Blue Jays Notebook from the Week That Was
Observations from MLB camps in Florida and Arizona
JAYS ROTATION: FIVE’S COMPANY, EIGHT’S A CROWD: The signing of Max Scherzer to a one-year, $3M contract, with additional bonuses of $1M for every 10 innings from 65 to 155, is basically a no-lose for both sides. Scherzer, who is already working out with the club, will be added to the 40-man roster as soon as the deal is official, but will begin the season, most likely on the IL, with use of a body part to be named later.
As we have previously discussed, it is important to have Scherzer around the major-league team, as proven last year, to impart his doses of intensity and wisdom to a rotation that was clearly going to miss the mirror-fogging presence supplied by the 41-year-old future Hall-of-Famer, plus Chris Bassitt (now with the O’s). However, whenever Mad Max is ready to pitch, begs what to do with the seven other starting pitchers that are in the picture, all blessed with solid credentials and good health.
Let’s discuss. RHP Kevin Gausman and RHP Dylan Cease are clearly the Nos. 1-2 in the rotation, but beyond that, you have rookie sensation RHP Trey Yesavage, Korean MVP, RHP Cody Ponce, former Cy Young winner, RHP Shane Bieber, plus RHP Jose Berrios and LHP Eric Lauer. With this group, even a modified six-man rotation, with Bieber starting the season on the IL and perhaps using off-days to keep Gausman and Cease as close to regular rest as possible, it’s a numbers crunch.
Berrios stands out as the most likely starter to be moved. It might be best for all sides. The 31-year-old Puerto Rican has three years remaining at $66M, with an opt-out after this year. However, with a lockout or strike on the horizon, it would seem unlikely that he would leave a guaranteed $48M on the table.
There has been a strain in the relationship. Berrios was not included on the Jays post-season roster and left the team to be with his family during the World Series, watching on TV. Both sides admit they could have handled it better, but the scars that remain make it more likely the Jays will try and move the talented, durable, hard-working veteran. That would surely ease the rotation crunch.
Next up, Lauer is most likely to be swingman of the group. But, recall, he was not happy losing to the Jays in arbitration and seems disgruntled with anything other than a starting role. Arbitration cases that reach the room often have that effect.
The Jays rotation is deep, but the current numbers make it unworkable. A six-man rotation seems like a solution, saving bullets for a deep run into October.
RECORD NUMBER OF BLUE JAYS AT WBC: Never has the Blue Jays organization been tapped for as many players at the World Baseball Classic as they have this year. The Jays are sending 15 players to the 20-nation tournament, that runs from March 4-17, with Canada in a five-team grouping with Colombia, Panama, Puerto Rico and Cuba. The Jays side of group play unfolds at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, P.R.
Here are the 15 players and prospects that have left foe the WBC:
U.S.A (3): IF Ernie Clement; RP Jeff Hoffman & RP Tyler Rogers (eligible if USA advances)
Israel (2): OF RJ Schreck; C C.J. Stubbs
Puerto Rico (1): RHP Jose Berrios (eligible if P.R. advances)
Mexico (1): C Alejandro Kirk
Venezuela (1): SS Andres Gimenez
Dominican Republic (1): 1B Vlad Guerrero Jr.
Japan (1): 3B Kaz Okamoto
Canada (1): LHP Adam Macko
Cuba (1): RHP Yariel Rodriguez
Panama (1): 2B Leo Jimenez
Nicaragua (1); OF Ismael Munguia
Great Britain (1): C Will Cresswell
The MLB organizations that are sending the most players to the world tournament are the Mariners and Mets (18), followed by the Phillies and Royals (17), then the Jays, Pirates and Red Sox all tied at 15.
COWLES NOTES: Ben Cowles, we hardly knew ye! On Sunday, the Chicago Cubs claimed the 26-year-old infielder from the Blue Jays major-league roster. It’s been a strange six-month odyssey for the University of Maryland product. Originally selected by the Yankees in the 10th round of June 2021 draft, Cowles was traded to the Cubs as part of the RHP Mark Leiter Jr. deal in 2024.
