MLB free agency is officially open, which means all eligible free agents are now able to sign with any of the 30 MLB clubs.
For the Toronto Blue Jays, among other things, they are expected to target starting pitching during this free-agent cycle.
One ‘top of the market’ option that the Jays could look to sign is two-time All-Star Freddy Peralta, who could form a dominant 1-2 punch with Dylan Cease.
Recently, BR.com’s Kerry Miller proposed five landing spots for Peralta, and the Blue Jays landed at No. 3 on the list:
“Long story short, Toronto could really use at least one more sure thing in this rotation.
And while they do already have a substantial payroll for 2027, it’s nothing compared to what it was on Opening Day 2026, now that George Springer ($25M), Kevin Gausman ($22M), Shane Bieber ($16M), Jeff Hoffman ($11M) and Daulton Varsho ($10.75M) are out of the picture. There’s plenty of room for a Peralta-sized contract, provided they have a similar budget. It’s really just a question of whether they prioritize upgrading the rotation after ranking dead last in the majors in scoring in 2026.”
The Blue Jays have a strong top of the rotation with Cy Young finalist Dylan Cease, followed by Trey Yesavage, but adding Peralta would give Toronto one of the best frontline rotation options in MLB.
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Looking at Freddy Peralta’s Free Agency
Recently, MLB Trade Rumors.com released its massive list of MLB’s top free agents, along with contract predictions.
Freddy Peralta landed at No.3 on their list of top free agents this offseason, with a contract prediction of five years and $110 million.
They wrote (about Peralta):
“Some clubs might try to sway Peralta with short-term, high-AAV deals — perhaps even with an early opt-out opportunity. Whether he accepts such a structure is up to his personal preference, but as he heads into his age-31 season, Peralta’s broader track record and Rays rebound ought to be enough to command a long-term deal. The Rays aren’t going to re-sign him at this price, but clubs like the Giants, Padres, Blue Jays, White Sox, Orioles, Red Sox and Cubs (where Peralta’s former skipper Craig Counsell is in the dugout) all make sense.”
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Should the Blue Jays Sign Freddy Peralta at Market Value?
If Freddy Peralta’s market value is five years, $110 million, the Blue Jays may be hesitant to ink him to a multi-year deal.
Let’s take a quick look at Peralta’s 2026 stats:
32 starts, 4.42 ERA, 169 IP, 156 strikeouts, FIP: 4.28, ERA+: 93.
All those numbers suggest he’s a ‘below-average’ starter in MLB. However, Freddy Peralta is still a two-time All-Star who came on strong in the MLB playoffs, and his track record is strong enough to call his 2026 season a potential fluke.
It will be interesting to see how involved the Blue Jays are in his free-agent sweepstakes, which has already begun.
Toronto Blue Jays Predicted to Sign 2X MLB All-Star Pitcher to Create Dominant 1-2 Punch with Dylan Cease