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    116 rumors in this category

      Simon Li

      The Blue Jays have lacked international amateur free agents since the debut of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.. Still, this duo of teenage prospects may hopefully be a change in that, as they both made the Dominican Summer League All-Star Team.

      Catcher Franklin Rojas was ranked the 22nd prospect by FanGraphs after a successful 17-year-old campaign in the DSL. Still, he was even better as an 18-year-old, showing strong contact ability with a .298 batting average, in addition to a near 50% on-base percentage, walking 17.3% of the time with eight HBPs. Rojas also only stuck out only 13.6% of the time, although he only had two extra base hits. The teenager was given a contract worth slightly less than $1 million in the 2024 international amateur free agent class, as the Jays spread their pool after Kennew Blanco could not sign due to age-related issues.

      Infielder Juan Sanchez received the second-largest contract from the Jays' 2025 International Free Agency class, receiving just under $1 1-million himself. The 17-year-old (who turns 18 in September) slashed .316/.452/.513 for the Blue Jays second DSL-Red team, which was good for a 154 wRC+. Sanchez has flexed the power that got him ranked as one of the better prospects in the 2025 class, as he had five homers, six doubles, and a triple in just 146 plate appearances. 

      Leo Morgenstern

      Moments before the White Sox walked off the Blue Jays on Friday, Alejandro Kirk exited after taking a foul tip off his left thumb. The All-Star catcher went for X-rays, and the team will presumably provide an update on Saturday.

      It's not yet clear if Kirk will need to miss time, but if he does, it will be a huge blow to both Toronto's offense and defense. Tyler Heineman has been more than capable as Kirk's backup, and Brandon Valenzuela should be ready for his first taste of the majors, but Kirk is a middle-of-the-order bat and one of the best defensive catchers in the game. 

      The Blue Jays are already dealing with a depleted starting rotation, and losing a talented game-caller and pitch-framer like Kirk would only exacerbate any problems the pitching staff might have.

      Mike LeSage

      The Atlanta Braves announced earlier today that they have claimed Alek Manoah. They moved second baseman Ozzie Albies from the 10-day IL to the 60-day to clear a spot on their 40-man roster. If they can help him regain the form that saw him compete for the Cy Young Award in 2022, this will be a nice feather in the cap of former Jays and current Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos. Of course, Manoah was taken in the first round of the 2019 draft, four years after Anthopoulos parted ways with Toronto, so this isn't simply a case of 'the old guy holding on to old scouting reports.'

      Current Jays GM Ross Atkins said of the decision to DFA Manoah: "This just came down to a roster crunch and us feeling like [this was] the best decision for us to hold depth and support this staff as we push forward into very important weeks."

      Manoah put up a 2.24 ERA over his rehab starts as he worked his way back from Tommy John surgery. The Jays clearly made an assessment that he would be unable to help their 2025 push for the playoffs, but there was always a feeling that he would be in the competition for a spot in the 2026 rotation. Atlanta, for their part, has already been eliminated from possible playoff contention this season after a disappointing year in the NL East. It is not out of the realm of possibility that they could even find a spot for Manoah on their 28-man roster to make a start against Pittsburgh in their final series of the year.

      Featured image courtesy of Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images.

      Mike LeSage

      With Anthony Santander ready to return from the 60-day injured list, the Blue Jays had to make a move. The first move was Ty France going to the IL with an oblique strain that may or may not be code for "Toronto needs to shuffle some bodies," and despite France's short time here, he's a team player.

      The more surprising move involved Alek Manoah being DFA'd, clearing a spot on the 40-man roster. Manoah was drafted by Toronto in the first round of the 2019 draft and quickly made his presence known - finishing third in Cy Young voting in 2022. His struggles in 2023 were followed by Tommy John surgery and a lengthy rehab assignment that he was nearing the end of.

      Updates to follow...

