Baseball

Rumor: Blue Jays want big starter with long contract
Charles-Alexis Brisebois
Rumor: Blue Jays want big starter with long contract
Credit: Bluebird Banter

The Blue Jays will be able to count on Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, Shane Bieber and Jose Berrios to hold down the fort in the rotation for the 2026 campaign.

This has officially been the case since Shane Bieber surprised the baseball world by accepting the one-year option on his contract.

Basically, he could have accepted $4 million and signed for the long term, but opted to take an additional $12 million (so $16 million in total) to stay in Toronto for just one more year.

He could possibly have made close to $100 million as a free agent, but he chose to stay on the cheap in an environment where he feels comfortable. What a fine example of the culture the Blue Jays are building.

That said, there's one thing Bieber's signing hasn't settled: the contractual situation of long-term starters.

Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt are currently available. Gausman and Bieber will be free in a year's time. Berrios has an exit option in a year's time, so he should be considered a potential free agent after the 2026 season.

The only one guaranteed to be around in 2027 is Trey Yesavage.

So, according to Keegan Matheson, the Blue Jays are in the market this winter for a top-notch pitcher who will be around for at least several years.

Will the Blue Jays, once again attractive to free agents, bring a top-notch (left-handed, ideally) pitcher to town via the free agent process? Is a deal possible?

To be seen this winter.

PMLB
  • Blue Jays bosses will talk to the media tomorrow.

  • Jorge Polanco is a free agent.

  • Chris Sale is staying in Atlanta for 2026.

  • Tim Hill stays with the Yankees, but Jonathan Loaisiga doesn't.

This content was created with the help of AI.

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