Toronto Blue Jays News

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Dylan Cease • SP • Blue Jays

Dylan Cease Continues Excellent Season, Strikes Out 10 in Chicago

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Dylan Cease continued his amazing first season with the Jays at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday, throwing seven shutout innings with two hits allowed, one walk, and 10 strikeouts to lower his season ERA to 2.28, which ranks second in the American League, behind only the Yankees' Cam Schlittler. Cease was handed a no-decision in the eventual 3-2 extra-inning loss after closer Louis Varland gave up a game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to third baseman Alex Bregman. The 30-year-old hurler has been electric in 2026, and he's been especially hard to hit since the beginning of July, having allowed just four earned runs with 56 strikeouts in his six starts over that span. In addition to being second in the AL in ERA, Cease leads the league with his 184 strikeouts and is second in all of baseball. Cease will face Boston for the fourth time this year in his next outing. He's 2-1 against them with a sharp 1.83 ERA, 10 walks, and 24 strikeouts in 19 2/3 innings. In his last meeting against them, he threw a one-hitter. Obviously, Cease has been a no-brainer must-start in all fantasy baseball leagues in 2026.

12 hours ago

Trey Yesavage • SP • Blue Jays

Trey Yesavage has Meniscus Injury, Surgery Could be an Option

Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that right-hander Trey Yesavage (knee) is dealing with a meniscus injury in his left knee and will visit with a specialist on Monday to determine his next steps, according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. Surgery "is always a possibility" when a player sees a specialist, per Schneider, but "we're obviously hoping to avoid that." Going under the knife would almost certainly cut the 23-year-old's first full season in the big leagues in 2026 short. The Blue Jays pulled the East Carolina product from his start early on Tuesday against the Houston Astros and then placed him on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday. Even if Yesavage avoids surgery, fantasy managers shouldn't expect him back in two weeks. The former 20th overall pick in 2024 continues to struggle to refine his command with an 11.9% walk rate while going 5-5 with a 3.65 ERA (4.08 FIP), 1.14 WHIP, and 91:46 K:BB in 93 2/3 frames across his 18 starts. Keep Yesavage stashed unless we find out that he needs season-ending knee surgery.

20 hours ago

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. • 1B • Blue Jays

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Remains Out of Blue Jays Lineup on Thursday

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (hamstring) remains out of his team's lineup for the second straight game on Thursday. Guerrero Jr. has been in and out of the Toronto lineup since exiting early from a game on July 28 due to hamstring tightness. While the Blue Jays have not indicated that their star first baseman will require a trip to the injured list, it's obviously a concern for fantasy managers that Guerrero Jr. will get a second straight day off on Thursday. It's been a frustrating year overall for the 27-year-old, who is hitting .259/.338/.349 with six home runs, 44 RBI, 55 runs scored, and seven stolen bases across 456 plate appearances. With Guerrero Jr. out of the lineup, the Blue Jays have shifted third baseman Kazuma Okamoto across the diamond to first base and used infielders Ernie Clement and Josh Smith to cover the hot corner.

22 hours ago

Trey Yesavage • SP • Blue Jays

Blue Jays Place Trey Yesavage on Injured List With Knee Inflammation

The Toronto Blue Jays announced on Wednesday that they placed right-hander Trey Yesavage (knee) on the 15-day injured list with inflammation in his left knee and recalled right-handed pitchers Lazaro Estrada and Chase Lee from Triple-A Buffalo in corresponding moves. Yesavage will miss at least the next two weeks after being pulled from his start early on Tuesday against the Houston Astros when he felt a pinch in his left knee. The 23-year-old former first-rounder from East Carolina University doesn't appear to be dealing with any structural damage, so it's realistic to think he could be ready to roll once he's eligible to return to Toronto's starting rotation in 15 days. In 18 starts (93 2/3 innings) in 2026 in his first full MLB campaign, Yesavage has gone 5-5 with a 3.65 ERA (4.08 FIP) and 1.14 WHIP with 91 strikeouts and 46 walks. Fantasy managers should be stashing Yesavage in all fantasy formats for his strikeout upside. Yesavage's elevated 11.8% walk rate in his first two MLB seasons has kept him from reaching his ceiling.