      Leo Morgenstern

      Speaking to DiamondCentric's John Bonnes at the GM Meetings on Wednesday, Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said the Jays "definitely, definitely have interest" in extending Daulton Varsho, who is entering his final season of arbitration eligibility.

      "The interest is definitely there," said Atkins. "I can't say enough about Daulton, the player, the person, the teammate. He checks all the boxes we're looking for."

      The GM did not want to speak about any potential negotiations, but from his tone, it certainly seems like an extension for Varsho will be one of the team's priorities this winter.

      Varsho, widely considered one of the best defensive outfielders in the league, is coming off an injury-shortened but highly promising 2025 campaign. Tapping into his power like never before, he hit 20 home runs in 71 contests, with a career-best .833 OPS, .341 xwOBA, and 123 wRC+. He finished with 2.2 fWAR and 2.8 bWAR in less than half a season of games. 

      Featured image courtesy of Kiyoshi Mio, Imagn Images.

      Steve Drumwright

       

      Still trying to replenish depth after being smacked with a handful of key injuries, the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday acquired infielder Lenyn Sosa from the Chicago White Sox. In exchange, the Jays sent 18-year-old minor-league outfielder Jordan Rich and a player to be named later or cash to the White Sox.

      OFFICIAL: We’ve acquired INF Lenyn Sosa from the White Sox in exchange for Minor League OF Jordan Rich and a player to be named later or cash considerations. To make room, RHP Shane Bieber has been transferred to the 60-day IL.

      [image or embed]

      — Toronto Blue Jays (@bluejaysbot.bsky.social) April 13, 2026 at 10:01 AM

      To make room on the 40-man roster, right-handed starter Shane Bieber (right elbow inflammation) was moved from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL. Another move will be needed before Tuesday's series opener vs. the Milwaukee Brewers to get Sosa on the 26-man roster.

      The 26-year-old Sosa brings a little bit of pop with him, having hit 22 homers and 75 RBIs last year with a .264/.293/.434 slash line in a career-best 140 games played. It was a breakout season for Sosa, who was off to a slow start this year (7-for-33, .212/.212./.303).

      Sosa can play all around the infield except for shortstop, but is primarily a second baseman. His defense is considered subpar. The Jays recently acquired second baseman Tyler Fitzgerald, who had been designated for assignment by the San Francisco Giants.

      Rich was drafted by the Jays in the 17th round of last year's draft, but has yet to make his pro debut.

       

      Michael Coyle

      The Toronto Blue Jays are getting healthier. 

      A day after welcoming back Trey Yesavage, the Blue Jays announced that George Springer has been activated off the 10-day injured list. While Springer will not be in the starting lineup during the Blue Jays’ series finale against the Boston Red Sox, he will be available off the bench. 

       

      Springer originally fractured his left big toe on April 11 after following a pitch off his foot. The 36-year-old exited the contest and has missed the past 15 games after being placed on the IL on April 12. 

      Through 14 games, Springer is batting .185 with two home runs and six RBIs. During his absence, the Blue Jays have gone 7-8, and have been rotating Myles Straw, Nathan Lukes, and Ernie Clement through the leadoff spot. 

      In a corresponding move, the Blue Jays designated Eloy Jiménez for assignment. The 29-year-old appeared in 12 games with the Blue Jays, batting .290 with three RBIs and a .343 on-base percentage. 

      With Springer set to return to the DH role, and Jiménez offering no real positional flexibility, the Blue Jays were forced to make this move. 

      First pitch on Wednesday is set for 3:07 p.m. at the Rogers Centre. 

      Bryan Jaeger

      The Blue Jays' number five prospect, Ricky Tiedemann, was Rule 5 eligible and was headed for the Rule 5 draft on December 10. However, the Blue Jays protected him by adding him to the 40-man roster. The 23-year-old had impressive first two MLB seasons, posting a 2.17 ERA over 78 2/3 innings in 2022 and a 3.68 ERA over 44 innings in 2023. He missed most of the 2023 season due to a biceps injury.

