Leo Morgenstern

On Thursday, Blue Jays manager John Schneider revealed that Jose Berríos has been diagnosed with inflammation in his pitching elbow (per MLB.com's Keegan Matheson). Fortunately, no one seems overly concerned, and Berríos will not be shut down from baseball activities. "I've been feeling great and throwing the ball well," Berríos told reporters (including Sportsnet's David Singh). "But the MRI says something, so now we have to take care of that." Indeed, both player and manager seem surprised by the results of the MRI. After all, just a few weeks ago, Berríos spoke about how healthy he was feeling: "Last year, at this time, I had doubt in my mind already. Today, I felt like nothing's on my mind. I'm clear." Schneider was clear to note that it was "different inflammation" than anything Berríos dealt with last season. Whether that's good news or bad news is hard to say. "We're kind of still in the information gathering stage," Schneider explained (per Singh). View full rumor

Trey Yesavage and Ricky Tiedemann are two of the Blue Jays' top pitching prospects. Yesavage will play a key role for Toronto in 2026. Tiedemann could make an impact of his own. Yet, with just over two weeks left until Opening Day, neither has pitched in a spring training contest. The Blue Jays are taking things extra slow with Yesavage to increase the chances that he's strong and healthy when the games matter most. That has meant keeping him out of Grapefruit League play thus far. However, MLB.com's Keegan Matheson reported on Tuesday that the young right-hander will pitch two innings in a minor league spring training game later today. It remains unclear what the plan is after that, but at least Yesavage will finally see some game action. As much as the team wants to protect him, pitching in actual competitive spring training baseball games is necessary if he's going to be ready for the start of the regular season. Meanwhile, Tiedemann was shut down with elbow soreness in late February. Tests came back negative for anything serious, but considering he hasn't pitched since July 2024 (Tommy John surgery), the Jays weren't going to take their chances. The lefty is on the 40-man roster now and has a very good chance to join Toronto's bullpen at some point in 2026, but rushing him back to the mound (and rushing him up to the majors) would be short-sighted. The good news is that, according to Matheson, Tiedemann started throwing again on Monday. He'll need time to ramp up safely, but this is a step in the right direction. He has already been optioned to Triple-A Buffalo, so it's safe to say he's officially ruled out for Opening Day. Still, it might not be long before we see Tiedemann on the mound at the Rogers Centre. View full rumor

Caleb Freeman was getting ready to start the 2026 campaign in the Mexican League before the Blue Jays came calling. After seven years in the White Sox organization, Freeman elected free agency this past fall. He spent a few months on the open market before he landed with the Rieleros de Aguascalientes, but it turns out he won't be playing in Mexico after all. According to his transaction log on MLB.com, the right-hander signed a minor league contract with Toronto earlier this week. Freeman, 28, made his MLB debut with the White Sox in 2025, facing 16 batters over five appearances and recording 10 outs. He struck out three, walked one, and gave up two earned runs on five hits. While the sample was tiny and the results were mediocre, the righty hit 97 mph with his fastball and flashed a genuinely nasty slider against same-handed hitters. With that said, raw stuff has never been the problem for Freeman. His command has always been shaky, and he owns a 14.2% walk rate in his six minor league seasons. While he only walked one of the 16 batters he faced at the big league level in 2025, his 15.7% walk rate in 43 games between Double and Triple A suggests his control issues haven't gone away. Freeman has already been assigned to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, so he will presumably begin the year at Double A. He's an arm to keep in mind should the Blue Jays need a short-term stopgap in the 'pen, but he'll have to cut down on the walks if he wants an extended look in Toronto. View full rumor

