Blue Jays free agent target: Casey Mize
Photo credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
Oct 26, 2026, 13:03 EDT
This winter is set to be vital for the Toronto Blue Jays as they try to bounce back from the disappointment of the 2026 campaign.
While the free-agent class isn’t as loaded as previous offseasons, there are still quality players who have flashed success at different points throughout their careers.
As Blue Jays fans saw this past season, injuries can take their toll, especially on the starting rotation. The Blue Jays entered spring training with too many arms, and still had to go through a prolonged stretch with only three starting pitchers.
Toronto is expected to open next season with a rotation that includes Dylan Cease, José Soriano, Trey Yesavage, and Cody Ponce, so a few additions through free agency should be expected to further deepen the group.
An arm who will be a free agent for the first time is right-hander Casey Mize. Mize, who was a former first overall pick by the Detroit Tigers during the 2018 MLB draft, had spent his entire career with the Tigers until being moved prior to this year’s trade deadline to the San Diego Padres.
Mize has dealt with injuries during his career, missing much of the 2022 and all of the 2023 campaign as he recovered from both Tommy John and back surgeries. While Mize originally struggled in his return, highlighted by a 4.49 ERA across 22 outings in 2024, the now 29-year-old has flashed success over the past two seasons, showing why he was so highly touted.
During the 2025 campaign, Mize went 14-6 with a 3.87 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. Mize struck out 139 batters across 149 innings and kept opponents at bay by limiting them to a .263 average. Mize walked 5.7 per cent of the batters he faced, which went a long way toward turning in a personal-best season.
Mize’s 2026 campaign started out even better before being traded to the Padres. While Mize had two separate trips to the 15-day injured list with a right adductor strain, he dominated across 16 starts, going 4-6 with a 2.70 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP. Mize struck out 85 batters over 86.2 innings and held opponents to an impressive .213 average.
The Blue Jays got a first-hand look at Mize, as on May 16, the right-hander turned in a pitching line of 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, in an eventual 2-1 extra-innings win for Toronto.
Following the trade, Mize never appeared to get comfortable in San Diego, as over 10 starts, he recorded a 7.46 ERA and saw his opponents’ average jump to .306. Mize ended up suffering an ankle sprain, which forced him to the 15-day IL on September 26, ultimately ending his season.
While the struggles to close out the year with the Padres were prevalent, Mize still finished the year with a 4.32 ERA, just a touch above his career mark of 4.22. While injuries can be a concern, Mize has proven over the past two seasons to be capable of helping raise a rotation’s floor.
Spotrac projects Mize to receive a contract around three years at $49.3-million. With no qualifying offer attached to him, an annual average value in the $15-million to $18- million feels like a safe bet in a market thin on younger arms.
A similar contract could be one that Jameson Taillon received from the Chicago Cubs on December 19, 2022. At 31 year’s old, Taillon was signed to a four-year, $68-million contract, so with Mize being younger, he could be looking to cash in with more term.
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