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      Michael Coyle

      The injury bug continues to rear its ugly head for a Toronto Blue Jays team looking to piece it together through the 2026 season’s opening month. 

      On Sunday morning, the Blue Jays placed outfielder George Springer on the injured list with a left big toe fracture, further depleting an already hurting roster. In a corresponding move, Eloy Jiménez was selected from Triple-A Buffalo to replace Springer on the active roster. 

      Jiménez took over the designated hitter spot and hit seventh on Sunday, as the Blue Jays wrapped up a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins at the Rogers Centre. In Toronto's 8-2 loss, Jiménez went 2-for-4 with two singles and two strikeouts.

      The Blue Jays originally signed Jiménez to a minor league contract in September of last season after he was released from the Tampa Bay Rays organization. After appearing in just six Triple-A games for the Buffalo Bisons last year, Jiménez was brought back to the organization this past January with an invite to spring training. 

      The 29-year-old impressed during spring training, appearing in 18 games and batting .286 with two home runs, three RBIs and a .333 OBP across 45 PA. Jiménez picked up where he left off in spring training in Triple-A with the Bisons. Through 11 games, he hit .257 with one home run and five RBIs while reaching base at a .372 clip. 

      Jiménez is a career .269 hitter at the big league level, to go along with 95 home runs and 298 RBIs over stints with the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles organizations. The Dominican Republic native’s best season in MLB came during his rookie year, when Jiménez slugged 31 home runs for the White Sox. 

      Jiménez’s last appearance in MLB came back in 2024, split between the White Sox and Orioles. He batted .238 with six home runs and 23 RBIs in 98 games.

      The right-handed hitter’s stick will determine his role with the Blue Jays. If Jiménez proves he can drive the ball with authority, then he has a chance to get consistent at-bats as manager John Schneider looks for answers on the offensive side of the ball. The Twins started right-hander Taj Bradley yesterday afternoon, so evidently, the Blue Jays aren't only planning to use Jiménez’s bat when he has the platoon advantage.

      Steve Drumwright

       

      George Springer is headed to the injured list.

      The Toronto Blue Jays' designated hitter sustained a broken left big toe after fouling a ball off the foot in the third inning of Saturday's game vs. the Toronto Blue Jays. There are likely to be more tests done before determining the severity of the injury and how long Springer might be out. Typically, those types of injuries sideline players four to six weeks.

      George Springer had to leave the game with a left toe fracture after fouling a pitch off his foot in the third inning

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      — Talkin’ Baseball (@talkinbaseballbot.bsky.social) April 11, 2026 at 2:00 PM

      Myles Straw replaced Springer in the lineup.

      Springer, the Jays' leadoff hitter, is the latest injury to hit the defending AL champions. Six players are on either the 10- or 15-day injured list with another four on the 60-day IL. Six of those 10 are pitchers.

      With right fielder Addison Barger still about a week away from coming off the 10-day IL with his sprained left ankle, the Jays will need to make a corresponding move before Sunday's series finale. Outfielder Jonatan Clase is the only position player in the minors who is on the 40-man roster.

       

      Leo Morgenstern

      The Blue Jays made a handful of transactions before their game this afternoon. Seeking a shot in the arm for the bullpen, they selected the contracts of Joe Mantiply and Austin Voth from the Buffalo Bisons. To make room for Mantiply and Voth on the 40-man roster, the Jays moved Anthony Santander and Cody Ponce to their 60-day IL. Neither of those moves was unexpected; both Santander and Ponce are expected to miss significantly more than 60 days recovering from their respective injuries.

      Meanwhile, to free up space in the big league bullpen, Toronto sent Brendon Little and Lazaro Estrada down to Triple-A Buffalo. Estrada got the call to the majors when Ponce hit the IL. He threw four scoreless, hitless innings yesterday, striking out three and walking two. His option has nothing to do with his performance; the Jays simply want as many fresh arms in their bullpen as possible, and Estrada won't be available for several days after throwing 66 pitches on Saturday. 

      As for Little, his situation is a little more complicated. He's given up 11 runs (10 earned) on three home runs in five appearances this season. Of course, this demotion doesn't mean the Blue Jays are giving up on him after a few rough appearances. Rather, he was one of only a few relievers in Toronto's bullpen with a minor league option remaining. Given his struggles, it made perfect sense to give him a brief break in the minors to reset while simultaneously opening up a bullpen spot for a more rested arm. 

      Mantiply and Voth both signed minor league contracts with Toronto this offseason. Mantiply is coming off a rough year in 2025, but the southpaw was a key player in the Diamondbacks' bullpen from 2021-24. Voth has experience as both a starter and a reliever, and he's coming off a successful year in NPB. The Jays will presumably look to him for length.

