Blue Jays' rotation depth chart after future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer signing

The Toronto Blue Jays re-ignited their offseason on Thursday, signing legendary pitcher Max Scherzer to a one-year, $15.5M contract. The move gives Toronto an impressive quartet of veteran starters, with “Mad Max” joining Kevin Gausman, José Berríos, and Chris Bassitt. Bowden Francis, who broke out last year with two near no-hitters down the stretch, is the clubhouse leader to round out the rotation. But how will the depth be organized initially? Here’s this writer’s best guess.

It’s fair to assume that the competition for the Opening Day starter will be between Gausman and Berrios, with the latter having a slight edge based on last season’s performances. Berrios was the No. 1 option in 2024, and he responded with a season typical of what we’ve come to expect from him; a career-high 16 wins, a 3.60 ERA, and a 1.15 WHIP in 192.1 innings, all while making 32 starts for the third straight year, and sixth time overall.

Gausman wasn’t as sharp as he had been over the previous two seasons, but he finished strong and could grab the top job with a strong camp. The 34-year-old went 5-3 with a 2.22 ERA and a .194 opponent batting average over his last nine starts. After topping the 200-strikeout plateau each year from 2021-2023, the former LSU star saw his K total drop to 162 in ‘24. His SO/9IP dropped to 8.1, his lowest average since 2018. Whether this is an alarming trend or a blip on the radar will be something to monitor.

Slotting Scherzer third in the rotation makes sense. He dealt with arm fatigue and nerve issues last year and was limited to nine starts and 43.1 innings. Looking at his previous full season in 2023, the 40-year-old went 13-6 with a 3.77 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP, and 10.3 K’s/9 in 152.2 innings. The Blue Jays would be elated if he can produce similar numbers this season.

Blue Jays Rotation: Max Scherzer likely slots in as No. 3 starter on Opening Day

Considering his durability and consistency, Chris Bassitt would be logical selection for the middle spot in the pitching cycle as well. Like Gausman, Bassitt regressed slightly last season, but was sharp over his last five outings, pitching to a 2.77 ERA with 28 strikeouts over 26 innings. One thing we know about Bassitt is that he’s the consummate competitor and teammate, and won’t fret about when his name is called in the rotation.

Francis took the majors by storm over the last two months of the season, going 4-2 with a 1.53 ERA over his final nine starts. There are some questions about how the league will adjust and if his success can be sustainable, but the 28-year-old has earned a chance to prove himself again in 2025.  

The signing of Scherzer not only strengthens the rotation, but also improves the depth behind the first five. Yariel Rodríguez may be used as a bulk reliever/spot starter initially, but is part of the overall starter depth revitalization, and figures to play a vital role this season. Behind him, the newly re-acquired Adam Kloffenstein and Jake Bloss will most likely start the year at Triple-A Buffalo, but will be next in line in the wake of an injury or decline. Alek Manoah and Ricky Tiedemann are both rehabbing from long-term injuries and hope to be available to help the team down the stretch.