The Toronto Blue Jays were still fighting for a World Series at this point last season, but in 2026, they didn’t even make the playoffs. It was a disappointing season, to say the least, as injuries and underwhelming performances plagued the team.
The starting rotation dealt with its fair share of injuries. This offseason, Toronto will look to add pitchers it believes can provide stability and make a significant number of starts.
“Some injuries, you can see coming. When the 42-year-old Max Scherzer runs into a few IL stints, no one should be surprised. When José Berríos has Tommy John surgery after not missing a start for nearly a decade, it’s terribly unfortunate, but we all understand the realities of baseball and the limitations of the human elbow. The Blue Jays are trying to find that line now between bad luck and controllable variables,” MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson wrote.
One veteran pitcher who experienced a career resurgence after the trade deadline last season was Tyler Mahle. The right-hander struggled after joining Atlanta but managed to turn things around. A strong October could help him secure a better deal in free agency.
“Mahle’s free-agent prospects for this winter looked bleak given his performance with the Giants (5.13 ERA in 18 starts),” MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand wrote. “… Mahle will be the Braves’ Game 2 starter, and a strong October could help the right-hander land a better deal this offseason.”
Mahle certainly delivered a strong October. SI’s Maddy Dickens believes the Blue Jays should sign the veteran right-hander.
“Ultimately, this team needs depth and Tyler Mahle would be the next best option who could go right in the middle of the rotation as he posted a 1.99 ERA with the Atlanta Braves after the trade deadline. Then, Mahle went into the postseason, where he held opponents to a .184 average in a pair of starts and kept the ERA to an impressive 1.35. He is going to be a hot commodity and will cost a lot less than Skubal,” Dickens wrote.
Toronto is expected to be aggressive in free agency once again. Mahle would be a strong candidate to slot into the back of the rotation, providing valuable depth behind the team’s established top starters.
Mahle played on a $10 million contract with the Braves this past season. Toronto is eager to return to competing at an elite level, and Mahle could be an ideal addition following his late-season resurgence.
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