Make that 13 players from the Blue Jays organization participating in the World Baseball Classic. Giaconino Lasaracina has two transactions listed on his MLB.com player page. In February, he was named to Team Italy's roster for the World Baseball Classic. A month later, the Toronto Blue Jays signed him to a minor league contract. Lasaracina, 22, was born in Venezuela but evidently has Italian heritage. The righty batter played three seasons of Italian Serie A baseball from 2022-24, slashing .374/.451/.579 (1.030), excellent even by the much higher offensive standards of the Italian Baseball League. That is the extent of his professional experience, at least according to Baseball Reference. He did, however, play for Italy in the 2025 European Baseball Championship. Lasaracina appeared in all seven of Italy's games, leading the team with 13 hits, 15 RBI, and a 1.701 OPS. His dominant offensive showing helped the Italians beat Switzerland, Lithuania, Greece, France, Germany, and Czechia before they lost to the Netherlands (by one run) in the final. The loss, it should be said, came despite Lasaracina's best efforts. He hit six home runs in the tournament, more than any other player, with his last one coming against the Netherlands in the championship game. Lasaracina is listed as a catcher on MLB.com, but he is categorized as an infielder on Team Italy's roster. Meanwhile, the WBSC Europe website describes him as a catcher/infielder/outfielder. According to Baseball Reference, he was primarily a catcher and third baseman in the Italian League, though BR's fielding stats for Serie A are incomplete. He played at least 24 games at third, 23 behind the dish, eight at first base, and nine as a pitcher too, although that only accounts for about two-thirds of his total games played. (For what it's worth, he pitched to a 2.89 ERA with 11 strikeouts in 9.1 IP – though he also walked 13, hit four batters, threw three wild pitches, and gave up seven unearned runs on top of three earned. That’s not a pitching line you see very often!) All that to say, it's not yet clear what position Lasaracina will play in the Blue Jays organization. It would boost his value if he can catch on a regular basis, but based on the available evidence, all I can really say is that it seems like he's a bat-first player. Now, there's a high likelihood Lasaracina never makes the majors. You might never hear his name again. But it's for all the same reasons he's a wild card that his signing is so interesting. It's not every day the Blue Jays ink a 22-year-old international free agent with so little professional experience (and from Italy, no less). It's even more unusual that we get a chance to see such a player perform on one of the game's highest stages so soon after his signing. Lasaracina probably won't be in Team Italy's regular starting lineup, but hopefully, he'll make it into a few first-round games. Here's when and where you might be able to catch him play: Team Italy WBC Pool Play Schedule Date Opponent Start Time Where To Watch March 7 Brazil 1:00 pm ET Sportsnet+ March 8 Great Britain 1:00 pm ET Sportsnet+ March 10 USA 9:00 pm ET Sportsnet 360 March 11 Mexico 7:00 pm ET Sportsnet+ Italy is in Pool A with the USA, Mexico, Great Britain, and Brazil. While the Americans are the heavy favourites in the pool, an Italian team featuring Kyle Teel, Jac Caglianone, Vinnie Pasquantino, Aaron Nola, Michael Lorenzen, and, of course, Giaconino Lasaracina, is a dark horse to upset Mexico and advance to the quarterfinals for the second WBC in a row. It won't be easy, but if Lasaracina can hit anything like he did in last year's European Baseball Championship, it will certainly help the cause. Lasaracina will be even more of a dark horse once he starts his career in affiliated ball, but he, like Team Italy, will be an underdog worth watching. View full article

Fans caught their first glimpse of the roster Canada is bringing to the World Baseball Classic on Tuesday, when Team Canada took on the Blue Jays in a pre-tournament exhibition match. While the Blue Jays came out on top, Team Canada put up one heck of a fight, thanks to an offense led by Josh Naylor, Tyler O'Neill, and Owen Caissie. Altogether, the bats combined for seven runs on 10 hits and five walks. The Canadian pitching wasn't quite as strong, though Adam Macko tossed a scoreless frame. Facing his own team, he gave up a single to Nathan Lukes but erased it by inducing a double play from Daulton Varsho. A groundout from Addison Barger got Macko out of the inning. In addition to Naylor, O'Neill, Caissie, and Macko, more notable players on Team Canada include pitchers Jameson Taillon, Michael Soroka, Cal Quantrill, and James Paxton, as well as position players Bo Naylor, Edouard Julien, and Denzel Clarke. Former Blue Jays Otto Lopez and Phillippe Aumont are also suiting up for the national squad, while four more former Jays are on the coaching staff: manager Ernie Whitt, first base coach Russell Martin, pitching coach Paul Quantrill, and bullpen coach Denis Boucher. Team Canada has never advanced past the first round of the World Baseball Classic before, but the roster they've put together this year has what it takes to change that. Here's everything you need to know about when and how to watch Canada's pool play matchups against Puerto Rico, Colombia, Cuba, and Panama. Team Canada First-Round Schedule (Pool A) Three of Canada's four first-round games will air on Sportsnet. However, to watch their faceoff against Puerto Rico, arguably the most exciting game of them all, you'll have to tune in to Sportsnet One instead. (The Toronto Maple Leafs are playing the Montreal Canadiens that evening in the same time slot.) Date Opponent Start Time Where To Watch March 7 Colombia 11:00 am ET Sportsnet March 8 Panama 7:00 pm ET Sportsnet March 10 Puerto Rico 7:00 pm ET Sportsnet One March 11 Cuba 3:00 pm ET Sportsnet TVA Sports has the rights to Canada's French-language WBC broadcasts, while in the USA, games will air on FOX Sports and its various divisions. More information about how you can watch the WBC from other countries is available on MLB.com. View full article

