The Toronto Blue Jays added the starting rotation arm they were seeking all winter long last night, inking veteran hurler Max Scherzer to a one-year deal. With Scherzer joining the roster, there will now be one less spot in the rotation up for grabs, which likely means right-hander Yariel Rodríguez will be moving to the bullpen given his contract clause of staying in the Major Leagues barring approval.

Assuming Rodríguez joins the relief corps, should the Jays carry a five SP/eight RP split, there will be just one spot up for grabs heading into Opening Day. The remaining spots will be for newly acquired arms Jeff Hoffman, Nick Sandlon, and Yimi Garcia, as well as returning pitchers Erik Swanson, Chad Green, and Brendon Little, with Little being the only southpaw of the group. There is the potential that isn’t set in stone – Little could be switched out for someone like Tommy Nance, Ryan Burr, Michael Petersen, or Josh Walker (a fellow left-hander), but with the one spot open for grabs already, Little seems to be a bit more of a lock compared to the counterparts mentioned.

With all this in mind, the Jays still have work to be done this offseason. Signing Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to an extension is a top priority as well as potentially adding another power bat, with Toronto tied to fellow Scott Boras client Pete Alonso over the past couple of weeks. On top of these two notions, adding another left-handed reliever would be a benefit for the Jays, especially since the depth of southpaws behind Little and Walker is limited, especially after the recent departure of Brandon Eisert.

Here are three free-agent left-handed relievers the Blue Jays should consider with Spring Training right around the corner.

With the Texas Rangers declining his $6.5 million club option, left-hander Andrew Chafin heads to free agency this winter looking for a new opportunity. Splitting time between the Detroit Tigers and the Rangers last season, Chafin posted a 3.51 ERA and a 1.473 WHIP through 62 outings, collecting one save while amassing an 11.2 K/9. Beginning the year in Detroit, he fared much better in the AL Central (3.16 ERA and a 2.54 FIP) compared to his time in Texas, where he allowed nine earned runs through 19 1/3 innings, seeing his ERA climb to 4.19 and his FIP hit 5.44, mostly because he couldn’t keep his command in check (7.0 BB/9).

An 11-year veteran of the game, Chafin has spent most of his career with the Arizona Diamondbacks and has suited up for six different organizations over the years. He boasts a 3.42 ERA through 601 outings and 508 1/3 innings and has amassed a 125 ERA+ during his big league tenure. Since 2015, when Chafin established himself as a big league reliever with the Dbacks, he ranks seventh among left-handed relievers with his 7.1 fWAR and sits 17th with his 3.28 FIP.

At 35 years old, Chafin still has some gas left in the tank, and the Ohio product, dubbed ‘The Sherriff’, would bring some veteran experience to the bullpen while adding another southpaw to the relief corps. Boasting a solid track record of staying healthy, Chafin is projected to earn $4.5 million via Spotrac’s market value.

Another veteran southpaw on the free agent market this winter, Missouri product Danny Coulombe is no stranger to Toronto Blue Jays fans. Coloumbe has spent the past two seasons with the Baltimore Orioles, where he has crafted a 2.56 ERA through 94 appearances and 81 innings. Before joining the Orioles, Coulombe split his time between the Athletics, Twins, and Dodgers and owns a 3.52 ERA and a 3.67 FIP through 288 outings dating back to 2014.

Coulombe does carry some injury risk, as he missed time with multiple hip injuries, bicep tendonitis, and elbow surgery last year, where bone spurs were removed from his elbow, limiting him to just 29 2/3 innings. When healthy, Coloumbe has proven he can be an effective member of a big-league bullpen but it did take some time for the left-hander to figure things out.

With Spotrac predicting a $1.2 million market value for the 35-year-old, Coulombe is an option for the Jays on a short-term deal that could provide some additional depth to combine with Little on the roster. There is some injury risk associated with Coulombe but for the right price point, potentially even on a MiLB deal, taking a gamble on Coulombe makes sense for the Blue Jays.

A sixth-round pick of the Kansas City Royals in 2010, left-hander Scott Alexander has crafted a respectable career out of the bullpen for four different organizations since 2015. Boasting a 3.20 ERA through 328 outings, Alexander has been an effective option when healthy, posting a 1.290 WHIP and a 3.68 FIP across 309 1/3 innings.

The problem for Alexander is staying healthy, as he has hit the IL on nine separate occasions since making his debut in 2015 and has missed considerable time with shoulder inflammation on two occasions. The trajectory is on the positive side, as he has 55 and 45 outings under his belt the past two seasons respectively, but from 2019 to 2022, he struggled to stay on the field, with each season being under 20 innings.

Last season with the Athletics, Alexander missed time with tendonitis in his rotator cuff and a rib contusion early in the season but still made 45 appearances on the season and posted a 2.56 ERA and a 1.190 WHIP through 38 2/3 innings. The California product is the most effective against left-hander batters, holding the same side to a .564 OPS and a .211 average across 470 at-bats while seeing an uptick against RHB to the tune of a .275/.352/.384 slash line and a .736 OPS.

Should the Jays be looking for a left-hander with some injury risk but on the cheaper side (Spotrac value at $2.5 million), Scott Alexander ticks off a lot of boxes.