Yesterday

Trey Yesavage • SP • Blue Jays

Trey Yesavage Pulled With Knee Discomfort on Tuesday

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Trey Yesavage (knee) left his start early on Tuesday against the Houston Astros with discomfort in his left knee, according to Blue Jays reporter Hazel Mae. Manager John Schneider said Yesavage will go for an MRI exam on Wednesday after feeling a pinch in his knee. Yesavage only made it through two innings on Tuesday, not allowing a run while walking one and striking out none. We won't know whether the 23-year-old will have to go on the injured list until the results of his MRI come back. The former 20th overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft out of East Carolina University quickly rose through the minor leagues last year to make his big-league debut at the tail end of the regular season before showing his strikeout upside in Toronto's postseason run to the World Series. In his first full major-league season in 2026, Yesavage has gone 5-5 with a 3.65 ERA (4.08 FIP) and 1.14 WHIP with 91 strikeouts and 46 walks in 93 2/3 innings across 18 starts. He hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in his four starts since the All-Star break, but fantasy managers would love to see his 11.9% walk rate come down.

Yesterday

José Soriano • SP • Blue Jays

Jose Soriano Scheduled to Make Blue Jays Debut on Friday

Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that starting pitcher Jose Soriano will make his debut with the team on Friday against the Philadelphia Phillies, according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. Toronto acquired Soriano from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for three prospects on Monday. The 27-year-old has had a strong 2026 season to this point, recording a 9-6 record with a 3.29 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 127 strikeouts across 123 innings (22 starts). Soriano struggles with command (11.2% walk rate), but he generates ground balls with his power sinker and is very difficult to take deep (0.88 HR/9). He also brings plus velocity with his fastballs, so Toronto may be able to help unlock a new level of strikeout production from its new right-hander.

2 days ago

José Soriano • SP • Blue Jays

Jose Soriano Traded to Blue Jays

According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Los Angeles Angels traded starting pitcher Jose Soriano to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for top infield prospect Arjun Nimmala, outfielder Eddie Micheletti, and right-handed pitcher Angel Rivero. Even though the Blue Jays opted to part ways with veteran right-hander Kevin Gausman on Sunday evening, they are keeping the door open to potentially compete as a Wild Card team in 2026 by adding a piece to their rotation. Soriano has enjoyed a strong season in Los Angeles, logging 123 innings to the tune of a 3.29 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. His 11.2% walk rate has inflated his ratios but has managed to generate a high-end 31.4% whiff rate with a 24.9% K%. In return, the Blue Jays are sending their No. 2-ranked prospect Nimmala, who currently rises at Double-A, alongside Micheletti and Rivero, who both sit outside the top-30 prospects in their system on MLB Pipeline.

4 days ago

Ty Southisene • SS • Blue Jays

Blue Jays Acquire Shortstop Prospect Ty Southisene From Cubs

The Toronto Blue Jays acquired shortstop prospect Ty Southisene and outfield prospect Brett Bateman from the Chicago Cubs on Sunday in exchange for veteran right-hander Kevin Gausman, according to Mitch Bannon of The Athletic. The 21-year-old Southisene is already ranked as Toronto's No. 17 prospect after hitting a combined .311/.431/.378 with an .809 OPS, zero home runs, 35 RBI, 31 stolen bases, and 58 runs in 65 games (314 plate appearances) with Single-A Myrtle Beach and High-A South Bend in 2026. The 21-year-old former fourth-rounder in 2024 stands at only 5-foot-7, 170 pounds and is extremely patient at the plate and makes a lot of contact. His power is virtually non-existent, though, making him primarily a stolen base asset who is likely a year or two away from a potential MLB debut. Bateman, 24, is now Toronto's No. 20 prospect. The former eighth-rounder in 2023 from the University of Minnesota hit .312/.431/.422 with an .853 OPS, three homers, 33 RBI, 20 stolen bases, and 58 runs in 81 games for Triple-A Iowa before the trade. Although Bateman is left-handed, he has a very similar profile to Southisene in that he lacks any real power upside and features plus-plus speed on the basepaths.

4 days ago

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. • 1B • Blue Jays

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Back After One-Game Absence

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (hamstring) is back in the starting lineup Friday against the St. Louis Cardinals. Guerrero left Tuesday's loss to Washington after feeling tightness in his right hamstring while reaching first base and turning toward second on an infield single. He sat out Wednesday before Toronto's scheduled off-day Thursday. The 27-year-old returns with a .264 batting average, six home runs, 44 RBI, seven stolen bases, and a .700 OPS this season. Fantasy managers can get Guerrero back into their lineups immediately.

6 days ago

Kevin Gausman • SP • Blue Jays

Kevin Gausman Among Blue Jays Veterans Who Could Fit Phillies

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman is among several available veterans who could fit the Philadelphia Phillies' trade-deadline needs, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network. Philadelphia is looking for rotation depth, a late-inning reliever, and another bat. Starting pitcher Shane Bieber, relief pitcher Jeff Hoffman, designated hitter George Springer, and center fielder Daulton Varsho were also mentioned as possible fits. The clubs share a spring-training complex in Florida, giving Toronto's front office familiarity with Philadelphia's prospects. Morosi did not report that talks involving any individual player were advanced. For now, the trade speculation does not change the fantasy value of any of the five Blue Jays.