Veteran left-hander Joe Mantiply re-joined the Blue Jays today, signing a new minor league contract. Unsurprisingly, his deal includes an invitation to spring training. Mantiply, now 35, was a late bloomer. Following several years in the Tigers, Yankees, and Reds organizations, he broke out in his thirties with the Diamondbacks. From 2021-24, he pitched in 236 games for Arizona, putting up a 3.63 ERA and 3.49 xERA. He did an exceptional job of keeping the ball on the ground and limiting home runs. More than half of the batted balls he allowed in those four years were on the ground, and he kept his opponents to just 12 home runs in 820 trips to the plate. The lefty had a strong season in 2024 but struggled terribly in 2025. The D-backs optioned Mantiply in April after he gave up 13 runs and 20 hits over his first eight games. His struggles continued at Triple-A and in his brief return to the majors. Eventually, on June 1, the team for whom he made an All-Star appearance in 2022 and pitched meaningful postseason innings in 2023 released him, less than one year removed from a 75-game, 1.2 fWAR season. After six weeks in the wilderness, Mantiply found a new home in the Blue Jays organization. He looked much more like his old self over two months with Buffalo, producing a 3.45 ERA and 1.90 FIP in 15.2 innings, striking out 19, walking none, and giving up just one home run. Presumably, Mantiply was hoping to parlay that strong finish into a major league deal. Evidently, however, he was unable to land a guaranteed contract, so he chose to re-up with the organization that bought stock in him last summer. He will most likely start the season back at Triple-A, but if he performs anything like he did in his last stint in Buffalo, he'll get his chance in the big league bullpen eventually. View full rumor

On Monday, Baseball Canada named first baseman Josh Naylor the captain of Team Canada for the World Baseball Classic. Naylor, 28, was born and raised in Mississauga, Ontario and grew up a fan of the Toronto Blue Jays. However, he's not necessarily popular with Jays fans after his performance last October; playing for the Seattle Mariners, he went 10-for-24 with three home runs in the ALCS, doing everything in his power to try to stop Toronto from reaching the World Series. He became the first Canadian-born player to hit a postseason home run in Canada for a team other than the Blue Jays. This will be Naylor's second time participating in the WBC. He played for Canada in the 2017 tournament two years before he made his MLB debut, but an ankle injury kept him from suiting up in 2023. With veteran Freddie Freeman sitting out this year, the young, multi-talented Naylor is an excellent choice to lead Team Canada in 2026. Team Canada will play an exhibition match against the Blue Jays this afternoon in Dunedin. View full rumor

