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Ranking the Blue Jays replacement options for starting pitcher Shane Bieber

Who can Toronto pursue in the free agent market to fill the void?
ByEdward Eng
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Aug 14, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays start pitcher Shane Bieber (57) throws a pitch against the New York Yankees during the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
Aug 14, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays start pitcher Shane Bieber (57) throws a pitch against the New York Yankees during the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Toronto Blue Jays will be looking to bolster their starting rotation this offseason following the departure of Shane Bieber to free agency. Bieber may have struggled to stay healthy in 2026. Nevertheless, he certainly showed glimpses of his former Cy Young form at times during his brief tenure with Toronto.

With Bieber gone, who could the Blue Jays look to in the free agent market to take his place in the starting rotation. There are several options across the board the Blue Jays could look at, depending on their willingness to spend.

Blue Jays have six real options in free agency to replace Shane Bieber

6. Brandon Woodruff

When he was healthy prior to 2023, Woodruff was among the top pitchers in the league almost every year. He had a lifetime 55-30 record, 3.10 ERA and 1.02 WHIP, with 918 strikeouts in 790.1 innings pitched. Those are the kinds of numbers a contender would want to fill their front half of the rotation.

However, the main issue has been the fact that injury woes have limited Woodruff to just 32 total starts over the past four years. If he can show that his health issues are truly behind him now, he can be a super buy-low, high-reward option for the Blue Jays.

5. Trevor Rogers

He may not be a flashy name compared to some of the others on this list, but Rogers has gotten the job done as a front-end of the rotation pitcher over the last two seasons with the Baltimore Orioles.

Rogers may have had a rough start to 2026, but a he had a massive turnaround from June onwards. He recorded a 2.90 ERA and 1.03 WHIP with 119 strikeouts in 121 innings pitched. He showed once again how he can be a menace on the mound for opposing hitters. Moreover, stealing a top arm away from their division rival would make the Blue Jays that much stronger while making the Orioles that much weaker.

4. Sonny Gray

Speaking of arms from division rivals, Gray would be another excellent choice for the Blue Jays to grab this winter. The former three-time All-Star and Cy Young finalist posted a 2.72 ERA and 1.15 WHIP.

At 37-years-old you wonder how much Gray has left in the tank, but he's shown to be quite durable, having made at least 24 starts in each of the past six seasons. That's something the Blue Jays would covet after the amount of injury woes that hit their starting rotation this past year.

3. Michael King

When it comes to the model of consistency, no one fits the bill better than King. King has posted six straight sub-3.60 ERA seasons while giving up just an average of one home run per nine innings for his career.

The 31-year-old right-hander is coming off a solid 2026-27 campaign with the San Diego Padres in which he compiled a 12-10 record, 3.21 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, with 159 strikeouts in 185 total innings pitched.

2. Freddy Peralta

As one of the pitchers that the Blue Jays had tabs on heading into the trade deadline, Peralta has once again been linked to Toronto in free agency. Peralta struggled initially with the New York Mets in 2026, only to right the ship with the Tampa Bay Rays following the trade deadline.

The 30-year-old right-hander would go 5-2 with a 3.25 ERA and 1.01 WHIP in 10 starts down the stretch for the Rays to help them clinch the AL East title and reach the postseason. From there, Peralta would sport a 2.95 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 21.1 innings in the postseason helping the Rays get to the World Series. As a proven big-game pitcher, he would be a perfect fit for the Blue Jays.

1. Tarik Skubal

Finally, who better to replace Bieber, a former Cy Young winner, than a former two-time Cy Young winner in Skubal? Skubal sports a lifetime 66-44 record, 3.02 ERA and1.02 WHIP, with 1075 strikeouts in 925.1innings pitched over seven MLB seasons. He is the type of player you want on your team to help win championships.

He may take a record setting deal to get him, but the Blue Jays should let their deep pockets flow if their is mutual interest there. He is the No. 1 option in all of free agency this winter and Skubal wouldn’t just be replacing Bieber, he could represent a franchise changing move.

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