      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.

      Leo Morgenstern

      Patrick Corbin and the Toronto Blue Jays have come to terms on a one-year, $1 million contract. Corbin can earn an additional $1 million in incentives. The left-hander will head to Single-A Dunedin to ramp up after missing spring training. 

      Corbin, 36, threw 155.1 innings for the Texas Rangers in 2025, pitching to a 4.40 ERA and 4.75 xERA. While it's been years since he was more than an innings eater, he has been one of the game's more durable arms over the past decade.

      Toronto signed Corbin in the wake of a serious injury to Cody Ponce, who sprained his ACL during his Blue Jays debut. While the team once seemed to have a surplus of starters, they're now facing a shortage in the rotation. Corbin won't be ready to help out right away, but the Jays clearly understand that there's no such thing as too much starting pitching. 

      Leo Morgenstern

      Update (Tuesday, March 31): Ponce has been diagnosed with a right ACL sprain, the team told reporters (including MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson). It’s not yet clear if it’s a full or partial tear, but the righty will miss a good chunk of time either way. It’s possible his season is already over, though manager John Schneider isn’t giving up hope for Ponce’s 2026 campaign quite yet.
       

      Monday, March 30: Cody Ponce had to be carted off the field on Monday night. The right-hander was less than three innings into his Blue Jays debut when he hurt his leg fielding an infield groundball. He fell to the ground and needed a medical cart to exit the field.

      Before he left, Ponce struck out three Rockies batters and generated 15 swings and misses. He averaged 95.9 mph on his four-seam fastball, topping out at 97.1 mph. His slider was his best weapon, earning eight whiffs on 10 swings. 

      For now, the injury has been labelled right knee discomfort. While the Blue Jays likely won't have a more meaningful update until Ponce can go for imaging, an IL stint seems more than possible. Four of Toronto's starters – Trey Yesavage, Shane Bieber, José Berríos, and Bowden Francis – are already on the injured list. The next man up could be Adam Macko or Lazaro Estrada for a spot start, though the Jays can get by without a fifth starter until April 8.

      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 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. 

      Brock Beauchamp

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      Developing a pure, native app for either Android or iOS is a breathtakingly expensive endeavor, which is why we haven’t done it, despite so many requests over the years. Thankfully, technology has met us halfway, and PWAs (Progressive Web Applications) have reached maturity in the marketplace.

      What is a PWA? It’s effectively a pseudo-app that works much like a native application but doesn’t require tens of thousands of dollars in development to produce. It creates a single browser instance and maintains it as if it were an application. It’s basically a standalone browser tab, dedicated specifically to Jays Centre.

      From this app instance, you can receive notifications; the typical browser interface is removed, and the site is presented clearly, using as much screen real estate as possible, all without sacrificing any functionality. The site is faster, more reliable, and offers more mobile functionality than a standard web browser.

      Additionally, a newer, completely updated Jays Centre is coming later this year, and that will add even more app-like features, making PWA usage even better for all our users.

      With that said, here’s how you turn Jays Centre into an app on your mobile device.

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      Michael Coyle

      On Saturday morning, Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider announced that right-hander Kevin Gausman will be the club's Opening Day starter when the Blue Jays’ season kicks off on Friday, March 27, at the Rogers Centre against the Athletics. 

      This marks the first time that Gausman has been tasked with the Opening Day role in a Blue Jays uniform, though it will be the third Opening Day start of his big league career. Gausman’s first Opening Day start came in 2017 as a member of the Baltimore Orioles, then again in 2021 with the San Francisco Giants. 

      Speaking to the media this morning, Schneider touched on the decision to give the 35-year-old the ball for game one. 

      “Pumped for him, pumped for us. About time he got one, kind of what me and Pete [Walker] told him,” Schneider said (per Sportsnet). “Still figuring out the rest of the rotation, how that lines up, but I'm excited for Kevin to get us going.”

      Gausman is entering the final year of his five-year, $110 million contract, which he signed on December 1, 2021. Over his Blue Jays’ career,  Gausman has pitched to a 48-41 record, while posting an ERA of 3.48. 

      Last season, Gausman was brilliant for the Blue Jays, producing an ERA of 3.59, a FIP of 3.41 and a WHIP of 1.06. Across 32 regular season starts, Gausman struck out 189 batters over 193 innings pitched, relying on his devastating splitter to leave hitters in knots at the plate. Gausman held opponents to a .216 batting average, the second-best mark of his career. 

      During the Blue Jays’ run to the World Series, Gausman only got better. In six appearances, he pitched to an ERA of 2.93. The right-hander tossed 30 ⅓ innings, recording 26 strikeouts, while holding opponents to a .159 average. 