The World Baseball Classic starts this week, and 12 Toronto Blue Jays players are set to participate. The whole starting infield is playing in the tournament: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Dominican Republic), Ernie Clement (USA), Andrés Giménez (Venezuela), Kazuma Okamoto (Japan), and Alejandro Kirk (Mexico). The other seven Blue Jays in the WBC are likely to start the 2026 campaign in the minor leagues: right-hander Yariel Rodríguez (Cuba), infielder Leo Jiménez (Panama), left-hander Adam Macko (Canada), outfielder RJ Schreck (Israel), catcher C.J. Stubbs (Israel), outfielder Ismael Munguia (Nicaragua), and catcher Will Cresswell (Great Britain). In addition, three more Toronto hurlers are in their countries' designated pitcher pools: Jeff Hoffman (USA), Tyler Rogers (USA), and José Berríos (Puerto Rico). There will still be plenty worth watching in Dunedin, as those who are staying behind will try to take advantage of the additional playing time opportunities. But for Blue Jays fans interested in following the team's representatives in the WBC, here's when and how to watch them play. Dominican Republic (Vladimir Guerrero Jr.) First-Round Schedule (Pool D) Date Opponent Start Time March 6 Nicaragua 7:00 pm ET March 8 Netherlands 12:00 pm ET March 9 Israel 12:00 pm E March 11 Venezuela 8:00 pm ET Mexico (Alejandro Kirk) First-Round Schedule (Pool B) Date Opponent Start Time March 6 Great Britain 1:00 pm ET March 8 Brazil 8:00 pm ET March 9 USA 8:00 pm ET March 11 Italy 7:00 pm ET Japan (Kazuma Okamoto) First-Round Schedule (Pool C) Date Opponent Start Time March 6 Chinese Taipei 5:00 am ET March 7 Korea 5:00 am ET March 8 Australia 5:00 am ET March 10 Czechia 5:00 am ET USA (Ernie Clement) First-Round Schedule (Pool B) Date Opponent Start Time March 6 Brazil 8:00 pm ET March 7 Great Britain 8:00 pm ET March 9 Mexico 8:00 pm ET March 10 Italy 9:00 pm ET Venezuela (Andrés Giménez) First-Round Schedule (Pool D) Date Opponent Start Time March 6 Netherlands 12:00 pm ET March 7 Israel 7:00 pm ET March 9 Nicaragua 7:00 pm ET March 11 Dominican Republic 8:00 pm ET Canada (Adam Macko) First-Round Schedule (Pool A) Date Opponent Start Time March 7 Colombia 11:00 am ET March 8 Panama 7:00 pm ET March 10 Puerto Rico 7:00 pm ET March 11 Cuba 3:00 pm ET Cuba (Yariel Rodríguez) First-Round Schedule (Pool A) Date Opponent Start Time March 6 Panama 11:00 am ET March 8 Colombia 12:00 pm ET March 9 Puerto Rico 7:00 pm ET March 11 Canada 3:00 pm ET Panama (Leo Jiménez) First-Round Schedule (Pool A) Date Opponent Start Time March 6 Cuba 11:00 am ET March 7 Puerto Rico 6:00 pm ET March 8 Canada 7:00 pm ET March 9 Colombia 12:00 pm ET Israel (RJ Schreck, C.J. Stubbs) First-Round Schedule (Pool C) Date Opponent Start Time March 7 Venezuela 7:00 pm ET March 8 Nicaragua 7:00 pm ET March 9 Dominican Republic 12:00 pm ET March 10 Netherlands 7:00 pm ET Nicaragua (Ismael Munguia) First-Round Schedule (Pool D) Date Opponent Start Time March 6 Dominican Republic 7:00 pm ET March 7 Netherlands 12:00 pm ET March 8 Israel 7:00 pm ET March 9 Venezuela 7:00 pm ET Great Britain (Will Cresswell) First-Round Schedule (Pool B) Date Opponent Start Time March 6 Mexico 1:00 pm ET March 7 USA 8:00 pm ET March 8 Italy 1:00 pm ET March 9 Brazil 1:00 pm ET How To Watch the WBC In Canada, every game of the World Baseball Classic will be available on either Sportsnet, one of Sportsnet's sister channels, or Sportsnet+. The detailed daily broadcast schedule as of March 5 (when the tournament begins) can be found on the Sportsnet website at this link. Alternatively, you can find the same information in a slightly different layout on Sportsnet's TV listings page. Not every game will air on actual television, but still, it’s nice that they’re all available to watch in one way or another. Fans are probably most excited to see the Dominican Republic take on Venezuela or the USA battle Mexico, but if you can’t wait to stream Chinese Taipei vs. Czechia late at night, rest assured that you can do just that. French-language broadcasts will be available via TVA Sports. Information on how to watch the WBC from other countries can be found on MLB.com. View full article

