The Toronto Blue Jays have started a little bit slow after winning their first American League pennant since 1993 and coming to within just two outs of their first title since then. Through their first 10 games of the 2026 season, they are 4-6 and sit tied for third place with the Baltimore Orioles in the American League East.
They are only 3 1/2 games back of the New York Yankees for first place, but it’s a slower start than expected for a team that just went to the World Series. They recently lost Cody Ponce due to an ACL sprain, and he is currently on the 60-day injured list.
Toronto needs help with its starting rotation. Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report recently listed some of the top remaining free agents left on the market. Among them was 36-year-old left-hander Tyler Anderson. Rymer listed the Blue Jays as a potential landing spot.
“If nothing else, Tyler Anderson posts. He made at least 25 starts annually between 2021and 2025, altogether averaging 5.7 innings per start,” Rymer wrote.
“He was also an All-Star in 2022 and again in 2024, mostly owing to loads of trust in his changeup. He’s thrown it nearly as often as his fastball for three years now, a strategy reinforced by a steady whiff rate in the high 30s.
“Anderson did end last year with a 5.50 ERA over his last 15 starts, so he wasn’t exactly on an upswing headed into the offseason. All the same, there aren’t many better guys to turn to for innings right now.”
Toronto Blue Jays Named Fit for Tyler Anderson
Anderson was an All-Star in 2022 with the Los Angeles Dodgers and again in 2024 with the Los Angeles Angels, so there is potential for him to bounce back, especially if he pitchers for a contender such as the Blue Jays.
They need innings with Ponce out, and Anderson is somebody that could make sense for a potential one-year deal to cover innings and keep the Blue Jays in games. It is unclear how long Ponce will be out, but he won’t come back quickly from his ACL injury, which leaves room for one more upgrade.
In addition, Max Scherzer is dealing with forearm tendonitis, so finding somebody to fill a hole in the rotation should be at the top of the Blue Jays’ priority list. With several options still surprisingly available, it should be interesting to see if the Blue Jays decide to strike and find a solution.
Blue Jays Don’t Have to Wait Until Deadline
While somebody like Anderson won’t be ready immediately, this is a solid plug and play option. The trade deadline is still months away, and it could take time for the Blue Jays to find somebody there to fill the hole.
They also would have to give up prospects. With Anderson, they wouldn’t have to give up anything. He is somebody that they could simply just sign to a one-year deal and plug into their rotation when he is ready to go for 2026.
We’ll see what Toronto decides to do.
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