Since Sept. 1, Cowles has been claimed from the Cubs by the White Sox; acquired back by the Cubs from the White Sox; claimed by the Jays from the Cubs in February and, finally, on March 1, claimed once again by the Cubs from the Jays.
Acquired by the Jays, on Feb. 18, ostensibly to provide minor-league depth at Triple-A and to bolster the Grapefruit League roster during the period in which the entire infield has headed to the WBC, over his 11-day stint in Dunedin, the right-handed hitter was 0-for-9 with no walks and 5 strikeouts, allowing the first pop-fly hit his way, as a shortstop, to drop into short centre field for a single. One wonders what Jays metrics had showed the brass to encourage that waiver claim.
DARK HORSE OPENING DAY CANDIDATES IN BLUE JAYS CAMP: Realistically, the defending AL champions, the Blue Jays are sorting out depth at the minor-league levels in the final three weeks of training camp, but there are still two major question marks and, thus, opportunities for spots in The Show prior to the opening of the major-league season on March 27. The spots? The Jays still need answers regarding one disputed spot in the bullpen, plus a main reserve middle infielder.
Bullpen: There are seven healthy relievers odds-on to be there on Opening Day, including LH Eric Lauer, who is, of course, also vying for a starting spot, but is on the outside of any rotation, looking in. The rest of the bullpen’s significant seven includes RH Jeff Hoffman, RH Tyler Rogers, RH Louis Varland, LH Brendan Little, RH Braydon Fisher and LH Mason Fluharty.
Others? RH Yariel Rodriguez is on a guaranteed contract, but cleared waivers and can be sent to AAA-Buffalo and promoted any time. LH Rickey Tiedemann was looking like a darkhorse but was shut down with elbow inflammation. RH Yimi Garcia will start the year on the IL. RH Chase Lee, 26, will pitch for the Jays at some point in 2026, but has two options remaining. RH Spencer Miles is a Rule 5 longshot who would have to be kept up all year or returned to the Giants. RH Tommy Nance is toast.
That leaves an intriguing candidate for the eighth and final spot in the bullpen, 23-year-old RH Angel Bastardo. The former Red Sox minor-league starter, back in 2024, reached the Double-A Eastern League at age 22, then had surgery and was left off the protected list, plucked on a dice roll by the Jays in the 2024 Rule 5.
Bastardo was allowed by rule to remain with the Jays organization in 2025, spending the entire year on the IL, but now, healthy again, he is required to spend 90 days on the major-league active roster or be returned to the Red Sox organization.
Bastardo has made two confident appearances this spring, with a total of two innings, a walk, two strikeouts and certainly major-league swagger. His 96-98 mph fastball and a major-league changeup with an impressive 12-14 mph differential gives him a two-pitch repertoire capable of filling the final spot in a MLB pen. Jays brass knew this day, this decision was coming. Will they follow through?
Middle Infield reserve: The obvious choice is organization veteran Leo Jimenez who has no options remaining. The Panamanian shortstop has had opportunities and stumbled with the Jays in 2024-25, while posting solid Triple-A numbers. His presence on the MLB roster would not move forward the defence of the AL East title.
The starting infield, when healthy, will not have many days off. Addison Barger will be the next man up at third base, while Kaz Okamoto will play first base when Vlad Jr. is not able to go. Ernie Clement is the only other shortstop guaranteed a spot, while Davis Schneider is an emergency second baseman who is not, by any means, the Jays type of late-inning defender. Josh Kasevich has looked good, but can be brought up at any time during the season. Rafael Lantigua, 27, and Josh Rivera, 25, are both in camp as non-roster invitees, so will likely report to AAA-Buffalo and be available for call-up.
Thus, it would seem there is a chance the opening day reserve infielder is not in camp yet, but until that moment then Jimenez seems to be the logical stopgap.
The Jays play Team Canada in an exhibition at Dunedin on Tuesday.