When the Blue Jays welcome the Athletics to the Rogers Centre on March 27, there’s one man who deserves to throw the first pitch: Kevin Gausman. For the last four years, Gausman has been the steady anchor of Toronto’s pitching staff. Since he joined the team on a five-year, $110 million deal, he has made 125 starts, plus another seven in the playoffs. He has been the picture of durability, consistency, and excellence. Yet, Gausman has never started for the Blue Jays on Opening Day. In 2022, it was José Berríos. Alek Manoah received the honour in 2023. Then it was Berríos again the next two years. Last September, Gausman made the best start of his career. He stayed hot into October, giving the Blue Jays 30.2 innings with a 2.93 ERA. If he hadn’t already earned the 2026 Opening Day start before his dominant showing down the stretch, he had certainly earned it when all was said and done. In all likelihood, John Schneider will make the right choice and tab Gausman for the season opener. But just for fun, I decided to consider the cases for his other candidates. Dylan Cease Gausman was better than Dylan Cease last year. He’s been better than Cease over the last three years, the last five years, and throughout their respective careers. However, the realities of the aging curve tell us that Cease is more likely to be the better pitcher in 2026. Gausman turned 35 in January. Cease just turned 30 in December. Every projection system at FanGraphs – ZiPS, Steamer, ATC, THE BAT, THE BAT X, and OOPSY – has higher expectations for Cease than Gausman. Cease is also Toronto’s shiny new toy. The righty signed the most expensive free agent contract in Blue Jays history this winter, kicking off a thrilling, high-spending offseason. He's the only pitcher other than Gausman with a realistic shot to win the Opening Day start. Trey Yesavage You have to admit, it would be fun. Trey Yesavage is the Blue Jays’ ace of the future. There’s no one the fanbase is more excited about right now. Has he “earned” the Opening Day start? No, probably not. But what a way it would be to continue his remarkable story. From Single A to the majors to the playoffs to Game 1 of the World Series to Opening Day starter in less than 365 days. I can’t think of any better way to keep last year’s momentum alive than giving Yesavage the ball for the team’s first game back in the Rogers Centre since the World Series. Cody Ponce Only one Blue Jays pitcher was an All-Star last year: Cody Ponce. Only one Blue Jays pitcher won a Triple Crown last year: Cody Ponce. Only one Blue Jays pitcher was an MVP last year: Cody Ponce. Of course, all those achievements come with a caveat. Only one Blue Jays pitcher played in the KBO last year: Cody Ponce. Still, his 2025 season was undeniably stellar. If Ponce had stayed in Korea, there’s no question he’d be starting on Opening Day. The Blue Jays could honour that by giving him the Opening Day start in Toronto instead. José Berríos Is there a good case for José Berríos to be the Opening Day starter? Of course not. It wasn’t so long ago that we were wondering if he’d make the rotation at all. Yet, Berríos beat Gausman for the Opening Day start in 2022, ‘24, and ‘25. So why not this year too? After all, Gausman was the better pitcher in 2021… but Berríos got the nod in ‘22. Gausman was the better pitcher in 2023…but Berríos got the nod in ‘24. Gausman was the better pitcher in 2024…but Berríos got the nod in ‘25. Season Pitcher W-L ERA IP WAR 2021 Kevin Gausman 14-6 2.81 192.0 4.8 2021 José Berríos 12-9 3.52 192.0 4.0 2023 Kevin Gausman 12-9 3.16 185.0 5.3 2023 José Berríos 11-12 3.65 189.2 2.9 2024 Kevin Gausman 14-11 3.83 181.0 3.0 2024 José Berríos 16-11 3.60 192.1 1.1 2025 Kevin Gausman 10-11 3.59 193.0 4.1 2025 José Berríos 9-5 4.17 166.0 1.3 So, as well as Gausman pitched in 2025, and as much as Berríos struggled down the stretch, history tells us we can’t rule out another José Berríos Opening Day start in 2026. Max Scherzer and Shane Bieber I’ve lumped Max Scherzer and Shane Bieber together because neither of them is actually going to be ready to pitch on Opening Day. The team has already confirmed that Bieber will begin the season on the injured list. Scherzer signed late, and there’s a good chance he’ll need extra time to ramp up – and the Jays have every incentive to give him as much time as he needs. Yet, if either one of them were healthy, their cases would be pretty clear. Scherzer may not be an ace anymore, but he’s a no-doubt future Hall of Famer who could be entering his final season. Bieber is Toronto’s other Cy Young winner. If he can get back to full strength, there’s a real possibility he proves himself to be this team’s best starting pitcher. Eric Lauer Everyone else gets hit by a bus. Lazaro Estrada Eric Lauer also gets hit by a bus. View full article

