2026 Toronto Blue Jays Season Thread

[Inferno]

I think Manoah letting his head get too big too early in his career didn't help either. At the first sign of adversity he crumbled.

Yusavage seems more grounded. I'm sure he's disappointed giving up that homerun but will use it as motivation.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

That would be totally new. Nobody is using a guy 3 innings, 6/7/8 in this era of platoons and matchups. Why not 7/8/9 forget the closer?

Even if you ran bullpen this way, Bassitt wouldn't go for it nor would you pay a guy 15 million to do that.

I agree it would be completely new, but I also think it'd mostly be better, at least in some circumstances.

Right now there are guys who pitch 150+ innings (starters) and guys who pitch <80 innings (relievers). I think there's probably some guys who don't have enough to be starters but are too good to only do 60-70 IP. I think Bassitt is a great example - probably not a top tier starter anymore, but would be deadly once through the order in relief, and would probably have the stamina to do that every 4th game (especially if you made it a routine). That'd be 120 IP per year.

The guys who are almost good enough to be starters end up pitching the lowest leverage innings from the pen, which is ridiculous.

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by bizaro86

I agree it would be completely new, but I also think it'd mostly be better, at least in some circumstances.

Right now there are guys who pitch 150+ innings (starters) and guys who pitch <80 innings (relievers). I think there's probably some guys who don't have enough to be starters but are too good to only do 60-70 IP. I think Bassitt is a great example - probably not a top tier starter anymore, but would be deadly once through the order in relief, and would probably have the stamina to do that every 4th game (especially if you made it a routine). That'd be 120 IP per year.

The guys who are almost good enough to be starters end up pitching the lowest leverage innings from the pen, which is ridiculous.

Making Bassit the 3rd highest paid reliver in the league would certainly be... something

Why not just pay 2 high leverage arms if that's the plan

https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/rankings...ntract_average

[Blaster86]

Originally Posted by EN FUEGO

Funny to see the Manoah/Yesavage comparisons. While I get the whole "tempering expectations" thing, Manoah's post season line is: 0-1 record, 6.35 ERA, and 4 strikeouts over 5.2 innings pitched. Not the same guys mentally, physically, or especially not in the way that they pitch. Yesavage has battled hard at the highest possible level with and without his best stuff.

It's not that they're similar pitchers. It's that counting on young pitchers to be consistently great is a fool's errand. Like, even go back a while and we watched Halladay almost wash out at one point. It's a hard job and it takes time to get to a point you can do it every 3 - 5 days like clockwork at a high level. I think Yesavage is destined for that, but I think expecting it next year is a lot.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by bizaro86

I agree it would be completely new, but I also think it'd mostly be better, at least in some circumstances.

Right now there are guys who pitch 150+ innings (starters) and guys who pitch <80 innings (relievers). I think there's probably some guys who don't have enough to be starters but are too good to only do 60-70 IP. I think Bassitt is a great example - probably not a top tier starter anymore, but would be deadly once through the order in relief, and would probably have the stamina to do that every 4th game (especially if you made it a routine). That'd be 120 IP per year.

The guys who are almost good enough to be starters end up pitching the lowest leverage innings from the pen, which is ridiculous.

Every 4th day routine would be messy. Does Bassitt replace a different guy each time? What if that starter is on fire? Does Bassitt get skipped? What if it's a blowout? You cant guarantee that the 40 times that Bassitt appears for 3 innings, that it will be high leverage.

I get what you're saying but not sure a mid relief high leverage situations happens enough times and who'd want to do it? Bassitt comes in for an expected 3 innings and gets shelled, its just too unpredictable

People might go back old school. Yamamoto just threw 250 pitches in 8 days.

[browna]

As an aside, I think the bar for my internal definition of “high leverage” is probably forever altered, certainly when it comes to 95% of regular season games, given the true high leverage situations seen all playoffs, but of course the WS and specifically Game 3, 6 and 7 of the WS.

1st and 2nd 0 out in the bottom of the 9th vs the White Sox in a tie game in a June 2026 matchup is technically a high leverage situation but it’s not anywhere near the enormity of what we saw in the later innings of each elimination game in the playoffs nor the extra 9 innings of Game 3 WS.