      He was still dealing with the injury at the start of the 2024 season. In July, he left a game due to another injury and subsequently required Tommy John surgery. This surgery caused him to miss the remainder of 2024 and the entire 2025 season while recovering.

      Being added to the 40-man roster shows the Blue Jays have MLB plans for Tiedemann next season. The team could use a fifth starter instead of Eric Lauer, and Tiedemann could take his spot as the lefty in the rotation. If the prospect can replicate his early success in spring training next season, he could make the Opening Day roster. This decision will also depend on the Blue Jays' offseason moves. Tiedemann could also be a late-season call-up, following the Trey Yesavage path, and join for the postseason run if needed.

      Leo Morgenstern

      Earlier this afternoon, Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider told reporters at the Winter Meetings (including our own John Bonnes) that his coaching staff for 2026 has been finalized.

      "We have filled [the] assistant hitting coaching job," he said. "We have kind of backfilled [former bench coach Don Mattingly's] spot in a variety of ways. I'm giving those guys time to finalize with the teams they were with, and you'll have that full list really soon. One is internal, and two from outside."

      Sportnet's Shi Davidi reports that former White Sox catching coach Drew Butera is one of the two external additions. The other is former Rangers minor league hitting director Cody Atkinson, according to Mitch Bannon of The Athletic. Bannon also notes that Eric Duncan was promoted to the major league coaching staff from within the organization. He was previously Toronto's director of position player development.

      Presumably, Atkinson is the new assistant hitting coach, but it is not yet official what roles any of the Blue Jays' new coaches will be taking on.

      Leo Morgenstern

      According to a report from Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors, the Blue Jays have agreed to a two-year minor league contract with right-hander Josh Winckowski. He was cut by the Red Sox earlier this offseason.

      Winckowski, 27, will now return to the organization that selected him in the 2016 draft. He played the first four seasons of his professional career in the Blue Jays' system before he was traded to the Mets and Red Sox in quick succession during the 2020-21 offseason. The righty would go on to make his MLB debut for Boston in 2022. Since then, he has thrown 242.1 big league innings, all for the Red Sox, pitching to a 4.20 ERA and 4.36 xERA.

      After spending much of the 2025 season on the injured list with elbow inflammation, Winckowski underwent an internal brace procedure in December (per Adams). That will keep him out for most of 2026, which explains the two-year minor league contract, but Adams notes that Winckowski hopes to return before the end of the season. 

      Adams also mentions that the Blue Jays are planning to stretch Winckowski back out as a starter. He started 14 games as a rookie in 2022 but has primarily worked as a reliever since. However, he did start three games at Triple-A in 2025 and a handful of games at both the Triple-A and MLB levels the year before.

      Winckowski was the second pitcher the Blue Jays inked to a two-year minor league contract on New Year's Eve. Earlier in the day, they came to terms on a similar deal with fellow right-hander Nic Enright.

      Featured image courtesy of Nathan Ray Seebeck, Imagn Images.

      Leo Morgenstern

      Blue Jays pitchers and catchers will report to the team's spring training complex in Dunedin on February 11, while the first full-squad workout is scheduled for February 16. Five days later – exactly one month from today – the Jays will host the Phillies for their first game of the spring. 

      Today, the Blue Jays announced the names of 20 non-roster invitees who will be joining the players from the 40-man roster (and several more NRIs) in big league training camp. It's an exciting list, made up of eight pitchers and 12 position players and including many of the top prospects in the system. All of these NRIs are rookie eligible, except for Yariel Rodríguez, who was outrighted off the 40-man earlier this winter.

      The Blue Jays have also extended a spring training invitation to several free agents they signed to minor league deals. This includes left-hander Michael Plassmeyer, right-hander Jorge Alcala, outfielder/DH Eloy Jiménez, and utility players Rafael Lantigua and Carlos Mendoza.

      Featured image courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel, Imagn Images.

