The Toronto Blue Jays are having a very frustrating 2026 season so far. At the time of this writing, they are fourth in the American League East standings with a 19-24 record. With this, they are 9.5 games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East. They have also lost seven out of their last 10 games, so they are having real trouble turning things back around.
Despite having a losing record at this stage in the season, hope is certainly not lost for the Blue Jays just yet. The Blue Jays are only two games behind for the final wild card spot in the American League, so their playoff hopes are still alive at this stage in the season.
Yet, with the Blue Jays continuing to struggle, it is clear that they should be looking to add to their roster as soon as possible. One specific area on their roster that could use a boost is their bullpen.
Due to this, the Blue Jays are now being urged to bring in one of the top remaining free agent relievers at this point of the season.
Blue Jays Urged to Sign Former Dodgers Reliever Michael Kopech
In a recent article for Sports Illustrated, Patrick McAvoy argued that the Blue Jays should sign former Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Michael Kopech to provide their bullpen with a much-needed boost.
“Kopech is the best reliever available right now in free agency. The Blue Jays have the 19th-ranked bullpen ERA at 4.22. Kopech had a 2.45 ERA in 14 appearances with the Dodgers last season. Plus, he had one of the best fastballs in baseball. He’s also just 30 years old. He could be a quick fix for the bullpen,” McAvoy wrote.
With the Blue Jays in need of another relief pitcher, it would make sense for them to take a gamble on a solid reliever like Kopech. The 6-foot-3 righty can certainly make an impact when pitching at his highest level and would be a nice pickup for the Blue Jays because of it.
After being moved to the Dodgers during the 2024 season by the Chicago White Sox, Kopech notably had a 4-0 record and a 1.13 ERA in 24 appearances for LA. He followed that up with another strong season for the Dodgers this past campaign, so he has had success in recent seasons. With this, it would make all the sense in the world for the Blue Jays to try to sign him.
Blue Jays Are Due for a Move Right Now
Whether it is bringing in Kopech or another player, it is clear that the Blue Jays need to act quickly and make a move. They are trending in the wrong direction and should be looking to boost their roster immediately. This is especially so when noting that they are also dealing with injury trouble.
Due to this, it would be entirely understandable if the Blue Jays brought in a pitcher like Kopech to improve their depth. It will be interesting to see if Toronto does just that from here.
Blue Jays Urged to Sign Former Dodgers 6-Foot-3 Righty