The Toronto Blue Jays have been linked to signing seven different starting pitchers in free agency, according to a new report.
We know the Blue Jays have a meeting with the top FA pitcher on the board this year, Tarik Skubal, but in addition to Skubal, the team is also interested in six other starting pitchers in free agency this winter.
Blue Jays Linked to Several Starting Pitchers in Free Agency
According to MLB insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Blue Jays have interest in Skubal, Michael King, Trevor Rogers, Sonny Gray, Tyler Mahle, Kevin Gausman, and Max Scherzer.
“The Toronto Blue Jays, who signed Dylan Cease to a six-year, $210 million contract last winter, are poised to be in the running for Skubal, and if they don’t land him, will pivot to the likes of Michael King, Trevor Rogers and Sonny Gray and Tyler Mahle. And yes, if Kevin Gausman and Max Scherzer want to return, they’ll talk to them too,” Nightengale wrote.
Blue Jays fans would, of course, love for the team to sign Skubal, as he would immediately slot in as the team’s No. 1 starter above current ace Dylan Cease, forming an amazing 1-2 duo at the top of the team’s rotation.
But it may be more realistic for the team to sign one of the other free-agent pitchers that Nightengale mentioned, including two familiar faces potentially returning to the Blue Jays.
Blue Jays Could Bring Back Familiar Faces
Toronto traded the team’s former ace Gausman to the Chicago Cubs at the trade deadline for center fielder Brett Bateman and another prospect, but now that Gausman is back on the free-agent market, it’s possible that Toronto takes a run at potentially bringing back the fan favorite to the team’s rotation next season.
The same can be said for Scherzer, who overall had a poor season for Toronto, but who had an amazing final start that showed he may still have a bit of gas left in the tank at age 42.
“If you saw Scherzer’s last game, you’ll understand he’s far from Max’d out,” Scherzer’s agent Scott Boras said.
Blue Jays Linked to 7 Free-Agent Starting Pitchers in Free Agency