2 Blue Jays that could be playing their way off the roster by May

The Toronto Blue Jays have had a rough start to their 2026 MLB campaign so far. Currently with a dismal 7-11 record, the Blue Jays surprisingly find themselves amongst the worst teams in the league as they sit in the American League East basement alongside the Boston Red Sox.

Many of the players currently on the 26-man roster have been underperforming coming out of the gate, ultimately affecting the effectiveness of both their offense and pitching as a result. However, for a couple of Blue Jays in particular, they could be playing their way off of the team roster by the end of the month if they don’t turn things around soon enough.

These two Blue Jays are on a short leash

P Tommy Nance

Entering the 2026 season, Tommy Nance had the slight advantage in securing a spot with the Blue Jays’ 26-man roster due to the fact that he had no options remaining. For someone that posted a 2-0 record with a stellar 1.99 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, while averaging a strikeout per inning in 30 relief appearances for the Blue Jays in 2025, Toronto wasn’t just going to risk losing a reliever of such reliability on waivers.

Nance compiled a gaudy 6.75 ERA, 2.06 WHIP over five spring appearances, but he still ended up making the Blue Jays Opening Day roster. However, things haven’t got much better for the 35-year-old reliever. In eight games to date, the veteran right hander has amassed an abysmal 7.04 ERA, 1.83 WHIP, giving up six earned runs on 10 hits with four walks and nine strikeouts in 7.2 innings of work.

With offseason trade acquisition Chase Lee and a suddenly revitalized Brendon Little currently excelling with the Blue Jays’ Triple-A affiliate Buffalo Bisons, along with solid starts to the 2026 minor league season for both Yariel Rodríguez and Adam Macko, all of them could be knocking on the door for a call-up as Nance’s tenure with Toronto could be hanging by the thread.

OF Nathan Lukes

After being one of the Blue Jays’ surprising breakout players from last season, Nathan Lukes has had a disastrous start to his 2026 campaign. For someone that made a name for himself for coming up with big hits in the biggest moments for Toronto in 2025, the 31-year-old outfielder unfortunately has been anything but so far this year.

Despite getting some valuable playing time due to the injuries to Anthony Santander, Addison Barger and George Springer, Lukes has underwhelmed with an .063/.118/.065/.183 slash lines, registering just two hits, two runs scored and two RBIs in 32 plate appearances over 13 games played. To make matters worse, those two hits both came in one game on March 31 against the Colorado Rockies, meaning that he has been held hitless in all but one game this season.

Lukes definitely wants to prove that last season was no fluke and that he could significantly contribute at the major league level. But with one minor league option remaining, it may make more sense for the 31-year-old to try and rediscover his game down in Buffalo to ensure that his current struggles doesn’t ultimately affect his confidence in the long run.

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