      Leo Morgenstern

      The Blue Jays have named the 26 players who will make up their active roster when their season starts on Friday, March 27. The biggest surprise, if you can call it that, is that Rule 5 draft pick Spencer Miles has earned a spot in the bullpen over the more experienced Chase Lee. Meanwhile, the other notable (though even less surprising) piece of news is that Leo Jiménez failed to earn a spot on the 26-man roster and thus was designated for assignment. As expected, Angel Bastardo, another Rule 5 pick, was also DFA'd.

      Here is Toronto's official Opening Day roster, listed by position and in alphabetical order:

      Rehabbing pitchers Shane Bieber, Yimi García, José Berríos, and Trey Yesavage have all been placed on the 15-day IL, while injured outfielder Anthony Santander has been placed on the 10-day IL (retroactive to March 22). They join Bowden Francis, who landed on the 60-day IL back in February.

      Leo Morgenstern

      On Wednesday afternoon, the Toronto Blue Jays formally announced that they've signed five free agents to minor league contracts: left-hander Michael Plassmeyer, right-hander Jorge Alcala, outfielder/DH Eloy Jiménez, and utility players Rafael Lantigua and Carlos Mendoza. All five will be invited to major league spring training.

      Jays Centre previously covered the signings of Plassmeyer, Mendoza, and Jiménez. Alcala is a seven-year MLB veteran who spent the 2025 season with the Twins, Red Sox, and Cardinals. Lantigua played in Toronto's minor league system from 2017-24 before spending 2025 in the Phillies organization.

      Two more notable players the Blue Jays have reportedly signed to minor league deals are Josh Winckowski and Nic Enright, though neither contract has been confirmed yet. The Jays also signed Rodolfo Castro to a minor league deal earlier this winter, but they recently released him so he could pursue an opportunity in Japan.

      Featured image courtesy of Aaron Cobb/Toronto Blue Jays, Imagn Images.

      Leo Morgenstern

      The Blue Jays have announced their lineup for Game 7 of the World Series against the Dodgers. Fans will be pleased to see George Springer and Alejandro Kirk included. Springer looked to be playing through pain in Game 6, while Kirk exited in the bottom of the ninth after being hit by a pitch on the hand.

      It's a slightly different batting order than the Jays have used in any other game this season, with Addison Barger moving up to the five-hole and Daulton Varsho dropping down to seventh:

      Barger's move up the order is well deserved. He has been red-hot in the World Series, with 10 hits in 21 at-bats, including two doubles and a home run. The lefty slugger leads Toronto's offense in hits, wRC+, and Win Probability Added over the last week.

      Manager John Schneider is surely looking for any and all advantages he can give his team against Dodgers starter Shohei Ohtani. Max Scherzer will toe the bump for the Blue Jays in what's sure to go down as one of the most iconic starting pitching matchups in World Series history.

      Featured image courtesy of John E. Sokolowski, Imagn Images.

      Leo Morgenstern

      The Toronto Blue Jays were first reported to be signing Seojun Moon last month, and today, the team announced that the deal is official. The 18-year-old is the first Korean-born player the team has ever signed in international free agency.

      The Athletic's Mitch Bannon notes that the Dodgers were "very interested" in signing Moon, but the talented young hurler chose the Blue Jays instead. On top of that, TSN cites a report from The Chosun Daily that claims he turned down offers from both the Dodgers and the Mets this summer.

      While Moon won't be pitching at the Rogers Centre anytime soon, he'll be an exciting prospect to watch in the Jays' minor league system next season. 

      Interested in learning more about the Toronto Blue Jays' minor league system? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles, and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!

      Mike LeSage

      The Toronto Blue Jays have released their roster for the ALCS (first pitch at 8:03 PM EST tonight!), and there were a couple of changes from the team we saw in the last round. 