7 days ago

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. • 1B • Blue Jays

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Not Expected to Play on Wednesday

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (hamstring) is not expected to be in the team's lineup on Wednesday after he was removed early from Toronto's loss to the Washington Nationals on Tuesday with right hamstring tightness, per Ian Quillen of MLB.com. It's not yet clear whether Guerrero Jr. will require a trip to the injured list, but resting him on Wednesday will give the 27-year-old two full days off before Toronto's next series against the St. Louis Cardinals begins on Friday. It's been a nightmare season so far for Guerrero Jr., who is hitting .265/.345/.357 with six home runs, 44 RBI, 55 runs scored, and seven stolen bases across 435 plate appearances. His barrel rate is down from 12.2% in 2025 to 6.7% this season, and his hard-hit rate has dropped from 50.7% to 43.8%. With Guerrero Jr. out of the starting lineup on Wednesday, Blue Jays regular third baseman Kazuma Okamoto has moved across the diamond to cover first base, with utility infielder Ernie Clement getting the start at third.

Jul 29

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. • 1B • Blue Jays

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Leaves Tuesday's Game With Hamstring Tightness

The Toronto Blue Jays announced that first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (hamstring) left Tuesday night's game early against the Washington Nationals with tightness in his right hamstring. Guerrero went 1-for-2 at the plate before being replaced at first base by Kazuma Okamoto. It's not the first time this year that the 27-year-old has dealt with a hamstring issue, but hopefully it's nothing serious and he's just day-to-day. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Wednesday to see if Vladdy is back in Toronto's starting lineup against Washington. The six-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger winner has been one of the most disappointing big-name starts in baseball in 2026, as he entered Tuesday's action slashing just .264/.344/.356 with a career-low .700 OPS, six home runs, 44 RBI, 54 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in 102 games across 433 plate appearances. Guerrero's power has noticeably been absent, and a turnaround doesn't appear to be imminent. Health could be a major reason, as the Canadian native has dealt with nagging issues off and on. In 21 games in July going into Tuesday's game against Washington, Guerrero was hitting .250 (20-for-80) with two homers, five doubles, 10 RBI, nine runs, and one steal in 90 plate appearances.

Jul 28

Max Scherzer • SP • Blue Jays

Max Scherzer to Start on Monday

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Max Scherzer (thumb, back) will be activated off the Injured List on Monday. Scherzer will return to the mound to face his former team, the Washington Nationals. The right-hander has been out since the middle of June due to back and thumb issues. He pitched well during his most recent outing with Triple-A Buffalo. The Blue Jays are hopeful for better results than they got from the 41-year-old earlier in the season. Through six starts, Scherzer owns a 10.23 ERA, 1.73 WHIP, and a 14/11 K/BB ratio across 22 innings of work. Maybe there is some deep league value here, but Scherzer can be left on the waiver wire in most fantasy formats right now.

Jul 26

Dylan Cease • SP • Blue Jays

Dylan Cease Continues All-Star Season With Complete-Game Shutout

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Dylan Cease had a phenomenal outing on Saturday night in the team's 6-0 shutout win over the division-rival Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, as he threw a complete-game shutout with just one hit allowed, three walks, and 12 strikeouts to pick up his seventh victory of the year and lower his season ERA to 2.46. It was Cease's third career complete game, and it took him 120 pitches to finish the masterful outing. It's been an amazing season for Cease in his first year in Toronto, and he has unbelievably allowed just one hit in two of his last three starts. He is chugging right along with four straight quality starts in July, and he now has a 1.09 WHIP with a league-high 167 strikeouts and 48 walks in 113 1/3 innings on the season. Cease joined only Nolan Ryan as the second pitcher to allow no more than one hit while pitching at least eight innings and striking out at least 10 in back-to-back road starts. He'll obviously be a must-start in his next scheduled outing next week against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals.

Jul 26

Arjun Nimmala • SS • Blue Jays

Arjun Nimmala Producing in Injury Interrupted Season

Toronto Blue Jays shortstop prospect Arjun Nimmala has dealt with a right-hamstring strain this season, but he has been able to produce in limited at-bats across four levels of the minors. Back with the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Nimmala has racked up three homers and five RBI in just seven games. The 20-year-old shortstop has been hot since rejoining New Hampshire and has found some of his 60-grade power. The Blue Jays' No. 2 overall prospect still has some development to do in the minors before he becomes fantasy relevant, but if he continues to produce at Double-A, he could be looking at a Triple-A promotion before the end of the year. More of a dynasty league play at this point, it is worth tracking Nimmala's development because he has major potential to be an eventual producer at the big league level and thus a fantasy contributor.

