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With Shane Bieber opting into his contract for the 2026 MLB season, the Toronto Blue Jays might have the front end of the rotation more or less set, with Kevin Gausman and Bieber leading the way. Bounce-back candidate José Berríos and promising rookie Trey Yesavage will presumably play roles in the middle of the rotation for the Jays this upcoming season. So, Toronto doesn't necessarily need to blow the bank to round out its starting rotation. Here, we will take a look at three free agent starting pitchers the Jays could pursue, all of whom will likely be available on shorter, less expensive deals than the arms at the very top of the market. Tyler Mahle Prior to 2025, Tyler Mahle would have been an under-the-radar candidate for contenders looking to fill out their rotations. That is because with a career ERA above 4.00, along with his injury woes in recent years, teams would have been more wary about his consistency and durability over an entire season. Yet, Mahle managed to put together the best season of his MLB career in 2025 with the Texas Rangers. He posted a 6-4 record with a tidy 2.18 ERA and 1.13 WHIP, while giving up only five home runs in 86 2/3 innings pitched over 16 starts. His ability to prevent the long ball in recent years could come in handy for the Blue Jays in the hitter-friendly confines of the Rogers Centre. Having also just turned 31, Mahle should have plenty of gas left in the tank in the coming seasons (presuming he can stay healthy) to help Toronto build sustainable winning success going forward. Lucas Giolito Lucas Giolito was a revelation for the Boston Red Sox after returning from UCL surgery that wiped out his 2024 season. To complement Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet, Giolito posted a strong 10-4 record with a 3.41 ERA and 1.29 WHIP, together with 121 strikeouts in 145 innings pitched over 26 starts. Unfortunately, the 31-year-old right-hander suffered a right elbow injury in late September that ended up keeping him out of action during the postseason. Without the services of Giolito, the Red Sox were eliminated by the New York Yankees in the AL Wild Card Series. Giolito would slot in nicely behind Gausman and Bieber to form a dominant trio for the Jays’ rotation in 2026. Given his past success pitching in the AL while playing for the Chicago White Sox, the Los Angeles Angels and the Red Sox, the nine-year veteran should transition in seamlessly playing for Toronto. Brandon Woodruff Another elite pitching option that performed well after coming off surgery that kept him out of action for 2024, Brandon Woodruff returned to form just in time for the Milwaukee Brewers during the latter half of the 2025 season. He would compile a stellar 7-2 record with a 3.20 ERA and 0.91 WHIP, giving up just 14 walks while striking out 83 batters in just 64 2/3 innings of work over 12 starts down the stretch. Yet, similar to Giolito above, Woodruff would also miss the 2025 postseason due to a right lat strain that he sustained towards the end of September. As a result, the Brewers were also disposed of during the playoffs at the hands of the eventual champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers. One advantage Woodruff has over the two other candidates above is that when he is on his game, he can actually be one of the best in the league. However, his durability has always been an issue, having made more than 22 starts only twice during the past six seasons. That limits his overall potential impact. But, if the Blue Jays can bet on a clean bill of health for the veteran 32-year-old pitcher, Woodruff could turn out to be a huge steal this offseason for Toronto. View full article

If there was one thing that the Toronto Blue Jays could learn from their trip to the World Series in 2025, it is that you can never have enough front-of-the-rotation starting pitching. The success the Los Angeles Dodgers had riding the backs of Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Shohei Ohtani and, of course, Yoshinobu Yamamoto to their championship title is the perfect reason why you should never underestimate the impact a strong starting rotation can have for any contender. The Blue Jays managed to experience some of that themselves with Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, rookie Trey Yesavage and even Max Scherzer playing a hand in helping the team almost go all the way. As a result, with Scherzer and fellow starter Chris Bassitt heading into free agency this winter, the Jays need to find a way to add back an elite arm or two to round out their starting five for 2026. With that in mind, let’s take a look at three free agent front-end starters that would be ideal fits in Toronto going forward. Ranger Suárez During the past season, the Jays reaped the rewards of having former Philadelphia Phillies stalwarts Jeff Hoffman and Seranthony Domínguez both playing major roles in their bullpen. For this offseason, the Blue Jays should turn to another Phillies player in Ranger Suárez to help bolster their pitching staff going forward. Suárez may not have a plethora of accolades associated with his portfolio to date. Still, he has been far more consistent and reliable than one might realize since he was converted into a starter during the 2021 MLB season. Sporting a sparkling 53-37 record with a stellar 3.38 ERA and 1.27 WHIP over 187 career games in the majors, the promising 30-year-old former All-Star put together a strong 2025 campaign. He tied his career high in wins with 12, along with posting a 3.20 ERA and 1.22 WHIP while striking out 151 batters in 157 1/3 innings. More significantly, with the current Jays rotation made up primarily of right-handed arms, Suárez would complement the group perfectly, being the elite southpaw that he is. With Hoffman also returning for 2026, Suárez will be guaranteed