The Blue Jays didn’t just make a move on Monday morning - they reshaped the middle of their rotation in a hurry.
Toronto landed Jose Soriano from the Angels only hours after dealing Kevin Gausman to the Cubs, and the price was steep: right-hander Angel Rivero, outfielder Edidie Micheletti, and Arjun Nimmala, whom MLB Pipeline ranked as the No. 2 prospect in the system. In return, the Blue Jays got a 27-year-old starter who won’t hit free agency until 2029.
That kind of control matters, and so does the arm itself. Soriano immediately slots in behind Dylan Cease as Toronto’s second-best starter, giving the Blue Jays a very different look at the top of the rotation.
The numbers from his time with the Angels show why Toronto was willing to pay up. Soriano went 9-6 with a 3.29 ERA, covering 123 innings while striking out 127 and walking 57.
He was electric out of the gate, allowing just one earned run over his first six starts. He also turned in two double-digit strikeout games and, for that stretch, was practically untouchable.
His 0.24 ERA through those six starts was the lowest in MLB history, according to Sarah Langs of mlb.com.
The middle months brought the expected correction, but Soriano settled back in before the deadline. The big question in Toronto is the same one that followed him with the Angels: can he keep the walks and baserunners in check? He’s third in all of baseball in walks allowed, and that’s the number that will decide how high he can climb with the Blue Jays.
If he sharpens that part of his game, Toronto could have something close to an elite co-ace next to Cease. That’s clearly the vision Ross Atkins had in making the deal.
The Blue Jays are still several games back in the playoff race, but Soriano gives them a real boost for the stretch run. If he stays healthy, he should make about eight or nine starts the rest of the way.
A reasonable projection from here looks like this: 4-2, 49 IP, 3.04 ERA, 50 strikeouts, 21 walks.
There’s also a bigger-picture angle here. Beyond Cease and Yesavage, Toronto didn’t have much certainty in its 2027 rotation.
Cody Ponce is coming back from an ACL injury, and Shane Bieber is headed for free agency. Soriano brings some much-needed stability to that picture.
It came at a heavy cost, especially with Nimmala going out the door. But the Blue Jays clearly believe Soriano can pitch at an elite level while they chase a late-season push. He last pitched on July 26, so his Toronto debut could come Thursday against the Cubs.
In Other News...
Blue Jays Catching Depth Suddenly Looks More Valuable Than Ever
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Alejandro Kirks presence as the Blue Jays long-term catcher helped shape that decision, giving the club a clear answer at the top of the depth chart while allowing it to hold onto Valenzuela. For a team that understands how quickly catching depth can disappear, the choice to keep him was less about standing pat and more about preserving an asset in a market where the demand is obvious and the supply is thin. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Add Intriguing Starter But One Part Of This Trade Stings
Spencer Arrighetti gives the Blue Jays something they can always use in a rotation search: a young right-hander with upside and years of control. The trade that brought him over from Houston, with Daulton Varsho going the other way, also fits Torontos broader push to keep adding arms that can matter beyond just the next few weeks. Arrighetti had spent his entire big league career with the Astros, so this is a significant change for a pitcher who knew one organization and one clubhouse.
What makes the move sting a little is the human side of it. Arrighetti spoke emotionally about leaving the team he had only ever played for, and he now has to make a fresh start in a different market while working his way back from injury. The Blue Jays are betting that the long view is worth it, since he is under team control through 2029, but the immediate picture still depends on how quickly he gets healthy and settles in once he returns. [Read more 🡒]
Kevin Gausman Just Left Blue Jays Fans With An Emotional Message
Kevin Gausmans exit from Toronto closed one chapter for the Blue Jays, but it did so with a message that landed more like a farewell than a breakup. After being dealt to the Chicago Cubs, Gausman took time to thank the organization and the fans who embraced him, giving the kind of parting note that tends to stick with a clubhouse and a city long after the transaction is filed away.
The right-hander is already moving on to his next stop, with a Cubs debut set for Friday against the Kansas City Royals, yet his words suggested Toronto will not be just another stop on the itinerary. For Blue Jays fans, it leaves the deal feeling a little less final than most, with the emotional part of the story still hanging in the air. [Read more 🡒]