Blue Jays should keep a close eye on these 3 potentially available pitchers in the offseason

The Toronto Blue Jays entered the 2026 season with a lot of optimism on the pitching front. The rotation had lots of depth as Kevin Gausman was leading the staff, Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce were entering their first season with the Blue Jays, Trey Yesavage was looking to build on his momentum from the previous season. Eric Lauer had a chip on his shoulder, while Shane Bieber and José Berríos were looking to prove they were healthy. Max Scherzer was also returning for one more run.

That optimism was short-lived as Bieber, Berríos, and Yesavage all began the season on the injured list, Ponce was injured in his first outing with the Blue Jays, and Scherzer was behind as he signed during Spring Training. The once-deep rotation depth the Blue Jays had was quickly gone and required signing Patrick Corbin and frequent bullpen days.

While addressing the offense is the primary goal for the Blue Jays this offseason, they can never have too much pitching as evidenced by their injury woes. Whether that is by free agency or trade, there are several targets available on the market that may be of interest. Mark Feinsand lists some pitchers, on MLB.com, who may be available this offseason.

Two starters and one reliever that would bolster the Blue Jays' already deep pitching staff

Logan Gilbert's durability would make a great fit for the Blue Jays' rotation

Gilbert would be one of the top rental arms available on the trade market. In recent years, the market has shifted towards acquiring cost-controllable pitching meaning for the Blue Jays, the acquisition price for Gilbert should not be too prohibitive.

Outside of a right flexor strain that cost him two months in 2025, Gilbert has been a very durable starter in the Mariners rotation. When healthy, Gilbert usually puts up an ERA in the mid-3s and a WHIP below 1.10. In 2026, Gilbert has a 3.72 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in 172 innings with 187 strikeouts.

Gilbert's success is driven by his ability to limit walks, induce lots of swing and miss, and has elite extension down the mound. For his career, his 28.5 Whiff% is well-above the league average of 25%. He's never had his BB% rank lower than 72nd percentile in a season, and consistently generates 99th percentile extension.

A slight area of concern for Gilbert is he has benefitted from pitching half his games at T-Mobile Park. According to FanGraphs, when pitching on the road his K% drops to 24.4%, compared to 28.2% at home and his BB% goes up to 6.2%, compared to 4.8% at home. Given the Blue Jays track record for developing pitching, that would not be a huge concern.

Gilbert would be a great addition to the Blue Jays' rotation as someone who could slot right behind Cease in the rotation, creating a super formidable 1-2 punch.

Spencer Strider would be the Blue Jays' biggest challenge but also has the biggest upside

Admittedly, Spencer Strider has not looked the same since coming back from Tommy John surgery. His velocity has declined, he is not generating the same chase or swing and miss, his command has not fully returned, and has not been able to stay healthy. This makes Strider a great buy-low for the Blue Jays, which they should look to capitalize on.

In 2023, Strider was absolutely dominant. He posted a 20-5 record with a 3.82 ERA and 1.09 WHIP across 186.2 innings and league-leading 281 strikeouts. According to Baseball Savant, his 97.2 mph fastball velocity ranked in the 92nd percentile, his 34.5 Chase% was in the 96th percentile, and his 7.6 BB% was in the 62nd percentile.

In 2026, Strider's fastball now averages 95.1 mph which is in the 60th percentile, and his 28.7 Chase% and 12.1 BB% are steep declines from his 2023 peak.

For the Blue Jays, in order to get Strider back on track, he'll need to rediscover his fastball velocity. Given the Blue Jays' track record for developing strength, it is feasible they could make this happen.

Strider is controllable for two more seasons with a club option for 2029 and was reportedly on the trade block at the deadline. Given the decline, the cost of acquiring Strider should not be exorbitantly high.

Aaron Ashby's ability to generate ground balls and strikeouts from the left side makes him a perfect fit in the Blue Jays' bullpen

Since converting to relief, Ashby has been lights out in the Brewers bullpen. For the Blue Jays, Ashby would provide another high-velocity arm in the bullpen who can prevent runs from the coveted left side.

Ashby has always shown an ability to generate swing and miss, but in 2026, he has taken it to an elite level. In 2025, his 27.0 Whiff% ranked in the 63rd percentile, and in 2026, that has jumped up to 31.8% which ranks him in the 91st percentile. That 4.8% increase year over year ranks 15th among qualified arms.

Not only can Ashby generate lots of swing and miss, he generates ground balls at an elite rate. In 2025, Ashby posted a ground ball rate of 62.4%, which ranked in the 99th percentile. While that number has gone down to 54.3% in 2026, it still ranks in the 93rd percentile.

Ashby fits what the Blue Jays have been looking for from their pitching: elite velocity and someone who can prevent runs. Ashby would be a great pairing with Mason Fluharty as their skills complement each other.

Ashby is controllable through the 2027 season though he does have two club options through 2029. Given the Brewers' financial restraints and the fact that Ashby is set to earn more each season, the Brewers' may not be able keep him around for the full duration of the contract, making it a great opportunity for the Blue Jays to acquire him.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow