron didn't do much for the Jays, but he gets a C for one really impressive home run. Jonatan Clase: B It's important to remember that the grading criteria are different for every player. Clase hit two homers in nine games and debuted the home run dragon. That earns him a B from me. Ernie Clement: C- Can I give a player two different grades for the first and second halves of his season? Clement was a deserving All-Star over the first three months of 2026. Then, he struggled so badly in the second half that even a C felt too generous. It pains me to give one of my favourite players such a low grade, but it's precisely because I expected so much more from him that his grade isn't any higher. Clement's .649 OPS and 80 wRC+ ranked fifth-last among qualified AL hitters, and his defensive metrics were surprisingly poor at second base. Andrés Giménez: B Were we hoping to see a little more out of Giménez at the plate? Sure. But let's be realistic. His numbers in 2026 were right in line with his averages from the previous three seasons. I'm not going to penalize Giménez for being the same hitter he has been for years. Besides, he stole 20 bases and played strong defense in his first full season as a shortstop. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: D I really considered going with an F here, but that seemed slightly too harsh. One of my major grading criteria is performance relative to expectations, but I have to remember that Vladdy was still a near-league-average hitter and a good defender at first base. His season wasn't a failure, even if it was a massive disappointment. Tyler Heineman: C+ One way to see Heineman's 2026 is as a massive disappointment compared to his 2025. I prefer to conceptualize it as an inevitable regression to the mean. That's why his grade is higher than you might have expected. I know this isn't how luck *actually* works, but I view this season as the price that Heineman (and the rest of us) had to pay the baseball gods for his ridiculously good 2025 that helped the Jays win the AL East. And while he offered next to nothing at the plate this year, that's true of a lot of backup catchers, and at least his defense was still superb. Eloy Jiménez: C- If I gave Daz Cameron a C, I really should give Jiménez a C as well. But the bar was slightly higher for the former Silver Slugger winner, and I just don't have any memories of his brief stint in Toronto. Sean Keys: C Keys would get an A+ if I were grading minor league seasons. But I'm not. Alejandro Kirk: A I almost gave Kirk an A- because he only played 79 games, but I realize it would be a mistake to penalize him for a freak injury. In the half season he played, Kirk looked just like the player he was in 2025 – in other words, one of the best catchers in baseball. Nathan Lukes: B+ Lukes essentially repeated his 2025 season, reaffirming that he can hold down a semi-regular role as the lefty-batting half of a corner outfield platoon. He earns the "plus" in his grade for leading the American League in Baseball Savant's arm value metric. Rudy Martin Jr.: B- I've been giving most players like Martin a grade in the C range, but what the heck. He earns a slightly higher grade for the feel-good-story aspect of how his Blue Jays tenure started and because I feel bad that an injury ended his long-awaited first taste of the majors so abruptly. Charles McAdoo: B- McAdoo homered in his big league debut and the final game of the season. Most of what happened in the middle was less impressive, but he deserves props for handling himself at so many different positions in his first major league campaign. Kazuma Okamoto: A- Signing Okamoto was one of several great decisions Toronto's front office made last winter. In his first MLB season, the third baseman led the Jays with 33 home runs. His propensity to swing and miss is the only thing that keeps this grade from being even higher. Yohendrick Piñango: C+ Piñango had some memorable moments at the plate... and just as many forgettable moments in the field. Jesús Sánchez: D I still don't agree with the team's decision to cut Sánchez at the end of the season, but the fact that he lost his job has to affect his grade. He was one of the more productive lefty bats in a very thin lineup, but his defense was untenable. Davis Schneider: D+ I was really hoping for a lot more from Schneider this year. He didn't deliver. Josh Smith: B- Smith was great for the Jays after the trade deadline before coming down to earth in the final weeks of the season. His defensive versatility brings him up from a C+ to a B-. Lenyn Sosa: C- Sosa was pretty bad for the Jays, but he only played 28 games, so I don't feel the need to give him a D. George Springer: B Springer isn't Guerrero, and it wouldn't be fair to base his grade on how much worse he played in 2026 than he did the year before. Considering he turned 37 in September, Springer turned in a perfectly solid campaign. I bumped him up from a B- to a B in honour of the fact that he might have just played the last season of a very successful career. Myles Straw: C+ Straw is fast. Very fast. That makes him a valuable player to have on the bench as a pinch runner or defensive replacement. He's going to struggle if he's asked to be more than that, but if you're a team that's asking Straw to play 147 games in a season, that says more about your poor roster construction than Straw himself. Luis Urías: B Urías didn't have a very memorable season with Toronto, but apparently, he posted an .803 OPS and a 122 wRC+ in 25 games before he landed on the IL. So, I feel like he deserves a solid grade. Brandon Valenzuela: A- It was a year of extremes for Valenzuela at the plate. He started slow and finished cold, but he was red-hot for a stretch in the middle. Meanwhile, his defense was consistently excellent from day one. All in all, Valenzuela exceeded expectations in his rookie season, and he was a lifesaver for the Jays while Kirk was on the IL. Daulton Varsho: C+ If I were grading Varsho's full season, he might be in the D range, but thankfully, we don't have to concern ourselves with what he did (or, rather, how little he did) for the Astros. Varsho's overall numbers with the Blue Jays weren't awful, but the power he showed off in 2025 disappeared, and his defense wasn't as stellar as usual. How do you feel about my grades? Are any of them way off? Let me know with a comment, and check back soon to read about the Blue Jays' pitchers. View full article

