The Toronto Blue Jays are staring at a busy 2026 offseason after a year that went sideways fast. A club that reached the World Series a season ago missed the postseason entirely, finished fifth in the American League East at 79-83, and spent too much of the year looking like a team that couldn’t even get itself into the playoff conversation.
Injuries were a major part of the story, but that doesn’t change the reality in front of them now: pitching has to be the first priority. If Toronto goes out and adds a couple of veterans, the rotation picture should look a lot healthier heading into next season.
That’s why the idea of reuniting with Kevin Gausman is at least worth talking about - but not necessarily worth doing. The Blue Jays traded the 35-year-old at the deadline, and while bringing him back wouldn’t be the strangest move, it also doesn’t feel like the right one. He may still help a staff in need of innings, but the signs point to a pitcher who is no longer operating at the level Toronto once expected.
Bleacher Report laid out the case for why a short-term deal could make sense, pointing to the number of arms already tied up by injuries and future uncertainty.
“Max Scherzer, Jameson Taillon and Shane Bieber will be coming off the books this offseason. Bowden Francis had Tommy John surgery in February, so it might be a stretch for him to be ready for Opening Day.
José Berríos had Tommy John surgery in May, so he's more likely in play for the second half of the 2027 season. Cody Ponce will also be returning from a major procedure, as he tore the ACL in his right knee in April.
“The point is, the Blue Jays will need starting pitching depth heading into 2027. A one-year deal with Gausman would give them that, even if he's no longer a top-of-the-rotation starter,” Bleacher Report wrote.
There’s no denying Gausman still brings value. Over the last couple of seasons, he has shown he can still be one of the better starters in the league, and his durability has mattered. Even in 2026, he logged 177.1 innings, which is nothing to shrug at in today’s game.
But the stuff has backed up, and the results have followed. His ERA has climbed to roughly a full run higher than it was for much of his career, which is a strong sign that the Blue Jays would be better off looking elsewhere than trying to chase a reunion with a 35-year-old who may already be past his best days.
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The problem is that the current picture comes with plenty of uncertainty, which is why the front office may have to think beyond the internal options it already has. Health and consistency are still open questions for several pitchers in the mix, and that leaves Toronto with the same offseason math plenty of contenders face: either get enough certainty from the group in house, or add another arm who can help steady the rotation or take pressure off the bullpen. [Read more 🡒]
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For the Blue Jays, it is another reminder of how quickly managerial confidence can shift when a team finds its footing. John Schneider has had to navigate a far messier season on the Toronto side, and the contrast between the two clubs has only sharpened the scrutiny around how each dugout handled the year, especially as Philadelphias stability became part of the story and Torontos did not. [Read more 🡒]