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Chase Lee or Spencer Miles, who will the Blue Jays select for the final bullpen spot?
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Photo credit: © Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Mar 23, 2026, 12:15 EDTUpdated: Mar 23, 2026, 12:21 EDT
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There are two battles raging for the two final roster spots.
According to The Athletic’s Mitch Bannon, Chase Lee, Spencer Miles, Davis Schneider, and Leo Jiménez have all joined the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto. However, only two of the four players will make the roster, as there is just one more bench spot and one more bullpen spot.
In this article, we’ll compare Chase Lee and Spencer Miles to determining which reliever should get that final spot.

Should the Blue Jays choose Chase Lee or Spencer Miles

Shortly before the Blue Jays signed Tyler Rogers a day after the Winter Meetings, they traded prospect Johan Simon to the Detroit Tigers for Lee. What Lee offers is a unique arm angle, as he’s best described as a side-armer.
During those Winter Meetings, the Blue Jays made a surprising move, selecting Miles from the San Francisco Giants in the Rule 5 draft. It was expected they would select a player in the 2024 Rule 5 draft, doing so by selecting Angel Bastardo, but the move for Miles came out of nowhere.
Comparing their numbers from Spring Training, Lee threw six and one-third scoreless innings over six outings, along with a 3.34 FIP. In the past, namely last season in the minor leagues, Lee has shown the ability to strikeout batters. He didn’t do much of that in Spring Training, finishing with an 18.2 K% and a 9.1 BB%. However, Lee generated a ton of ground balls, finishing Spring Training with a 75 GB%.
Lee undoubtedly had the best numbers during Spring Training, as Miles finished with a 3.72 ERA and 5.94 FIP over nine and two-thirds innings. That’s not bad by any means, especially given that Miles finished with a 23.9 K% and 10.9 BB%. Miles also appeared in seven games, and there’s a possibility he could give the team some length out of the bullpen.
Ultimately, what the decision could come down to is how they fit on the roster. If the Jays choose Lee over Miles, the latter will be put on waivers and if he clears, he’ll be offered back to the San Francisco Giants. The Giants will more than likely take him back, meaning the Jays lose a pitcher with potential unless they trade to keep him in the organization.
On the other hand, Lee has option years, which means that he can be sent down to the minor leagues without needing to be placed on waivers, well, that is unless he is optioned six times. For a roster building aspect, choosing Miles, who has a higher ceiling, may be the better option. That said, there are still downsides to selecting him over Lee.
Because Miles was chosen in the Rule 5 draft, he must stay on the Blue Jays’ 26-man roster for the entirety of the season. If he struggles, the Jays have to deal with that or waive him and offer him back to the Giants. There are ways to circumvent that, at least temporarily, as adding a player to the injured list takes them off the 26-man roster. That basically happened with Bastardo last season, as he only needed 90 days on the 26-man roster before he could be optioned had he made the Jays’ roster.
Miles has always had potential, with a fastball topping at 99 mph with solid off-speed pitches. The problem since he was drafted in the fourth round of the 2022 draft is staying healthy. In affiliated action, he’s pitched just 14.2 innings, missing time with Tommy John surgery and a back injury. Miles missed all of the 2023 and 2025 seasons, before the 25-year-old returned for the Arizona Fall League.
Ultimately, it seems like selecting Miles is the better option for the Blue Jays thanks in part to a higher ceiling. Another reason is because if they don’t, they’ll lose him for good (barring a trade), while Lee can be optioned. Given Miles’ injury history, there’s also a chance that Lee could replace Miles at some point this season.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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