      First, we say goodbye to Tommy Nance and Justin Bruihl. Nance pitched an inning and a third in the ALDS and had a team-high 13.50 ERA (4-game small sample alert) of pitchers with at least one inning pitched. Bruihl misses the one-inning cut-off by two-thirds as he retired only one of the four batters he faced, gave up a dinger, and was saddled with an ERA of 54.00 (even smaller sample size alert!). Taking their places are Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt. Bassitt ended the regular season on the IL with lower back inflammation, but was eligible to be selected for the ALDS roster. Scherzer struggled down the stretch, posting a 10.20 ERA in September (only Tyler Heineman's 67.50 was worse) to go along with a 5.34 FIP.

      The Jays haven't fully committed to a rotation plan this series, other than announcing Kevin Gausman as the Game 1 starter, but it is safe to assume, based on how the last round went, that Trey Yesavage and Shane Bieber get games 2 and 3. Does that give us a Scherzer Game 4 start with the shortest leash in the world and Bassitt out of the 'pen in relief? That's where my first thought would be.

      With all that shuffling of the pitchers, there was unfortunately no change on the hitters' side. Bo Bichette, despite running the bases yesterday, was not yet in a position to occupy a roster spot. As noted by Ben Nicholson-Smith, Bichette was still showing signs of discomfort in that knee that was injured September 6 in a collision with Yankee Austin Wells. The Jays will have to make the World Series now to guarantee Bichette another shot at playing in a Toronto uniform before hitting free agency this coming off-season.

      Leo Morgenstern

      The Toronto Blue Jays have officially released their 26-man roster for the World Series.

      All-Star shortstop Bo Bichette, out since mid-September with a knee sprain, is finally back. Ty France, who hit the IL with left oblique inflammation later in September, has also been added to the roster after missing the ALDS and ALCS.

      Bichette and France are replacing outfielder Joey Loperfido and right-hander Yariel Rodríguez. It's little surprise to see Loperfido cut; he was only added to the ALCS roster mid-series to replace Anthony Santander. The decision to effectively swap out Rodríguez with France is a little more interesting, since it means the Blue Jays will only have 12 pitchers at their disposal for the series. Of course, Rodríguez struggled badly in limited work in the ALCS, so it seems the Jays decided they'd rather have another right-handed bat than an extra, less-than-trustworthy arm.

      Featured image courtesy of John E. Sokolowski, Imagn Images.

      Leo Morgenstern

      The Toronto Blue Jays have signed catcher René Pinto to a minor league contract. He will report to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, where he will offer catching depth alongside veteran Christian Bethancourt and prospect Brandon Valenzuela.

      Update: The Buffalo Bisons released Christian Bethancourt earlier this week.

      The 28-year-old Pinto has three seasons of MLB experience with the Tampa Bay Rays. In 83 games from 2022-24, he slashed .231/.263/.404 with an 87 wRC+. While he hit for a fair bit of power, poor plate discipline and contact skills held him back. Similarly, he flashed some terrific tools on defense – his pop times were elite and his framing was solid – but he gave up way too many passed balls and stolen bases. 

      Pinto spent most of 2025 in the Diamondbacks' system, where he produced a .268/.324/.517 slash line and a 92 wRC+ in 54 games at Triple-A. He had hit well early in the year (117 wRC+ in April), but after spending May on the injured list, he struggled to a 79 wRC+ from June to August. Arizona granted him his release last week.

      The Blue Jays now have one more insurance policy in case of an injury to Alejandro Kirk or Tyler Heineman. With the way both Bethancourt and Valenzuela have struggled at the plate lately, it's hardly surprising that Toronto wanted another option. 

      In additional Blue Jays transaction news, the team has reunited with infielder Buddy Kennedy. The 26-year-old played in two games for the Jays earlier this year, going 1-for-5 with a walk and a run scored. The Dodgers claimed Kennedy off waivers when the Blue Jays DFA'd him in August, but after just seven games with L.A., he was DFA'd once more. This time, he cleared waivers, elected free agency, and chose to return to the Blue Jays organization.

      Featured image courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel, Imagn Images.

