12 former Blue Jays players still without a job heading into spring training

Spring Training is set to open this week for the Toronto Blue Jays as players will begin reporting in Dunedin. However, there are a dozen former Blue Jays that are currently unemployed and looking for a home in 2026.

12 former Blue Jays players still without a job heading into spring training

Justin Turner

A former World Series champion, Turner was already approaching the twilight of his MLB career when he joined the Blue Jays as a free agent before the 2024 season. Turner hit .256 with a .722 OPS, six home runs and 31 RBIs in 91 games played before he was shipped off to the Seattle Mariners at the trade deadline.

He would eventually prolong his MLB career by signing with the Chicago Cubs last year. In 80 games Turner disappointed by batting just .219 with a .602 OPS, 14 runs scored, three home runs and 18 RBIs. The Cubs declined their mutual option on the 41-year-old.

Ty France

As one of the Blue Jays’ trade deadline acquisitions in 2025, France performed respectably during his short tenure with the club. In 37 games France compiled a solid .277 batting average, .693 OPS, with nine runs scored, one home run and eight RBIs. He also managed to capture Gold Glove honours as a first baseman in 2025.

Rowdy Tellez

Tellez has had a bumpy ride in the majors since being dealt by Toronto to the Milwaukee Brewers during the 2021 season. Tellez, 30, registerd 42 home runs and 117 RBIs in 209 games played with the Brewers in 2021-22. However, he would struggle for the most part in the proceeding years, posting a .230 average, .691 OPS and averaging 14 home runs and 51 RBIs during his past three seasons.

Cavan Biggio

No former Blue Jays player has moved as much as Biggio has over the last two years. The 30-year-old utilityman has had stops with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Angels and Kansas City Royals in a span of 15 months. Last season, Biggio hit a dismal .174 with a .543 OPS, with just one home run and four RBIs in 37 games with the Royals before spending most of his time in the minors.

Gio Urshela

Often thought as the one that got away for the Blue Jays, Urshela has carved out a respectable MLB career. In his 10 years in the majors, Urshela has batted a solid .270 with a .722 OPS, while averaging 59 runs scored, 14 home runs and 67 RBIs per season. However, he had a down year with the Athletics in 2025, posting a .238 average, .613 OPS, with 10 runs scored, zero home runs and 20 RBIs in 59 games.

Randal Grichuk 

Grichuk spent time with the Royals and Arizona Diamondbacks last year, compiling a .228 average, and a .674 OPS in 113 games. His best season was in 2019 with the Blue Jays where he posted career highs in hits (136), runs scored (75), home runs (31), walks (35), and total bases (268). For his career, Grichuk has hit lefties (.268/.318/.500/.819) considerably better than righties (.241/.287/.446/.733), so he could be attractive to a team looking for a platoon outfielder.

Liam Hendriks

Hendriks developed into one of the best closers in the league after leaving the Blue Jays in the late 2010s. A three-time All-Star, he led the American League with 38 saves during his 2021 campaign with the Chicago White Sox. However, injury woes would take a toll on the 36-year-old veteran while he also overcame cancer to return to the big leagues.

Last year, Hendriks appeared in 14 games for the Boston Red Sox, but struggled to an 0-2 record, 6.59 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, in 13.2 innings of work.

Kendall Graveman

A former Blue Jays prospect that developed into a top-tiered reliever after leaving the organization. Graveman’s best season came in 2021 when he posted a 5-1 record with a 1.77 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, with 61 strikeouts in 56 innings pitched for the Mariners and Houston Astros. Graveman missed the entire 2024 season due to right shoulder surgery.

The 35-year-old right-hander struggled with the Diamondbacks in 2025, with a 7.13 ERA, 1.98 WHIP, with14 earned runs, 12 walks and nine strikeouts in 17.2 innings pitched. Graveman was released by Arizona in August last year. 

Chad Green

The Blue Jays initially signed Green during the 2022-23 offseason while he was recovering from Tommy John surgery and the gamble paid off as Green delivered the goods in late 2023. Toronto exercised a two-year, $21 million option to keep Green through 2025. While his 2024 season was good, he had a disastrous 2025 campaign posted a gaudy 5.56 ERA. The Blue Jays eventually designated him for assignment and released him in early August.

Marcus Stroman

Stroman had the worst season of his MLB career in 2025 with the Yankees. In just nine starts, he amassed a 3-2 record with a 6.23 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, with 27 earned runs on 44 hits in 39 innings. New York even attempted to move Stroman at the trade deadline, but with no takers, he was ultimately released from the organization following the deadline.

Chris Bassitt

Bassitt had been a man of consistency for the Blue Jays during the past three seasons. Registering a solid 37-31 record with a 3.89 ERA with 520 strikeouts in 541.1 innings pitched over 96 appearances. Bassitt gave Toronto quality innings every time he took the mound and even showed his versatility by pitching effectively as a reliever during their run to the World Series in 2025.

Max Scherzer 

The legendary three-time Cy Young award winner Scherzer definitely had an eventful season with the Blue Jays in 2025. Despite missing almost half the season with his thumb issue, the 41-year-old pitcher had memorable moments with Toronto the rest of the way. That included a strong five-game stretch between the end of July to mid-August in which he was his vintage self, along with delivering in the postseason with a key win in the ALCS.

Of course, no one will ever forget his signature reaction moment during Game 4 of the ALCS when he sent Blue Jays manager John Schneider back to the dugout when he came out to check up on his pitcher. Rumors have it that the Blue Jays are interested in bringing back Scherzer for one more shot at glory, according to MLB insider Jon Heyman. And if that means more signature Mad Max moments, we are here for it.