The Blue Jays are expected to shop for starting pitching this offseason, but former Toronto fan favorite Kevin Pillar doesn’t think Tarik Skubal should be the splashy answer.
Pillar, speaking on Blue Bird Territory after being asked by The Athletic’s Mitch Bannon whether Toronto should put its full weight behind the two-time Cy Young Award winner, said the club already has enough at the top of its rotation to avoid a massive swing on one arm.
"I don't," Pillar said. "They got their ace, they got Dylan Cease and as much as you want to build your team around having this elite starting pitching, I think the Blue Jays have good starting pitching. You can never have enough starting pitching."
"I think the Blue Jays learned this year that they need to distribute that money over position groups as opposed to going out to sign Skubal."
Toronto has been aggressive in free agency in recent seasons, and with pitching viewed as a clear offseason need, Skubal naturally comes up as a possible target. The left-hander was traded from the Detroit Tigers to the Los Angeles Dodgers before the MLB Trade Deadline, then helped the defending champions get to the postseason. The run ended in the NLCS, though, when the Milwaukee Brewers swept Los Angeles in four games.
Even after that finish, Skubal is still seen as a high-leverage pitcher who is set up for a huge payday. Toronto has spent heavily since 2024, so it would not be a shock if the club gets involved. Pillar just doesn’t believe that should be the move.
Instead, he pointed to Dylan Cease as the kind of arm the Blue Jays can build around. Cease was in the AL Cy Young Award conversation earlier this summer, and Pillar’s view is that Toronto already has a legitimate ace in place.
He also suggested a different route might make more sense: bringing back Shane Bieber. Bieber would cost less and, like Skubal, has won a Cy Young Award.
The catch is obvious. Bieber’s recent injuries have affected the last two seasons of his career, making him a far riskier bet.
Toronto should be in the market for a starter, but Pillar’s message was clear: check in on Skubal, sure, but don’t be the team that pays his price. The Blue Jays are more likely to land a pitcher this winter than not - just probably not the one Skubal and agent Scott Boras are positioned to demand.
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