      Leo Morgenstern

      On Saturday morning, Blue Jays manager John Schneider confirmed his starting rotation to begin the 2026 season.

      As we already knew, Kevin Gausman will take the ball on Opening Day against the Athletics. He will be followed by Dylan Cease and Eric Lauer to close out the first series of the year. After that, when the Jays welcome the Rockies to the Rogers Centre, Cody Ponce and Max Scherzer will take the bump for the first two games, before (presumably) handing the ball back to Gausman.

      At one point, it seemed like Toronto had too many good starting pitchers to choose from. Yet, in the end, the Blue Jays and Schneider didn't have any difficult decisions to make. Shane Bieber, José Berríos, and Trey Yesavage will all begin the season on the IL, leaving five starters left for five jobs. 

      Leo Morgenstern

      The Toronto Blue Jays made their four-year, $60 million contract with NPB star Kazuma Okamoto official on Sunday, just before his posting window closed. A six-time NPB All-Star, Okamoto was one of the top hitters on the free agent market.

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      To make room for Okamoto on their 40-man roster, the Jays designated right-handed pitcher Paxton Schultz for assignment. The 28-year-old has been in the organization since May 2021, when he arrived from the Brewers as the player to be named later to complete the Derek Fisher trade. The Jays had acquired Fisher two years earlier in a deal that sent Aaron Sanchez, Joe Biagini, and Cal Stevenson to the Astros. (You can read more about active Blue Jays trade strings at this link.)

      Schultz made his MLB debut with Toronto in 2025, pitching to a 4.38 ERA and 3.83 xERA over 24.2 innings. He struck out 28 batters (25.5%) and walked only eight (7.3%).

      In his very first outing, Schultz threw 4.1 innings of scoreless relief against the Mariners, striking out eight of the 16 hitters he faced. Unfortunately, he never looked that sharp again. Following a mid-summer IL stint with middle finger inflammation, the righty only made one more appearance for the major league club, a scoreless inning on August 24. He was recalled once more in September but did not pitch in a game, nor did he pitch for Toronto in the playoffs. 

      With all that in mind, it's not a shock to see Schultz DFA'd. He gave the Blue Jays some good innings in 2025, but roster spots are a valuable commodity. The Jays have significantly improved their pitching staff this offseason, not only with the likes of Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce, and Tyler Rogers, but also more promising depth arms like Chase Lee and Spencer Miles. Eventually, Schultz became the odd man out. 

      If Schultz clears waivers, the Blue Jays will be able to outright him to the minors and keep him in their organization. However, considering the promise he flashed in 2025, it wouldn't be surprising to see another team put in a claim. 

      Featured image courtesy of Dan Hamilton, Imagn Images.

      Leo Morgenstern

      To make room for top prospect Trey Yesavage on their active and 40-man rosters, the Blue Jays designated Ryan Borucki for assignment earlier today. In additional transaction news, the team released former top prospect Orelvis Martinez.

      Borucki, 31, signed a minor league contract with Toronto in late August and joined the big league club in early September. He threw 4.1 scoreless innings for the Blue Jays, striking out five and walking four. While his second stint with the Blue Jays turned out to be a short one, he has reportedly expressed a desire to remain in the organization (per Sportnet's Arden Zwelling). So, if he clears waivers, he will presumably accept an outright assignment and return to Triple-A Buffalo. 

      Martinez, 23, was DFA'd last week. He could not be traded with the deadline in the rearview mirror, and because he is injured, the Blue Jays did not have the option to place him on outright waivers. So, his release was an inevitable outcome. Of course, it would have seemed like an inconceivable outcome back in 2018, when the Blue Jays signed the promising young infielder to a contract with a $3.5 million bonus. This only goes to show how much he has struggled since his days as one of the top 100 prospects in the sport.

      Featured image courtesy of Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images.

