The Blue Jays are making a serious run at the biggest name on the market.
According to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, Toronto has lined up a meeting with left-handed starter Tarik Skubal, who stands as the top free agent in this year’s class. Heyman reported that “The big-market Blue Jays are a player in the sweepstakes for superstar free agent Tarik Skubal, and they are expected to join the Mets, Padres and Dodgers in meeting with the two-time Cy Young winner in California next week, sources tell the Post,”
If Toronto gets Skubal, it would be landing the best starting pitcher available for a second straight offseason.
The Blue Jays brought in Dylan Cease last winter on a seven-year, $210 million deal, and he’s likely to finish second in AL Cy Young voting behind New York Yankees ace Cam Schlittler. That move set the tone for Toronto’s rotation plan, and the club has already dealt with plenty of turnover and injury trouble on the mound.
Trey Yesavage, Max Scherzer, Shane Bieber, Jameson Taillon, and Cody Ponce - who made one start - all spent time on the IL during the season. At the trade deadline, Toronto added Jose Soriano and Spencer Arrighetti as the front office worked to keep the roster balanced while also managing the sell-off side of the deadline.
Skubal, meanwhile, kept producing at a high level in 2026 even after undergoing surgery to remove loose bodies from his throwing elbow.
Toronto is coming off a disappointing fifth-place finish in the AL East, and a move for Skubal would be a major swing at a bounce-back year. It would also be a costly one.
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Padres Offseason Could Reshape The Rotation And Tatis Jrs Role
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Mason Miller, fresh off being named National League Reliever of the Year, added another layer to the conversation by saying he wants the Padres to bring back fellow reliever Adrian Morejon. And if San Diego does land another outfielder, it could open the door for Fernando Tatis Jr. to move back to the infield, a shift that would change the look of the lineup and the defense at once. The Padres have plenty of moving parts this winter, and the way they sort through them may end up defining more than just the pitching staff. [Read more 🡒]