Ben Cowles Claimed off Waivers by Cubs and What It Means for Blue Jays
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The Toronto Blue Jays entered spring training with confidence after navigating an aggressive offseason. Having signed notable free agents, including Kazuma Okamoto, Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce, the Blue Jays are gearing up for another race to the postseason.
But one of their latest moves was the most refreshing of all—re-signing starter Max Scherzer to a one-year deal. However, they had a loaded roster. Now, their infielder Ben Cowles has been claimed off waivers by the Chicago Cubs and will be returning to their franchise after his brief stint with the Blue Jays.
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This is just one more step toward solidifying their roster ahead of their upcoming campaign. This move had more to do with needing room for Scherzer than it did with Cowles.
ROSTER MOVE:
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) March 1, 2026
🔹 INF Ben Cowles has been claimed off waivers by the Cubs pic.twitter.com/tH0Na2Kgeo
What This Means for Blue Jays
With 26-year-old Cowles now heading back to the Windy City, Toronto's 40-man roster is bumped down to 39, which leaves room for Scherzer to officially come aboard.
Although the 41-year-old right-hander will need to build up some momentum this season, re-signing him welcomed more veteran energy and leadership to the mound for the Blue Jays' pitching staff. But Scherzer sputtered during his 2025 campaign, registering a 5.19 ERA and 82 strikeouts across 85.0 innings pitched through 17 starts. However, his performance during the postseason stunned the nation, and that will not be easily forgotten.
This year will mark his 19th season in the Major Leagues, and now having room on the roster, he is expected to make another impact on Toronto's ballclub.
As for Cowles, he hasn't made a professional debut yet, so waving him off wasn't a detrimental move. According to Mark Polishuk of MLB Trade Rumors, the Cubs might not be Cowles's last stop, either; he could find himself being designated for assignment once again by Chicago.
At this point, he is out of the Blue Jays' hands, and now it's time to start focusing on Scherzer and bringing him back to the remarkable form he displayed during the postseason last year. He is no longer in his baseball prime, but he certainly has gas left in the tank to make a large impact on the franchise this year.
At this point, Toronto is now needing to work with its internal players, including Scherzer, to get the ballclub to the World Series level once again. Their roster is getting more squared away with each passing day.
Maria Aldrich lives in the captivating Adirondack Mountains in New York where she can be found scaling cliffs, hiking in the High Peaks and paddling down local rivers. After graduating from SUNY Potsdam with a degree in Exercise Science and a minor in Wilderness Education, Maria began documenting her backcountry experiences through written stories. Over the years, she has found herself drawn to sports journalism and now focuses on MLB, WNBA, NCAA and NHL writing. She can be reached at mariaaldrich20@outlook.com.