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Mason Fluharty will be a core piece of the Blue Jays bullpen in 2026
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Photo credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images
Ben Wrixon
Dec 21, 2025, 12:00 ESTUpdated: Dec 21, 2025, 10:52 EST
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Mason Fluharty won’t just be a lefty specialist out of the bullpen for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2026 — he’s going to be the team’s important reliever. 
Jeff Hoffman, Louis Varland, Tyler Rogers, Braydon Fisher, and Yimi García all have one thing in common: they’re right-handed. That’s what separates Fluharty from them, and what immediately makes his role unique.
Fluharty put together a solid rookie season in 2025 with a 4.44 ERA and 3.97 FIP with 56 strikeouts in 52 2/3 innings pitched. He was particularly effective down the stretch following a brief demotion to the minor leagues after a rough June. 
He truly established himself as a big-leaguer on August 10th against the Los Angeles Dodgers when he worked out of a bases-loaded jam against Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts to record a save and help the Blue Jays avoid being swept. 
Looking ahead to 2026, Fluharty will likely be manager John Schneider’s weapon of choice against left-handed sluggers in big spots. Brendon Little held that role for much of last year before faltering in the second half. Eric Lauer, meanwhile, will presumably be reserved for situations that require multiple innings earlier in games. 
So, whether it’s Gunnar Henderson, Cody Bellinger, or Roman Anthony at the plate with the game on the line, Fluharty is likely to be called upon to protect the lead. Closers get all the credit, but games are often won and lost in the exact kinds of situations in which Fluharty will find himself getting the ball. 
He held left-handed batters to a .182/277/.330 slash line in 2025. What’s better, however, is that he also held righties to a .634 OPS. This is crucial in today’s game, where relievers must face three batters before being pulled, and managers are quick to deploy their bench bats to gain a platoon advantage. Fluharty needs to be effective against right-handers, and he’s already shown that he can be. 
What Fluharty needs to do to take the next step is develop a third pitch. He threw cutters and sweepers exclusively in 2025, both of which break towards right-handed batters. A changeup would complement this mix nicely, giving him something he can throw down and away from these hitters to induce soft contact or generate swings and misses. 
Still, third pitch or not, Fluharty is going to be hugely important to the Blue Jays’ bullpen in 2026 as their primary left-hander. 

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