"The Toronto Blue Jays made their first big splash of the 2025-26 offseason on Wednesday when they signed Dylan Cease to a huge seven-year, $210 million deal to bulk up their roster. In doing so, the Blue Jays now have their front-end of the rotation set for the upcoming season with Cease, Kevin Gausman and a returning Shane Bieber as their three-headed monster, creating a pitching nightmare for opposing teams."
"Having an unbeatable starting rotation can only go so far without complementing it with a shutdown bullpen. The Blue Jays relief corps had a respectable performance in 2025 when they finished 16th in the league in ERA (3.98), 14th in WHIP (1.28), fifth in strikeouts (644) and third in opponents batting average (.227). However, there should be no excuse to get even better by adding a key piece or two to further augment the bullpen for next year."
"Their prime target should be former New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz, whose lifetime 2.82 ERA, 253 saves and 839 strikeouts in 519.1 innings pitched, makes him one of the best in the business. But if the Blue Jays need to go on a slightly more economical route, thanks to the massive Cease deal, bounce back candidates Ryan Helsley and Devin Williams should fit the bill given their breadth of experience both as a closer and setup man."
The Blue Jays signed Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210 million deal, solidifying a rotation featuring Cease, Kevin Gausman and a returning Shane Bieber. The rotation now projects as a dominant trio capable of pressuring opposing lineups. The bullpen finished middle-of-the-pack in key 2025 metrics (16th ERA, 14th WHIP, fifth in strikeouts, third in opponents average) but still needs upgrade to complement the starters. The preferred bullpen target is Edwin Díaz, with Ryan Helsley and Devin Williams presented as economical alternatives. The team also needs to prioritize bringing back Bo Bichette to bolster the lineup.
Read at Jays Journal
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