Jul 23

Andrés Giménez • SS • Blue Jays

Andres Gimenez Showing Slight Power Growth, Still a Limited Fantasy Option

In his second year with the Toronto Blue Jays, middle infielder Andres Gimenez has shown a slight improvement at the plate, slashing .231/.275/.361 as the season enters the second half. Those numbers still sit below his career averages, and he has struggled recently, hitting .205 with a .256 slugging percentage over his last 15 games. The 27-year-old has already matched his home run total from last season, offering a modest increase in power production. However, his 3.4 Barrel% remains well below league average, limiting his offensive upside. While the extra power is encouraging, Gimenez still profiles as a low-ceiling fantasy option and is unlikely to provide much more than modest production for fantasy managers.

Jul 19

Max Scherzer • SP • Blue Jays

Max Scherzer Throws Bullpen Session on Sunday

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Max Scherzer (back, thumb) was able to throw a successful bullpen session on Sunday. Scherzer recently had a rehab assignment paused last week. He received three cortisone injections in his right thumb, but is back to throwing the ball fairly quickly. He landed on the Injured List in mid-June due to back spasms. He suffered an injured thumb while rehabbing, but is hopeful to get back on the mound soon. The hope is that Scherzer can rejoin the Jays' starting rotation at some point in August. When healthy, Scherzer has been awful with a 10.23 ERA across six starts this season. Fantasy managers shouldn't wait around and hope the 41-year-old still has something left in the tank.

Jul 19

Max Scherzer • SP • Blue Jays

Max Scherzer has Rehab Stint Paused

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Max Scherzer (back, thumb) was recently pulled off his rehab assignment. The veteran right-hander recently received three cortisone injections in his injured thumb during the All-Star break. Scherzer was rehabbing the back injury that landed him on the Injured List last month. He re-injured his hand during his most recent rehab start on Wednesday. Scherzer is aiming to throw the ball this weekend. If that goes well, Scherzer should resume his rehab assignment shortly. It doesn't sound like Scherzer is nearing a return to the Jays' rotation anytime soon. The 41-year-old got smacked around to the tune of a 10.23 ERA when he was healthy this season. Fantasy managers in all formats are better off looking for a replacement at this point.

Jul 17

Addison Barger • RF • Blue Jays

Addison Barger Still Not Doing Baseball Activities

Toronto Blue Jays third baseman/outfielder Addison Barger (back, elbow) is still hoping to return this season, but he's currently still not doing any baseball activities, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. Per manager John Schneider, August is a best-case scenario for Barger's return from the 10-day injured list. It's been a lost season for the 26-year-old left-handed hitter, as he's appeared in only nine games for Toronto due to ankle, back, and elbow injuries. At this point, it's extremely hard to recommend holding the former sixth-rounder in 2018 in even deep-mixed fantasy leagues. Barger has gone 1-for-22 at the plate with two RBI, five walks, and five strikeouts in his nine games earlier this season after slashing .243/.301/.454 with a .756 OPS, 21 home runs, 74 RBI, 61 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 135 regular-season games in 2025 in his first full year in the big leagues. He's only rostered in 18% of Yahoo leagues at the moment and doesn't have a clear timetable for a return in the second half of the season.

Jul 17

Louis Varland • RP • Blue Jays

Louis Varland Could Keep Strong Run Going in Second Half

Toronto Blue Jays right-handed reliever Louis Varland has been one of the biggest surprises in fantasy baseball as a closer through the first half of the season, going 3-3 with a 1.10 ERA (1.43 FIP), 0.98 WHIP, his first 19 career saves, 67 strikeouts, and 13 walks in 49 innings pitched to become a first-time All-Star. The 28-year-old has yet to blow a save so far in 2026, which could lead many to believe that he's due for plenty of regression in the second half in his first full season with the Blue Jays. However, with the third-best xwOBA (.223) among all pitchers in baseball, Varland's underlying metrics back up his strong first-half showing. The former 15th-rounder by the Minnesota Twins in 2019 out of Concordia University has allowed five earned runs on 12 hits (one homer) in 18 innings since the start of June, but he's also struck out 25, walked four, and recorded 11 saves during that span. Varland's expected ERA of 2.04 predicts some regression coming, but not enough to consider him a true sell-high candidate as a closer in fantasy. His hard-hit rate sits in the 64th percentile, and his barrel rate is in the 98th percentile. When you combine that with a strikeout rate in the 99th percentile, you have an elite closer.

Jul 17

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