      Bryan Jaeger

      Max Scherzer has had an exceptional 18-year career, which includes three Cy Young Awards. However, his first season with the Toronto Blue Jays didn't live up to Mad Max's standards. He suffered a career-worst ERA (5.19) and his second-worst WHIP (1.29), and an injury was an issue. The 41-year-old made one start last season before going on the 60-day injury list with right thumb inflammation. 

      Scherzer would return in late June, but he just wasn't his usual self. His up-and-down performance could have been due to the thumb injury or simply to the fact that he was 40. Despite the struggles, he still looked like his fiery self at times, including in a World Series Game 7 start, in which he threw 4 1/3 innings of one-run baseball against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

      News regarding Scherzer has been limited this offseason, as expected for a player of his age, but things may be heating up. Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet has reported, "The Blue Jays' talks with Max Scherzer have gotten more serious in the last week." This comes a day after the news that Shane Bieber, who will start the season on the injured list, is hoping to begin throwing off a mound in the next week or two. 

      The Blue Jays have a loaded starting rotation, even with Bieber not throwing yet. Kevin Gausman, Dylan Cease, Trey Yesavage, José Berríos, and Cody Ponce currently form their starting five, with Eric Lauer available as depth. So, it will be interesting to see how the rotation works out if Scherzer is added. Will Ponce get moved to the bullpen, or will Berríos be traded? There are many different ways the Blue Jays could utilize Scherzer.

      Leo Morgenstern

      The Blue Jays announced two more non-roster invitees to spring training over the weekend: Tanner Andrews and Nate Garkow. Inviting the pair of right-handers brings the team's NRI total up to 31.

      Andrews, 30, signed a minor league contract with Toronto in November. A 10th-round draft pick in 2018, he has played in the minors for the Marlins, Giants, and Twins. His 2025 season was successful, albeit brief; the righty pitched to a 3.78 ERA and 2.01 FIP in 16.2 innings with Minnesota's Double-A affiliate. From 2023-24, he posted a 6.36 ERA and 5.04 FIP in 109 Triple-A innings in the Giants organization.

      Garkow, 28, signed with the Blue Jays as an undrafted free agent in 2024. The right-hander has thrown a total of 77.2 innings between Single-A Dunedin, High-A Vancouver, and Double-A New Hampshire, putting up a 2.78 ERA and 2.72 FIP. He has struck out 38.1% of the batters he's faced in his two-year professional career. Garkow earned shoutouts as one of Jays Centre's Minor League Relievers of the Month in both July and August last season.

      Leo Morgenstern

      To no one's surprise, the Blue Jays have extended the $22.025 million qualifying offer to All-Star shortstop Bo Bichette.

      Bichette technically has until November 18 to decide whether or not to accept the offer, but it's all but a guarantee that he will reject it and seek a long-term contract in free agency.

      Once he rejects the offer, any team that signs Bichette – except for the Blue Jays – will have to forfeit a draft pick (and possibly also international bonus pool space). That could give Toronto a leg up on the competition for his services. 

      Featured image courtesy of John E. Sokolowski, Imagn Images.

      Leo Morgenstern

      The Toronto Blue Jays confirmed their signing of reliever Tyler Rogers this evening. As reported, the contract is a three-year pact with a vesting option for 2029. The right-hander will earn a guaranteed $37 million over the course of the deal, including a $1 million buyout on the $12 million vesting option.

      To make room for Rogers on the 40-man roster, the Blue Jays designated fellow reliever Justin Bruihl for assignment. The southpaw appeared in 15 games for Toronto this past season, allowing 10 runs (eight earned) in 13.2 innings. He struck out 18 but walked seven. Bruihl also gave up two runs (one earned) in his lone postseason appearance. 

      Given his poor performance in 2025, this DFA hardly comes as a surprise. However, losing Bruihl would be a hit to Toronto's left-handed relief depth. 

      If Bruihl passes through waivers, he will most likely elect free agency. If that happens, the Blue Jays could attempt to re-sign him on a minor league deal. 

      Featured image courtesy of Rick Osentoski, Imagn Images.

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