Blue Jays New Starting Rotation Could Potentially Be MLB's Best in 2026

The Toronto Blue Jays have officially addressed their biggest weakness from last season.

Oct 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Trey Yesavage (39) celebrates after a double play during the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game five of the 2025 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

After watching the Toronto Blue Jays this season it wasn't hard to figure out their biggest strength — the offense.

Now, that doesn't mean that the Blue Jays' defense or their pitching staff is the reason that they came up short in the World Series as this is a team game. But that doesn't mean there aren't some weaknesses to build on this offseason as the organization does not want to feel that same heartbreak again.

Now for the majority of the season Toronto's biggest issue was its starting rotation. But things started to change in the last month of the season as the Blue Jays not only reaped the benefits of the Shane Bieber trade, but also top prospect Trey Yesavage made his debut.

The small glimpse of what the Jays' starting rotation could be was not enough and management knew it. So, this offseason the priority was addressing starting rotation depth and Toronto received the perfect gift almost immediately when Bieber triggered his player option to stay with the Blue Jays for 2026

This meant the Blue Jays had the rising star, Yesavage, ready to take on his rookie year and complement Kevin Gausman with Bieber, plus a healthy Jose Berrios. But that wasn't enough for the organization which is why they made the biggest splash so far in free agency.

Toronto went out and got one of the biggest names in free agency, Dylan Cease of the San Diego Padres, a true strikeout machine.

A New Look for the Starting Rotation

Their newest pitcher is ready to keep the ball rolling going into 2026 eyeing his sixth consecutive season with at least 200 strikeouts. While his 4.55 ERA last season isn't necessarily impressive by any means it is important to note that he had one of the worst defenses in baseball behind him.

Cease might not be the only new face to the team, but between the inability to use both Bieber and Yesavage for a full season, it isn't fair to say the team's performance as a whole on the mound was well represented in 2025.

• 4.19 ERA
• .241 Opponent's Batting Average
• 1.27 WHIP

The organization has officially bolstered its pitching staff and now the most important move for the team is going to be in regards to Bo Bichette and his free agency. If and when they lock him down their roster may be impossible to beat as its starting rotation would no longer be a weakness.

Some serious swing-and-miss stuff is headed to Toronto.

Since 2021, Dylan Cease has struck out 1,106 batters - the most in MLB! pic.twitter.com/rbcwb713od

— MLB (@MLB) November 28, 2025