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Blue Jays: Starting Rotation Depth Chart ahead of Free Agency

By Ty Hudec

ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 30: Hyun-Jin Ryu #99 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches during Game Two of the American League Wild Card Series against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on September 30, 2020 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 30: Hyun-Jin Ryu #99 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches during Game Two of the American League Wild Card Series against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on September 30, 2020 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – SEPTEMBER 20: Taijuan Walker #0 of the Toronto Blue Jays throws a pitch in the bottom of the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on September 20, 2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – SEPTEMBER 20: Taijuan Walker #0 of the Toronto Blue Jays throws a pitch in the bottom of the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on September 20, 2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

Behind ace Hyun-Jin Ryu, the Toronto Blue Jays find themselves pretty thin in the starting rotation ahead of free agency and the winter meetings.

After a successful 2020 campaign, the Toronto Blue Jays head into the off-season looking to build off the momentum gained from the club’s first playoff appearance since 2016. General Manager Ross Atkins has a number of positions to fill on the roster in the coming months with openings in the bullpen, outfield depth concerns, and a big question mark at third base.

The most pressing need for the team however is what to do in the starting rotation behind ace Hyun-Jin Ryu. Taijaun Walker, Matt Shoemaker, and Robbie Ray are all free agents, while Chase Anderson has a hefty club option that the club might be looking to walk away from. That leaves the Blue Jays with far more questions than answers with the starting staff.

Young arms such as Jordan Romano, Ryan Borucki, Thomas Hatch, and Julian Merryweather are all players that the club could choose to stretch out next spring. All would seem destined to start in Buffalo if that were the case or they could simply return to a bullpen that will be in need of quality arms. Even if one or two of those players are able to surprise, none should be expected to start a full slate of games next season. It’s clear that the Blue Jays have plenty of work to do in upgrading the rotation with established big league arms. Here’s what the team’s current depth chart looks like as they enter the off-season.