Max Scherzer will need a 40-man roster spot once his signing becomes official, and the Blue Jays freed up that spot this weekend by designating Ben Cowles for assignment. The Cubs, his former team, swooped in to claim him back. Over the past six months, Cowles has been DFA'd by the Cubs and claimed by the White Sox, DFA'd by the White Sox and claimed by the Cubs, DFA'd by the Cubs and claimed by the Blue Jays, and DFA'd by the Blue Jays and claimed by the Cubs. Talk about a whirlwind. The reason the Cubs DFA'd Cowles in February was to make room for free agent signing Shelby Miller on the 40-man roster. Today, they made room to re-add Cowles by placing Miller on the 60-day IL. I wrote about the Blue Jays claiming Cowles in mid-February, explaining why I liked the addition, minor as it was. With that said, Cowles never had a great chance of making much of an impact for Toronto, so it's not particularly surprising he was the casualty for Scherzer. Cowles went 0-for-9 with five strikeouts in five Grapefruit League games. He'll now head to Arizona to play in the Cactus League with the Cubs. View full rumor

...and Yeager is going for UCL surgery. He'll miss the season. Doesn't seem clear yet if it's full Tommy John or not, but disappointing either way. There was a non-zero chance he earned a late-season call-up this year.

For sure. But I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the incentives in Scherzer’s deal could bring it up to $13 million. And I wouldn’t be surprised if those incentives are quite easy for him to hit

