Blue Jays sign a former Red Sox pitcher who may not have any impact in 2026

The Toronto Blue Jays' offseason has been defined by big swings in free agency. From a $210 million contract with Dylan Cease to their recent signing of NPB star Kazuma Okamoto.

With Cody Ponce and Tyler Rogers also inked to multi-year contracts, the reigning American League pennant winners have a clear path to returning to the World Series, even if the AL East figures to be one of the best divisions in the recent history of the sport. However, for every headline-grabbing move the Blue Jays make, there's been a depth-focused transaction alongside it. Be it the mid-December trade for Chase Lee or the selection of Spencer Miles in the Rule 5 Draft, the team has been sure to insulate itself from any catastrophe.

In the same vein, the team's signing of former Boston Red Sox reliever Josh Winckowski won't change any narratives, though it does give Toronto another arm to soak up innings in case of emergency.

Josh Winckowski is important depth, but he's unlikely to make an impact in Blue Jays' championship pursuits

Winckowski's pact is a little unusual for a minor-league deal, at least in the sense that it covers two years rather than just one. That's because he underwent an internal brace procedure on his throwing elbow shortly after the season ended, meaning he won't be able to pitch until the second half of the 2026 season.

Originally drafted by the Blue Jays in the 15th round of the 2016 draft, Winckowski spent the first four years of his professional career in the system before eventually making his way to the rebuilding Red Sox. He debuted in Boston in the 2022 season and accrued a 4.20 ERA, 4.35 FIP, and 18.2% strikeout rate in more than 240 innings there.

He started 14 games as a rookie, but he transitioned to the bullpen in 2023, making 99 of his 106 appearances as a reliever over the past three seasons. However, it's worth noting that the Blue Jays are adding the right-hander with the intention of reverting him back into a starter.

With an elbow injury to rehab from, Winckowski shouldn't be expected to see much, if any, time in Toronto in 2026. Even if he were healthy, he'd have to leapfrog an absolutely loaded corps of pitchers in order to crack the rotation.

Taking an arm from a division rival is never a bad thing, nor is having a ton of depth on the pitching side of things. For those reasons, the Winckowski signing is a win, but the impact beyond that will be minimal if everything goes according to plan for the Blue Jays.