The Toronto Blue Jays lived every MLB club’s dream this season. They made it all the way to the World Series. Granted, because they didn’t walk away with the championship, the experience will leave a bitter taste in their mouths. Now, the organization has a whole winter to beef up its team to take another run at a title and unseat the Los Angeles Dodgers.
That’s why the latest prediction for the Blue Jays makes a bit of sense. One analyst has made a bold prediction that the Blue Jays will sign free agent Justin Verlander.
Toronto Blue Jays Predicted to Sign Justin Verlander
When the silly season hits for the MLB yearly cycle, a lot of rumors and speculation hit the internet. The winter leading into the 2026 regular season is no different.
MLB.com scribe Anthony Castrovince has released a list of bold predictions. The one that should catch Toronto fans’ attention is about the Blue Jays signing former Detroit Tigers‘ ace Verlander.
Castrovince’s fifth prediction involved the Blue Jays passing on Max Scherzer to add Verlander.
“The Blue Jays don’t need to take a big swing after Shane Bieber’s decision to come back, but they’ll still need more depth,” Castrovince wrote on November 21, 2025. “It says here that Scherzer will depart to rejoin his old University of Missouri pitching coach, Tony Vitello, in San Francisco, while Verlander, who was the more durable of the 40-something future Hall of Famers this past season, will chase another ring and another handful of wins with the Jays.”
Verlander started 29 games in 2025, while Scherzer only started 17.
Why Justin Verlander Would Make Sense For the Blue Jays
Looking at their stats, it makes sense that Toronto would pick Verlander over Scherzer.
Verlander started 29 games for the San Francisco Giants last season. He threw 137 strikeouts in 152 innings while recording a 1.36 WHIP to go along with a 3.85 ERA.
Comparatively, Scherzer threw 82 strikeouts in 85 innings. Additionally, he posted a 1.29 WHIP and a 5.19 ERA.
If the Blue Jays can’t bring back Scherzer, they shouldn’t lose out on adding a veteran arm to the rotation. It’s tough to argue with the addition of Verlander, considering everything that the former Cy Young winner has done in his career.
Verlander the Perfect Mentor For Promising Ace
Another reason to bring someone like Verlander into the fold is because of one up-and-coming ace the Blue Jays have. Trey Yesavage had a great intro to the MLB this last season and would greatly benefit from having a veteran like Verlander around.
For starters, they have one specific thing in common. Both Yesavage and Verlander pitch from a similar release height.
According to a Fox Sports story, “Yesavage’s arm slot caused a release point 7.09 feet above the field, according to MLB Statcast, the second-highest among starting pitchers with at least 200 regular-season pitches behind Justin Verlander’s 7.1.”
Verlander entered the league at 22, just like Yesavage. The Cy Young winner has now been playing in the MLB for 20 years. Because of that wealth of experience, he can advise Yesavage on how to stay healthy despite the unorthodox pitching releases they both use.
It might not be the flashy signing that Blue Jays fans would hope for, but it could turn out to be just as good in the long run.
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