Why Jake Bloss could be a dark horse candidate for a spot in Blue Jays' rotation

With injuries continuing to pile up for the Toronto Blue Jays, a dark-horse candidate could be emerging to join the team’s starting rotation down the road. Jake Boss, the 10th-ranked prospect in Toronto's system, was dominant in his first rehab start with the Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays on Sunday as he makes his way back from Tommy John surgery. 

The right-handed pitcher’s first two outings were in rookie ball, as part of the Florida Complex League (FCL). In four innings of work, Bloss gave up just one run on three hits and struck out five batters while walking none. The 24-year-old showed great command and threw 50 pitches, including 36 for strikes.

The performance was an encouraging sign for an organization that has had terrible injury luck this season, and is now dealing with ace Dylan Cease on the 15-day IL with a mild left hamstring strain.

Blue Jays need a fifth guy that can throw quality innings

That leaves the club with just three viable starting options for the next three weeks. Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, and Patrick Corbin are the only healthy starters remaining after a whirlwind of maladies that have contributed heavily to an extremely disappointing season so far.   

Last week, it was announced that José Berríos would undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the next 12-18 months, breaking up a remarkable run of durability for the veteran. 

In his first start with the team, Cody Ponce tore his anterior cruciate ligament and will also miss the entire season. 

Max Scherzer threw a bullpen session last week, but the next steps in his recovery from right forearm tendinitis, left ankle inflammation, and a recurring thumb issue are being determined. It was reported that he was throwing against live hitters on Wednesday morning (May 27). Once he faces hitters, the plan is for him to begin a rehab assignment. 

Shane Bieber pitched in a game for the first time on Monday and threw two clean innings with three strikeouts for the FCL Blue Jays. He’ll need at least a few more outings before he can be activated.

With so many injuries and so few starting pitchers, Bloss’ development is a welcome sign for Toronto. The former University of Georgetown star was acquired from the Houston Astros in 2024, along with prospects Joey Loperfido and Will Wagner, in exchange for Yusei Kikuchi.

The three-for-one swap was initially applauded, but the Blue Jays have since traded Loperfido and Wagner for Jesús Sánchez and Brandon Venezuela, respectively. 

Bloss is the only player of that trade still with the organization, and despite struggling with injuries and ineffectiveness in his first two seasons with Toronto, the former third-round draft pick is hitting his stride at just the right time. Bloss’ velocity was up across the board, including his four-seam fastball, which nearly touched 96 mph on the radar gun. 

He’ll need to be stretched out to the 60-65 pitch range, then to 80+ pitches, before he can realistically be considered for a call-up as a starter, but he’s on the right track, and the increased velocity doesn’t hurt either. 

In the meantime, the club will continue to rely heavily on Spencer Miles, who has emerged from a Rule 5 pickup to one of the best stories of the season. The 25-year-old threw 63 pitches over 4.1 innings in his last appearance and could be asked to increase that workload in this desperate time. 

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