Jameson Taillon’s return to the injured list dropped the Blue Jays right back into the same problem they’ve been trying to outrun all season: how to piece together a rotation for the final push.
At the top, Toronto still has a workable trio. Dylan Cease has been the anchor for most of the 2026 season, the kind of arm the Blue Jays have leaned on heavily since signing him in the offseason.
José Soriano has settled in well since coming over from the Los Angeles Angels at the trade deadline, with Toronto winning all but one of his starts after the deal. And then there’s Max Scherzer, the surprise of the group after plenty had already written him off because of injuries and rough results earlier in the year.
Since coming back, Scherzer has put up a 3.76 ERA and 1.16 WHIP with 34 strikeouts in 40.2 innings over eight starts, and he’s reached at least five innings in six of those outings.
The trouble starts after those three.
Spencer Arrighetti is functioning as the Blue Jays’ No. 4 starter, but his Toronto run has been ugly. He hasn’t resembled the pitcher who was rolling earlier in the season with the Houston Astros, and even if some of the blame for his latest start against the Kansas City Royals can be split between the Jays’ poor defense and the heat, the overall line is hard to ignore. In four games with Toronto, Arrighetti is 0-4 with an 8.04 ERA and 1.53 WHIP, and he has allowed 14 earned runs in just 15.2 innings.
That leaves Toronto in a tough spot if it wants to keep pace as a real postseason threat.
The other issue is the workload behind the starters. The Blue Jays have been leaning on bullpen days every fifth turn, with off days offering the only real breather when they can get by with a four-man rotation.
When that isn’t available, they’ve had to patch together those games with at least four relievers. The results have been good enough so far, but that kind of strain can’t keep going deep into September.
As for fixes, the most obvious internal answer is Spencer Miles. He’s had a strong rookie season and looks like the logical candidate to step into the rotation.
The catch is that Miles has not gone beyond 4.1 innings in any outing in 2026, so he wouldn’t exactly solve the length problem right away. And because he’s been thriving in a versatile relief role, moving him could create a new hole in the bullpen.
Ricky Tiedemann is another name in the mix, but the Blue Jays have too much reason to be careful there. After all he has dealt with in recent years, Toronto can’t afford to push his workload.
Michael Lorenzen is also out there as a possible option after starting plenty for the Colorado Rockies this season, but the numbers are brutal: a 3-11 record, 7.08 ERA, 1.88 WHIP in 25 starts, plus a league-high 91 earned runs allowed. That’s not exactly the kind of profile Toronto wants to gamble on.
So for now, the likeliest answer may be the least exciting one. The Blue Jays may have to stick with what they have and hope Trey Yesavage can return soon to give the rotation another needed boost.
In Other News...
Blue Jays Suddenly Have A New Debate Around The Varsho Trade
Houstons gamble on Daulton Varsho was supposed to be about run prevention and October polish, the kind of deadline move that can steady a team when the games get tighter. Instead, the former Blue Jays outfielder has found himself in an offensive rut, which has only added to the conversation around what the trade was really worth and how much value his glove can carry if the bat stays quiet.
From Torontos side, the deal has taken on a different shape altogether. The Blue Jays still have not gotten the pitching boost they wanted from Spencer Arrighetti, whose rough stretch has lingered since early June, but they have seen Brett Bateman settle in and give the outfield a fresh look after Varsho moved on. What was once framed as a straightforward deadline swap now feels a lot less settled for both clubs. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Face A Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Decision They Can't Delay
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.s uneven season has put the Blue Jays in an uncomfortable spot, and it is one they can no longer ignore for long. The power and presence that usually anchor the middle of Torontos order have been harder to find lately, with Guerrero also producing a frustrating stretch of ground-ball outs into double plays and a low OPS over his last 30 games.
John Schneider has kept Guerrero in the third spot anyway, a sign of how much trust the club still places in its most recognizable bat. But as the offense keeps searching for traction, the debate around a tougher move is growing louder, especially with other options such as Sean Keys waiting for more opportunity. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Face A Costly Bullpen Decision Around Louis Varland
The Blue Jays have at least one obvious priority as they sort through their offseason bullpen plans, and it starts with the idea of giving Louis Varland a more defined partner in late innings. San Diegos Adrian Morejon has emerged as a possible fit in free agency, giving Toronto a left-handed arm with the kind of track record that could make the relief mix look a lot more balanced if the club decides to spend big.
The catch is the price tag. Morejon could be looking at a deal in the neighborhood of four years and $60 million, a steep commitment for any bullpen, and one that would also come with qualifying offer considerations. Toronto is weighing whether the appeal of a right-left late-game pairing is worth that kind of investment, and for now that decision may say as much about the front offices appetite for risk as it does about the bullpen itself. [Read more 🡒]