All-Star Louis Varland is having the best season by a Blue Jay reliever in team history

It’s not Louis Varland’s fault that the Toronto Blue Jays have been a disaster in 2026 — he’s authoring one of the best seasons by a reliever in franchise history. 

Varland was recently named an All-Star for the first time in his career after putting together a truly exceptional first half. He should be the man getting the ball if the American League enters the ninth inning with a lead in Philadelphia on July 14th.

Just how good has Varland been in 2026?

When the Blue Jays acquired Varland and Ty France at the 2025 trade deadline from the Minnesota Twins for pitching prospect Kendry Rojas and rookie Alan Roden, they were getting a high-powered arm in the midst of a breakout campaign.

Varland, like many relievers, originally came up as a starting pitcher. The Twins shifted him to the bullpen full-time after a truly disastrous 2024 season in which he recorded a 7.61 ERA across 16 appearances, seven of which came while he was in the rotation. 

This immediately proved to be a wise choice, as Varland posted a 2.02 ERA and 1.102 WHIP in 49 innings before being flipped to the Blue Jays. What makes his dominance in 2026 so shocking, however, is that he wasn’t all-world after coming to Toronto. 

The right-hander worked to a 4.94 ERA (90 ERA+) in his 23 regular-season appearances down the stretch. He then set an MLB record by pitching 15 times during the Blue Jays’ run to the World Series, giving up some home runs but ultimately proving invaluable.

That brings us to 2026, where Varland has simply been on a different level. He entered Monday having allowed just five earned runs in 47 innings while striking out 65 batters compared to just 13 walks. He owns a ridiculous 0.96 ERA and 1.45 FIP. 

Things look even better under the hood: he ranks in the 95th percentile or better in xERA, K-rate, groundball rate, and barrel percentage. Most good pitchers either rack up strikeouts or induce lots of groundballs—Varland is a unicorn who does both at an elite level. 

He didn’t begin the season as the Blue Jays’ closer but rightfully took the job from Jeff Hoffman after he blew several saves in March and April. Since taking over, Varland has gone a perfect 18-for-18 in save opportunities. There hasn’t been a more dependable man in all of baseball. 

It’s not hyperbolic to suggest that Varland is pitching better than any reliever in Blue Jays history right now. With all due respect to Tom Henke and B.J. Ryan, they never dominated hitters quite like this. He might get Cy Young votes alongside his teammate Dylan Cease. 

Varland’s only peer at this point in the season is San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller, who entered the season as the indisputable best reliever in baseball. He stands alone atop the AL as the de facto guy. 

The best part? Varland is under team control through 2030. The trade to acquire him is shaping up to be one of the best in the history of the Blue Jays, no matter how the rest of the 2026 season plays out in Toronto. 

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