I assume it would be similarly altering for some players, now that they’ve experienced and dealt with the absolute most stressful and crucial situations one could ever have in baseball.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Every 4th day routine would be messy. Does Bassitt replace a different guy each time? What if that starter is on fire? Does Bassitt get skipped? What if it's a blowout? You cant guarantee that the 40 times that Bassitt appears for 3 innings, that it will be high leverage.

I get what you're saying but not sure a mid relief high leverage situations happens enough times and who'd want to do it? Bassitt comes in for an expected 3 innings and gets shelled, its just too unpredictable

People might go back old school. Yamamoto just threw 250 pitches in 8 days.

It wouldn't all be high leverage situations, some would be low if you just went every 4 days. If the starter went 8 you'd skip him until the next day.

But the number of innings that eats up means the rest of the pen is more rested, and you can go to single inning high leverage guys in more situtations.

[EN FUEGO]

Originally Posted by Blaster86

It's not that they're similar pitchers. It's that counting on young pitchers to be consistently great is a fool's errand. Like, even go back a while and we watched Halladay almost wash out at one point. It's a hard job and it takes time to get to a point you can do it every 3 - 5 days like clockwork at a high level. I think Yesavage is destined for that, but I think expecting it next year is a lot.

I don't know, the way Yesavage was consistently great at every level including game 1 of the WS leads me to believe he's going to be awesome. Obviously his arm slot is an injury concern down the road, but I think he's got what it takes between the ears, which is what our young pitchers have often lacked. I think about Stroman getting lit up against Texas, and many other shellings in big spots.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Bieber back to the Jays! Decides to opt in next year for $16 million.

[Jiggy_12]

Yup, wow!

https://twitter.com/user/status/1985905711130227066

[EN FUEGO]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

Bieber back to the Jays! Decides to opt in next year for $16 million.

Holy smokes! I was sitting there googling it after I saw your post and there were all of these hogwash "expected to decline option, will seek 150 million dollar deal" articles. Awww yeah!!!! That should entice a UFA or two and keep some cash on the table! He's obviously doing that for the chance to win the WS IMO.

[bluejays]

Probably left some money on the table which is a nice gesture. I personally was hoping he'd walk away but he's as good as it gets for a #5 starter, especially if he's healthy.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Oh wow that’s unexpected great news.

[EN FUEGO]

Originally Posted by bluejays

Probably left some money on the table which is a nice gesture. I personally was hoping he'd walk away but he's as good as it gets for a #5 starter, especially if he's healthy.

You get into some 'ludes? Coming back from TJ is a progression, he was progressing very well, and he's a former Ace/Cy Young winner.

[MacFlame]

Originally Posted by Jiggy_12

Yup, wow!

https://twitter.com/user/status/1985905711130227066

wow. that is great news. the rotation is almost set already for next year. Very nice!!

[EN FUEGO]

Originally Posted by MacFlame

wow. that is great news. the rotation is almost set already for next year. Very nice!!

Let's go get Skubal!!

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by EN FUEGO

You get into some 'ludes? Coming back from TJ is a progression, he was progressing very well, and he's a former Ace/Cy Young winner.

Perhaps you're right. The proof will be in the pudding in his performance next year. I still slot him as a #4/5 on a championship team contender.


Future acquired ace
Gausman
Yesavage
Bieber/young prospect

[EN FUEGO]

Originally Posted by bluejays

Perhaps you're right. The proof will be in the pudding in his performance next year. I still slot him as a #4/5 on a championship team contender.


Future acquired ace
Gausman
Yesavage
Bieber/young prospect

I could see him being a #3 if we get somebody nasty as a #1. I think Berrios has a bounce back year and Lauer quietly had the best ERA on the team while starting. Yesavage doesn't seem to need much sheltering, but I'd still shelter him a little bit.

[Roof-Daddy]

Holy crap I did not see that coming.

That probably saves them about $10 million AAV on an extension and gives them money to spend elsewhere..

Fantastic news. Incredible

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

Bieber back to the Jays! Decides to opt in next year for $16 million.

Awesome, now that's makes it an outstanding trade.