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5 starters the Blue Jays could trade for to shore up the rotation
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Photo credit: © Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
Michael Coyle
Jun 29, 2026, 08:00 EDTUpdated: Jun 29, 2026, 07:25 EDT
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The Toronto Blue Jays are starting to get into dire need of acquiring starting rotation help. 
While Kevin Gausman, Dylan Cease, and Trey Yesavage have provided quality outings almost every time they take the mound for a start, the rest of the rotation has been a revolving door for much of the season. Shane Bieber has returned for his 2026 debut on June 23 after a lengthy absence due to elbow inflammation, and has now made two starts with the club as he looks to regain the form he showcased last season following his trade to Toronto. 
The fifth spot is currently being held by veteran Patrick Corbin, but after getting off to a nice start with the Blue Jays over his first 10 starts, the last five that have followed have been nothing short of disastrous. In Corbin’s five outings in June, the 36-year-old is 0-3 with an 8.69 ERA, 2.03 WHIP, and has failed to pitch five complete innings in four of those five appearances, further taxing an already over-worked bullpen. 
Another arm who has spent time in the Blue Jays’ rotation is Max Scherzer, but the results haven’t been what anyone was hoping for when the Blue Jays re-signed him to a one-year, $3 million contract in March. Scherzer has made two separate trips to the 15-day injured list due to various ailments, which have limited him to six starts this season. In his six outings, Scherzer is 1-4 with a 10.23 ERA, a 1.73 WHIP and has allowed nine home runs across his 22 innings pitched. 
With no real internal option to solidify the back of the rotation, here is a look at five pitchers the Blue Jays could look to acquire to provide a boost to the club’s roster this season.  

Robbie Ray

An acquisition of Ray would be a reunion for the left-hander, as the left-hander closed out the 2020 season with the Blue Jays after being acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ray went on to spend the 2021 season with the Blue Jays and was dominant in his 32 starts. Ray went 13-7 with a 2.84 ERA and 1.04 WHIP en route to winning the American League Cy Young Award. 
Following that season, Ray signed a five-year, $115 million contract before being eventually moved to the San Francisco Giants on January 5, 2024. Ray put together two strong seasons with the Giants and is currently in the midst of another nice year. 
Through 17 outings (16 starts), Ray is 7-6 with a 3.39 ERA and 1.22 WHIP across 95.2 innings pitched. The 34-year-old has struck out 82 batters and held opposing batters to a .214 average against. With the Giants struggling to a 35-48 record, and Ray set to be a free agent at season’s end, the lefty seems like a lock to be moved before the August 3 deadline. 

Freddy Peralta

Peralta, like Ray, finds himself on this list due to his current club’s struggles and his pending free-agent status. The Mets are 35-49, finding themselves 15 games behind the Atlanta Braves in the National League East, and nine and a half games back of the NL’s final Wild Card spot. 
After being acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers in January in exchange for two prospects, the Mets may be trying to recoup some value as they currently are in the midst of a lost season. Through 17 starts with the Mets this season, Peralta is 5-6 with a 4.53 ERA and 1.37 WHIP across 91.1 innings pitched. 
Peralta has struck out 88 batters this season, and while the 4.53 ERA is well above his career mark of 3.67, Peralta had a 3.90 heading into his June 20 start before allowing 10 earned runs over 2.2 innings during a 15-3 loss against the Philadelphia Phillies. With an $8 million cap hit, Peralta could be of great interest to teams looking for an upgrade to their rotation in the weeks leading up to August 3. 

Sonny Gray

The Boston Red Sox, like the Giants and Mets, have had pretty much everything go wrong this season. Luckily, for the Red Sox, their offseason acquisition of Gray has been even better than they envisioned when they traded for him in November. 
Through 14 starts, Gray is 9-1 with a 2.69 ERA and 1.11 WHIP over 83.2 innings pitched. Gray spent time on the 15-day IL in April due to a hamstring strain, but since coming off the IL, Gray has been lights out. In his nine starts, Gray is 7-0 with a 1.86 over 60.2 innings while also recording 62 punchouts over those frames.
The 36-year-old holds a $30 million mutual option for next season, but with the strong year and lofty price tag, it feels like a safe bet that Gray will head to free agency to try and secure a longer-term deal. While a trade between the Red Sox and Blue Jays could be unlikely, the two teamed up in 2018 when the Blue Jays sent Steve Pearce to the Red Sox in exchange for Santiago Espinal. 

Casey Mize

While much of the baseball world will have its eyes on Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal and what his future holds due to the back-to-back AL Cy Young victories, Mize is also a free agent at season’s end. 
The former first overall selection during the 2018 MLB Draft took a while to find his stride in the big leagues, but since the 2025 season, the 29-year-old has flashed the promise that the Tigers were hoping for when they selected him out of Auburn. 
Through 11 starts, Mize is 2-5 with a 2.95 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. Mize has held opposing teams to a .221 average and has punched out 58 batters across his 58 frames, relying on a mainly three-pitch mix to keep hitters in check. Mize has made two separate trips to the IL due to right adductor inflammation, but returned on June 17 and looks to be back to full health. 

Sandy Alcantara

Alcantara feels like he’s been rumoured to be on the move from Miami for years now, but remains with the Marlins. The 30-year-old remains under contract through this season at $17.3 million with a $21 million club option for next year, making Alcantara a piece of the Blue Jays’ rotation for the 2027 season as well. 
Through 17 starts this season, Alcantara is 8-4 with a 4.01 ERA and 1.24 WHIP over 110 innings pitched. After being a big strikeout pitcher throughout much of the early years in his career, his strikeout percentage sits at a career low 17.6%. While that is a cause for concern, Alcantara still averages 97.4 MPH on his sinker and possesses a changeup that averages 91 MPH, bringing a high-octane mix to any rotation. 
With the Marlins sitting at 44-40, and a half game back for the NL’s final Wild Card spot, Alcantara feels like the least likely to move on this list unless the Marlins are presented with an offer they can’t resist. 

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