According to numbers on FanGraphs and Baseball Prospectus, the Blue Jays' playoff odds are down to 0.1%. But what does that really mean? Practically speaking, it means the Jays are toast. Technically speaking, it means that if you simulated the next five days 1,000 times, Toronto would only make the postseason in one of those simulations. In the real world, the next five days will only play out once. But who's to say this isn't the one universe out of 1,000 in which the Blue Jays make a miraculous comeback? Here's what would have to happen for the Jays to pull that off. The Blue Jays Win Out This is a non-negotiable. The Blue Jays have to go 5-0 against the Orioles and the Reds if they want any chance to play in October. If they lose even one of their remaining five games, the best they can finish with is an 81-81 record. That guarantees they would finish behind the Guardians (who already have 82 wins) and the White Sox (who already have 81 wins and hold the tiebreaker over Toronto). No matter which of those teams wins the AL Central in this scenario, the other would finish ahead of the Jays in the Wild Card race. So, one more loss, and the Blue Jays are out. Is this a bad time to mention that they haven't won five games in a row all year? The White Sox Go 0-5 OR the Guardians go 0-5 If the White Sox win even one more game, there's nothing the Blue Jays can do to catch them. The same goes for the Guardians. The good news for Toronto is that one of those clubs gets to win the AL Central. So, only one of them needs to lose all of their remaining games in this hypothetical. Still, that's a lot to hope for. Let's just say every team has a 50-50 chance of winning every game from here on out. The chances of a team winning (or losing) all of its remaining games are 3.125%. That means the chances of one specific team (i.e., the Blue Jays) going 5-0 and one of two specific teams (i.e., the White Sox or Guardians) going 0-5 are less than 0.2%. And there are still two more teams to consider. The Rangers OR the Astros Lose at Least Two More Games The Rangers and Astros are tied at 78-79 – that's one game ahead of the Blue Jays. So, even if the Blue Jays beat the one-in-500 odds and finish ahead of the White Sox and/or Guardians, they also have to finish ahead of the Rangers and/or Astros. One of those Texas clubs can win the AL West. The other (whichever one that might be) is a threat to Toronto. Unfortunately, the Rangers and the Astros would both hold the tiebreaker over the Blue Jays. The Jays lost their season series with the Rangers. As for the Astros, they tied with the Jays in the season series, and in this hypothetical scenario, they would also have the same intra-division record as the Jays (which is the next tiebreaker). However, the Astros would ultimately beat the Jays thanks to tiebreaker number three: intra-league record. All that to say, at least one of the Rangers or Astros cannot reach 82 wins. If both of them hit that number, it's over for the Blue Jays. Once again, if we presume that every team has 50-50 odds in all remaining games, the odds of any team losing at least two out of five are pretty high. The odds that one of two teams will lose at least two out of five games are even higher. Still, it's no guarantee, and that means we have to take Toronto's one-in-500 odds and reduce them even further. Then, of course, we have to remember that the games aren't coin flips. They're real baseball games, and one of them is starting right now. The Blue Jays' playoff odds are long, but they haven't disappeared. So, all we can do now is turn on the game and hope for the best. View full article

The Blue Jays lost to the Orioles on Monday, falling to 3.5 back in the Wild Card race with five games left in their season. If there was a silver lining to last night's events, it was seeing Trey Yesavage pitch the first two innings; he struck out three and generated six whiffs. The righty had not pitched since August 4, when he exited early with a knee injury. This was, in all likelihood, the final outing of his rookie season, but it was reassuring to see him back on the mound for the Jays. Hopefully, he can have a normal offseason and prepare for a full, healthy campaign in 2027. Here's a quick update on some other Blue Jays dealing with injuries during the final week of the season. Brett Bateman Brett Bateman made a sliding catch to end the second inning on Monday. Unfortunately, he landed and rolled over awkwardly on the wet grass in center field. It quickly became clear from his face that something was wrong. The good news is that Bateman's X-rays were negative. The team is calling the injury "right hip discomfort." According to manager John Schneider, Bateman is day-to-day for now (per Keegan Matheson of MLB.com). The Jays will want to exercise caution here, but from Schneider's comments, I'm optimistic Bateman will play again before the season is over. Dylan Cease I'm less optimistic about this one. Dylan Cease would have been lined up to start on Wednesday in Baltimore, but that won't be happening. His shoulder has been bothering him, and a recent MRI revealed inflammation. Speaking to reporters, including Matheson, Cease described the feeling in his shoulder as "heavy and achy." The righty made it clear that it's "just inflammation" – in other words, he's not concerned he'll need surgery. Still, the Blue Jays have to do everything in their power to keep it from getting to that point. So, if I'm being realistic, I think we've seen the last of Cease in 2026. Presuming the team has been eliminated from postseason contention by the time the Jays return to Toronto for their final series, I don't see why they wouldn't shut Cease down. Ensuring that he's healthy for 2027 is just too important. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. left Sunday's game early and did not play last night. He has been nursing some tightness in his lower back. As John Schneider explained, "[Guerrero] was not really getting his normal swing off" on Sunday (per Matheson). Thankfully, this one seems to be another day-to-day situation. Schneider told reporters that "as long as [Guerrero] feels better and isn’t really uncomfortable swinging," he should be back in the Blue Jays' lineup soon. Anthony Santander Things are coming down to the wire for Anthony Santander. The outfielder has been on the injured list all season recovering from shoulder surgery. He's currently on a rehab assignment, and he just played for the Buffalo Bisons in their final three games of the season, going 3-for-10 with four walks and two runs scored. Now, we just have to wait and see if the Jays decide to reinstate him for a brief cameo in 2026. Shane Bieber The Blue Jays are technically still alive in the postseason race. If they somehow make it to the playoffs, Shane Bieber – who's been out since August 20 with teres major inflammation – might be available. However, his regular season is over. View full article