      As the Blue Jays are dealing with injuries to José Berríos and Shane Bieber, while also slowly bringing rookie Trey Yesavage along, Gausman will be tasked with leading a rotation that is hopefully going to be a strength for the team in 2026. 

      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).

      Leo Morgenstern

      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.

      Leo Morgenstern

      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.

      Leo Morgenstern

      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.

      Leo Morgenstern

      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.

      Leo Morgenstern

      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. 

      Leo Morgenstern

      Before he could make his first official appearance in spring training, left-hander Ricky Tiedemann suffered a setback: soreness in his pitching elbow. Thankfully, an MRI did not find any structural damage, but the top prospect will not throw for at least the next week (per Sportsnet).

      Tiedemann, 23, sat out all of 2025 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He was expected to slowly build up his strength and compete for a role in Toronto's big league bullpen at some point this season. This latest news doesn't necessarily change that, but it's hard not to be worried about an update like this concerning a hard-throwing young pitcher.

      The latest update on right-hander Chay Yeager is even less encouraging. According to Sportsnet's Shi Davidi, the 23-year-old met with Dr. Keith Meister on Tuesday, and he could require surgery. Meister is a well-known specialist when it comes to UCL reconstruction.

      Yeager is coming off a strong season in which he pitched to a 2.75 ERA and 3.45 FIP in 55.2 innings between High-A and Double-A. He was invited to MLB spring training for the first time this year.

      Leo Morgenstern

      Speaking to Sportsnet's Shi Davidi, Blue Jays right-hander Yimi García confirmed that he will open the 2026 season on the injured list.

      García, 35, had elbow surgery last September. He has not suffered a setback, but the Blue Jays are simply taking things slow with the veteran reliever, who also dealt with elbow issues in 2024. The righty has not yet thrown off a mound this spring, though he's hoping to do so soon.

      While it once seemed as if the Blue Jays would have some tough decisions to make regarding their Opening Day bullpen, that might not be an issue anymore. Barring a particularly impressive spring training from Chase Lee or one of the Rule 5 guys (or a last-minute Max Scherzer signing), Toronto's Opening Day bullpen is likely to include Jeff Hoffman, Tyler Rogers, Louis Varland, Brendon Little, Eric Lauer, Tommy Nance, Braydon Fisher, and Mason Fluharty.

      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

      Last week, news broke that Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander will miss the next five to six months recovering from surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. That's the same shoulder that kept him out for most of the 2025 campaign.

      Considering Santander first hurt his shoulder all the way back in May, it would be fair to ask why he didn't get this surgery a whole lot earlier. The outfielder addressed that question yesterday, telling reporters (including MLB.com's Keegan Matheson) that his original MRIs did not show a tear. That's why he and the Jays chose to take a rest and rehab approach instead of going the surgical route.

      Yet, when Santander started swinging a bat again this winter, he still felt uncomfortable. He went for testing, and this time, the tests showed his shoulder was in worse shape than he thought. 

      As John Schneider pointed out, an MRI “usually paints a pretty good picture.” Perhaps that means the tear is a newer development. Perhaps not. 

      “It’s nobody's fault, it just didn't show up,” said Santander. 

      To fill in for the injured slugger, the Blue Jays brought in Jesús Sánchez in a trade with the Astros. They'll also hope Santander can return on the earlier end of his projected timeline. That could have him back in the lineup by mid-July. Yet, Santander has already acknowledged he might not be ready so soon.

      "Obviously, the other option is to wait until next year," said the switch-hitter. "But I hope it doesn’t go that way.”

      Leo Morgenstern

      Right-hander Jesse Hahn will be heading to Blue Jays camp in Dunedin. According to the team's transaction log, they signed the 36-year-old to a minor league contract with a spring training invite on Saturday. 

      From 2014-17, Hahn made 50 starts (53 games) for the Padres and Athletics, pitching to a 4.19 ERA with 212 strikeouts and a 49.7% groundball rate in 286 innings. After tearing his UCL in 2018, he was one of the first pitchers to receive an internal brace procedure. Upon his return, he made a handful of relief appearances for the Royals from 2019-21, putting up a 4.62 ERA in 25.1 innings of work. 

      A shoulder injury ruined most of Hahn's 2021, and he did not pitch professionally for the next two seasons. He made his return to affiliated ball with the Dodgers organization in 2024, and in 2025, he finally made it back to the majors, appearing in three games and tossing five innings for the Mariners. All told, across an unusual career, the righty has pitched 316.1 innings with a 4.24 ERA and 3.4 FanGraphs WAR. He's never been one to overpower hitters, and control has often been an issue, but he's always excelled at inducing groundballs.

      Hahn will join names like Jorge Alcala and Connor Seabold as righty NRIs in camp with MLB experience. 