to have at least one of his former teammates around to help him transition smoothly into his new team environment. Michael King Perhaps one of the more underrated pitchers in recent years, Michael King has quietly emerged as a prime front-end option on this year’s free agent market. Beforehand, King was most known for being a part of the trade package that the San Diego Padres received when they dealt superstar Juan Soto to the New York Yankees during the 2023-24 offseason. Primarily a swingman for the Yankees in his five seasons in New York, King finally had the chance to mature as a dominant starter with the Padres during the past couple of seasons. During that time frame, the 30-year-old right-hander produced a solid 18-12 record with a 3.10 ERA and 1.19 WHIP, along with 277 strikeouts in just 247 total innings in 45 starts. King was impressive enough in 2024 that he even finished seventh in NL Cy Young voting. A sore right shoulder, along with a knee injury, held him back a bit in 2025, as his ailments ended up putting him out of action for over three months. But now likely returning to full health for 2026, he becomes an elite option once again. The Blue Jays were identified as an ideal landing spot for King by MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. Framber Valdez To really significantly bring the Jays' rotation mix to another level, the prime free agent target they should pursue is long-time Houston Astros ace Framber Valdez. Since he took on a full-time starting role in 2020, there was no looking back for Valdez, as he quickly became one of the top starting pitchers in the league. Sporting a strong 77-49 record, together with a 3.37 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 1002 strikeouts in 1026 2/3 total innings pitched as a starter for the Astros, he has been a yearly contender for the AL Cy Young Award. He was also named an All-Star twice in the last four seasons. More importantly, if the Jays can sign Valdez away from Houston, it would weaken the Astros' chances of returning to the postseason (after just missing the playoffs for the first time in nine years), while further enhancing Toronto’s likelihood of making it back to the World Series going forward. With Bieber having opted in to keep his salary at $16 million for 2026, the Blue Jays should have enough financial flexibility to land the big fish from Houston. As a result, Toronto could have one of the scariest rotations in all of baseball by the time the free agency dust settles. View full article

It may only be the start of MLB free agency season, but the Toronto Blue Jays have already begun to position themselves in preparation for the offseason ahead. On Thursday, the team executed a flurry of roster moves. The most notable being, of course, extending a qualifying offer to Bo Bichette. As for the slew of Jays players that saw significant time on the injured list this past season, Angel Bastardo, Bowden Francis, Yimi García and Nick Sandlin were all officially reinstated to the 40-man roster from the 60-day IL. Minor league catcher Brandon Valenzuela had his contract selected and added to the Jays' major league roster, while pitchers Ryan Burr, Dillon Tate and Robinson Piña all cleared waivers, with Burr and Tate electing free agency and Piña being sent outright to Triple-A Buffalo. Toronto had selected Bastardo in the Rule 5 draft this past winter due to his attractive strikeout ability. However, he missed the entire 2025 season recovering from Tommy John surgery. As for Francis, he was expected to be a key part of the back end of the Jays’ rotation this year after a sensational finish to his 2024 campaign with Toronto. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned, as Francis struggled with consistency and his command, leading to a miserable 2-8 record with a bloated 6.05 ERA and 1.53 WHIP in 14 starts. Things went from bad to worse when he suffered a right shoulder impingement that ultimately ended his 2025 season. As for García, he was amidst another strong season with the Jays. He managed to hold the opposition to zero earned runs in his first 14 relief appearances, a streak that lasted to the start of May. However, bad injury luck would befall him in the subsequent months, as first he would suffer a right shoulder impingement that held him out of action for over a month. Then, after returning from the IL for one game in July, García would miss the rest of the season after experiencing right elbow ulnar nerve symptoms before undergoing season-ending surgery to clean up scar tissue in his elbow. Sandlin looked to be another vital bullpen piece for the Jays after coming over with Andrés Giménez in a surprising trade with the Cleveland Guardians last offseason. However, his brilliant debut season for Toronto was also marred by injuries throughout. Despite posting a strong 2.20 ERA and 1.16 WHIP, along with 16 strikeouts in 16 1/3 innings of work, a right lat strain in late April and right elbow inflammation near the beginning of July would practically wipe out his first year with the Jays. Valenzuela was a trade deadline pickup by Toronto, acquired when the team sent rookie Will Wagner to the San Diego Padres to add valuable catching depth to the organization. Finally, Burr, Tate, and Piña all made brief appearances for the Blue Jays this season, with Burr having the most success, recording a win and three strikeouts over two innings of work. However, a right rotator cuff strain that required surgery would end his 2025 season and now his tenure with Toronto. As for Tate and Piña, their outings were less memorable, as they struggled to get outs for the Jays while up with the club. Jays fans can anticipate far more exciting moves as the offseason proceeds, as the front office aims to bolster the roster ahead of the 2026 season for a chance at another deep postseason run. View full article