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.
In Other News...
Kevin Gausman Just Reopened A Blue Jays Reunion Question
Kevin Gausmans postseason with the Cubs ended the way no veteran pitcher wants it to, with him taking the loss in Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series as Chicago was knocked out. The outing also added a fresh layer to an already familiar Blue Jays conversation, because Gausman was dealt away at the trade deadline and is now in the final year of his contract.
His emotional postgame interview only amplified the sense that a return to Chicago may not be in the cards, and it naturally pushed attention back toward Toronto. For Blue Jays fans, the question is less about what Gausman meant in the moment and more about what comes next, since speculation about a reunion has been hanging out there without any official decision yet. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Just Opened A Real Winter Debate At Second Base
Ross Atkins didnt exactly close the book on second base when he spoke about Ernie Clement, and that alone says something about where the Blue Jays are headed this winter. Clement has become one of the clubs more valuable all-around pieces because he can move around the diamond and give Toronto dependable at-bats, but Atkins made it clear the position is still up for discussion as the team looks ahead to 2027 and tries to build a more consistent offense.
For Toronto, that creates a real roster question in a spot that can quietly shape the lineups balance. The front office is exploring ways to complement its current players and improve production at second base and in the outfield, which means free-agent options and internal candidates are both in play. Clement remains part of the conversation, but the Jays are not treating the job as locked down, and that kind of uncertainty tends to make the offseason a lot more interesting. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Varsho Trade Looks Wilder After New Injury Twist
Daulton Varshos left wrist has taken another turn, with the outfielder undergoing arthroscopic surgery after being sidelined by inflammation. The issue was not exactly new, either. Varsho had been dealing with cysts that limited the wrists mobility for months, including while he was still with Toronto before the deal that sent him to Houston.
Spencer Arrighetti came back to the Blue Jays in that trade, and his post-deadline stretch did not go smoothly. Even so, Toronto still views him as part of the longer-term picture, which gives the move a very different look now that Varshos wrist history has resurfaced in a more serious way. [Read more 🡒]