      Earlier last week, the Blue Jays also reportedly signed first baseman Juan Yepez, according to Eric Treuden of Just Baseball. He, too, will presumably report to big league spring training, but the team has not yet announced his deal. 

      Yepez, 27, hit 20 home runs with a .730 OPS and a 103 wRC+ in 166 games for the Cardinals and Nationals from 2022-24. The righty batter did not appear in the majors last year, as injury and ineffectiveness kept him at Triple-A. 

      Initially a utility player with experience at first, third, and the corner outfield spots, Yepez has mostly played first base and DH the past two years. He'll have a better chance of making it back to the majors in 2026 if the Blue Jays think he can handle outfield work, so it will be worth watching where he plays in the coming weeks and months.

      Leo Morgenstern

      Last week, Eric Lauer and the Blue Jays argued their cases in front of an arbitration panel. Earlier today, Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi and Ben Nicholson-Smith reported that the Jays won the hearing. That means Lauer will earn $4.4 million for the 2026 season instead of the $5.75 million figure he filed at.

      Ultimately, $1.35MM in savings is pocket change for the Blue Jays, as is the $1.215 million this will save them on their 2026 luxury tax bill. 

      However, this result is interesting because of the precedent it sets. As I wrote last week:

      Quote

      Lauer's case is an unusual one. The lefty earned $5.075 million from the Brewers in 2023, his second year of arbitration eligibility. He did not pitch in the majors in 2024, splitting his time between the Pirates' and Astros' Triple-A affiliates and the KBO's Kia Tigers, and he joined the Blue Jays on a minor league contract in 2025. As a result, he was still eligible for one more year of arbitration entering 2026. 

      Typically, salaries do not decrease in arbitration. If a team isn't willing to give a player a raise, they simply won't tender him a contract. Lauer is also coming off what was arguably just as strong a season as his last campaign prior to arbitration; according to fWAR, bWAR, and WARP, he was more valuable in 2025 than he was in 2022. With that in mind, it would seem to be a given that Lauer would win his hearing, since he asked for $675,000 more than $5.075 million, while the Blue Jays countered with $675,000 less. 

      The fact that Lauer will make less money in 2026 (his third year in the arbitration system) than he earned in 2023 (his second year in the system) is bad news not just for Lauer, but for future players who find themselves in a similar position.

      Leo Morgenstern

      In addition to the arms on their official 30-man rosters, each country in the World Baseball Classic can name up to six pitchers to its Designated Pitcher Pool. These pitchers will be ready to serve as potential replacements in later rounds of the tournament.

      According to MLB.com's Michael Clair, "Teams can replace up to four pitchers following the first round and then up to two pitchers after the quarterfinal. These players can replace one of up to four arms that the team had previously marked as a potential substitute."

      Clair also published a list of all the known pitchers that have been included in their country's DPP. Team Canada was not included in the article, and it's unclear if that means Canada doesn't have a DPP or if it just hasn't been revealed yet. 

      However, three notable Blue Jays names appeared on the DPP lists: Jeff Hoffman (USA), Tyler Rogers (USA), and José Berríos (Puerto Rico). They could join the 12 other Blue Jays expected to participate in the WBC.

      Berríos was originally going to be on Puerto Rico's 30-man roster, but he was one of several players denied insurance coverage for the tournament. It isn't clear what his inclusion in the DPP means about his insurance status. 

      Leo Morgenstern

      Spring training is here! Well, sort of. It's pitchers and catchers day at the Blue Jays' spring training complex in Dunedin, Florida. Injury updates have already started rolling in, and, on a more positive note, pictures and videos of real-life baseball activities are coming soon. 

      All pitchers and catchers are expected to report to camp today, while any other position players participating in the World Baseball Classic will report tomorrow. The rest of the squad is expected to arrive no later than Monday, February 16. 

      Blue Jays photo day is scheduled for Friday, February 20 (new headshots to use in our articles, yay!), and the following day, the Jays will welcome the Phillies for the first game of spring training on Saturday, February 21 at 1:07 pm. That kicks off a stretch of 11 Grapefruit League games in 10 days, leading up to an exhibition match against Team Canada at 1:07 pm on Tuesday, March 3.

      Another date to keep on your calendar is Saturday, March 21, when a team of Blue Jays prospects will take on a team of Phillies prospects as part of the Spring Breakout weekend. The Phillies will host that contest at 1:05 pm in Clearwater.

      Finally, spring training will come to a close at the end of March. While 24 teams will play their Opening Day matchups on March 25 or 26, the Blue Jays are one of a handful of clubs waiting until Friday, March 27 to begin their regular season. Their first game will also be their home opener, as they take on the Athletics at 7:07 pm in Toronto.

      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.

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