In Eric Lauer's mind, he isn't just stretching out as a starter this spring. He's fighting for a role in Toronto's Opening Day rotation. Speaking to members of the media after he started the Blue Jays' first Grapefruit League game on Saturday, Lauer made it clear that he doesn't see himself as the team's sixth (or seventh) starter. “The goal, and the thought, is that I’m going to start this year,” he told Gregor Chisholm of the Toronto Star. Of course, he knows it's not just up to him. But he sees a rotation job as his to lose, not his to win. "As of now, I’m a starter, and that’s where I plan on staying." Despite his admirable confidence, it's hard not to see Lauer as the odd man out of a crowded picture. When the news broke that Shane Bieber would start the season on the IL, it seemed like Toronto's rotation was set: Kevin Gausman, Dylan Cease, Trey Yesavage, Cody Ponce, and José Berríos. With that said, it's not hard to imagine a world in which Lauer looks like one of the team's five best starting options by the end of camp. John Schneider isn't ruling out the possibility. "He's going into this saying 'I want to be one of the starters'," the skipper told reporters, including Sportsnet's Shi Davidi. "If that's the case, that's the case." Barring injury, Gausman and Cease are 1A and 1B. There's nothing that could happen this spring to kick them out of the rotation. Yesavage, Ponce, and Berríos, on the other hand, all have questions to answer. In terms of upside, each has more to offer than Lauer. Yesavage is a top prospect who has already proven he can dominate on the game's highest stage. Ponce is the reigning KBO MVP. Berríos is a two-time All-Star and a 10-year MLB veteran. Yet, Yesavage is also a 22-year-old rookie with one year of professional experience. Ponce flamed out in his first go-around in MLB. Berríos pitched himself out of the rotation just last September. None of these guys is a sure thing. If any or all of Yesavage, Ponce, and Berríos give their coaches reason to worry this spring, and if Lauer dominates the Grapefruit League, why shouldn't the Jays let Lauer start? This is a team that wants every advantage, big or small. It's a team that wants its best pitchers throwing as many innings as possible. If Lauer looks like one of Toronto's five best starters, he belongs in the rotation, especially since he'd add a lefty to an otherwise all-righty mix. Well, sure, in a vacuum. The problem is that Lauer's own success in 2025 could work against him. The Blue Jays know they'll need more than five starters to make it through the season. That's why they have seven on the roster right now, and it's why they've reportedly kept in touch with Max Scherzer. In other words, they know Lauer will get a chance to start eventually, even if he opens the year in the bullpen. They also know that Lauer is capable of making that transition. He was incredibly valuable last year moving back and forth between the rotation and the bullpen. Not everyone can handle that shift so smoothly. There's no way Yesavage pitches in relief, at least not at the beginning of the year. The Jays would be fools to mess with his development like that. Unless they want him to open the season at Triple-A, he'll be on the starting staff. Ponce or Berríos could move to the 'pen, but Ponce is already handling a difficult transition. He'll have to re-adjust to MLB competition (and MLB baseballs) after four years in NPB and the KBO. As for Berríos, his lone bullpen outing last September was his first since another lone September outing in 2017. Before that, he hadn't pitched from the 'pen since 2012, when he made a handful of relief appearances for the Gulf Coast League Twins at 18 years old. What I'm trying to say is that it's more likely Berríos and Ponce would struggle in a swingman role. They just haven't proven they could handle it. The fact that Lauer thrived as a swingman in 2025 could be precisely what keeps him from earning the starting job he wants so badly. It might not be fair, but that won't matter if it's what's best for the team. Such is baseball. So far, Schneider has confirmed next to nothing about his starting rotation. Lauer's hopes are still very much alive. At the same time, the manager has repeatedly emphasized that the Blue Jays signed Ponce to be a starter. "The expectation is pitching as a starting pitcher in the rotation,” Schneider said Wednesday, per Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith. “That’s why we sought him out." Meanwhile, Schneider's latest comments about Berríos were laudatory. "José is fully healthy. He's looked sharp," said Schneider, per MLB.com's Keegan Matheson. "His stuff is back to where it was probably two years ago in terms of velocity and his breaking ball." Berríos recently revealed he was pitching through discomfort throughout last year. He's finally feeling healthy again. As for Yesavage, Schneider has been clear that the Jays will monitor his workload. However, there's been no indication they would keep him off the Opening Day roster. On the contrary, the skipper told Matheson, "We don’t want to pigeonhole it and say that we’re going to cut five or six starts off his season...If he’s feeling great, then great." So, even though Lauer has a confident air about him, he understands things might not go his way. The lefty told Chisholm he was frustrated with the situation, suggesting he had been promised a role in the starting rotation before the offseason. He'll be even more frustrated if he does everything he can to win the job this spring and still misses out. Unfortunately, there's a good chance that's exactly what happens. For all the reasons Lauer succeeded in 2025, he could miss out on the role he's seeking in 2026. View full article

Speaking to the Toronto Star's Mike Wilner, manager John Schneider divulged that the Blue Jays never had any intention of re-signing Bo Bichette to play shortstop. This new information conflicts with the front office's public messaging while Bichette was still a free agent. A week after the World Series ended, The Athletic's Mitch Bannon wrote: "The Jays, [GM Ross] Atkins said, are comfortable with [Andrés] Giménez as their long-term shortstop, if needed...If Bichette is set on a return to shortstop, though, the Jays are open to that configuration, too." Yet, per Schneider's latest comments, the team didn't take long to inform Giménez that he would not be returning to second base. “We communicated that to him in November so he could get physically ready for it,” the skipper explained. It's not surprising that the Jays wanted Giménez to be their shortstop, whether they re-signed Bichette or not. Giménez has been the best defensive second baseman in MLB for the past four seasons, and he proved last fall that he could handle the transition to short. Bichette, meanwhile, was arguably the worst defensive shortstop in the league last year, and he ended up signing with the Mets to play third base. Still, it's interesting to learn that Giménez's full-time move to shortstop was always the plan. Bichette's bat will be missed, but there's no doubt that Toronto's up-the-middle alignment of Giménez, Ernie Clement, Alejandro Kirk, and Daulton Varsho (plus Tyler Heineman and Myles Straw on the bench) will be one of the team's biggest strengths in 2026. View full rumor