The Toronto Blue Jays could be in the market for a starter at the 2026 trade deadline
The team placed the 41-year-old on the injured list on Wednesday with back spasms just a few hours before his scheduled start. Toronto won the ensuing bullpen game 3-0, with the seven pitchers they used escaping a jam seemingly every inning.
How the Toronto Blue Jays could be in the market for a starter at the 2026 trade deadline
Corbin was a revelation upon first arriving in Toronto. He stabilized the rotation at a time when the Blue Jays desperately needed a veteran arm, providing them with several quality outings. Unfortunately, his performance has started to go downhill.
The left-hander has failed to complete four innings in each of his last two starts, effectively turning his outings into bullpen games. That would be fine if the Blue Jays didn’t already have multiple relievers who rank in the top 10 for appearances this season.
Simeon Woods-Richardson is not the answer. He was lucky to survive the three innings he pitched on Wednesday night without allowing a run, considering he walked three and gave up three hits. The pitching-starved Minnesota Twins let him go for a reason.
Spencer Miles isn’t the solution, either, as the Blue Jays appear to be transitioning him back into a traditional bullpen role to better manage his workload. That is wise, given his checkered injury history and how few professional innings he has on his arm.
Trading for a starting pitcher is the only real way to stabilize this rotation.
The dreadful San Francisco Giants will likely move old friend Robbie Ray and his expiring contract. He’s not the same guy who won a Cy Young Award in Toronto, but he’s strong as an ox and takes the ball every fifth day.
The Giants are open to offers for their three highest-paid position players — Rafael Devers, Willy Adames, Matt Chapman — among other obvious trade candidates, like Luis Arraez and Robbie Ray.
Freddy Peralta of the New York Mets is a higher-profile rental the team could pursue. He would raise the floor and ceiling of the starting rotation if the Mets decide to sell this summer. Plenty of other teams will be interested in his services, though.
Still, gunning for someone with team control beyond 2026 would be prudent with both Bieber and Kevin Gausman headed for free agency at season’s end. Joe Ryan, Reid Detmers, and Sandy Alcantara are all viable targets under contract beyond this season.
No matter which route the front office decides to go, they need to pull the trigger on a move sooner rather than later to win more games and keep their relievers healthy.