3 Blue Jays on the 40-man roster who will make it to Opening Day 2027, 2 who won’t

The Toronto Blue Jays will likely be faced with some crucial decisions regarding their 40-man roster in the coming weeks. Not only will the Blue Jays be looking to add some key pieces to bolster their roster, they will also need to open some spots to protect a few of their top prospects from the Rule 5 Draft in December. Some of their high-end young talent will need protection includes, Gage Stanifer, Josh Kasevich, Nolan Perry, Daniel Guerra and Jay Harry.

As a result, there could be quite a few other players currently on the bubble who will be trying to retain their spot. Three of those "bubble" players should absolutely find themselves on the Opening Day roster next season. Two are more likely to be let go.

These three Blue Jays will likey still be around come Opening Day, while two others may have had their last chance in Toronto

José Rodríguez will keep his spot

Acquired by Toronto from the Los Angeles Dodgers at the beginning of September, José Rodríguez showed his ability to be a major league flamethrower when he was called up to the big leagues. Possessing a fastball that could reach triple digits, Rodríguez didn't allow a run while posting a 0.64 WHIP, holding the opposition to just three hits, no walks and five strikeouts in four relief appearances for the Blue Jays. It was a strong impression made by the 25-year-old reliever which should keep him in the mix heading into 2027.

Rudy Martin Jr. ‘s spot is in jeopardy

It may have been a feel good story to finally see minor league journeyman Rudy Martin Jr. make it to the big leagues. After spending over a decade in the minors, Martin made his elusive MLB debut in September. However, he would last all but two games before suffering a left hamstring strain that ended his season. He recorded a walk and a strikeout in three total plate appearances. With many other younger and more viable options in the mix, it doesn’t appear that Martin will have a role with the ballclub for much longer.

Brendan Cellucci should keep his spot

Originally signed to a minor league contract with the Blue Jays last offseason, Brendan Cellucci finally made his major league debut with Toronto at age 28. But the wait was certainly worth it as Cellucci put up strong numbers in his brief stint with the Blue Jays during the final month of the season.

In six appearances, the 28-year-old reliever held the opposition scoreless while giving up just two hits and three walks while striking out 11 in 8.2 innings of work. That came after a solid campaign with Triple-A Buffalo in which Cellucci posted a 6-2 record with a 3.16 ERA along with 55 strikeouts in 51.1 total innings over 45 games played.

Jake Bloss is in trouble of losing his spot

As a key part of the return package for Yusei Kikuchi in 2024, Jake Bloss sure hasn’t had things go his way in Toronto. Bloss has struggled with consistency and injuries during the past two seasons, including undergoing Tommy John surgery in May of 2025 that put him out of action until this year.

After his recovery, his struggles continued as he amassed a 6.18 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, giving up 27 earned runs including 10 home runs with 37 strikeouts in just 39.1 innings pitched over 11 minor league starts this season. With many of the Blue Jays’ young arms close to bypassing him on the depth chart, Bloss could become expendable when the roster crunch happens.

Spencer Arrighetti will keep his spot despite the struggles

Spencer Arrighetti first few outings with the Blue Jays proved to be a disaster after coming over in the Daulton Varsho trade with the Astros. Despite looking unbeatable for Houston in the early parts of 2026, Arrighetti was anything but during the final two months of the season. The right-hander struggled with his command as he went 2-4 with a gaudy 6.35 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, while yielding 16 earned runs including six home runs with 4 walks and 19 strikeouts in 22.2 innings.

At 26-years-old, he's still got some runway to show he can reach his potential. The Blue Jays will likely give him time to work things out, and he'll get another opportunity to crack their rotation in 2027.

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