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Blue Jays: Checking in on three bullpen arms on the cusp of the active roster
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Photo credit: © Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Ben Wrixon
Mar 9, 2026, 11:00 EDTUpdated: Mar 9, 2026, 07:40 EDT
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The Toronto Blue Jays’ bullpen is far from settled with the regular season less than three weeks away. While the likes of Jeff Hoffman, Tyler Rogers, and Louis Varland are guaranteed to make the cut, several pitchers are competing for the final spots behind them. 
Here’s how three names on the cusp have fared thus far in Spring Training.
Spencer Miles 
The Blue Jays selected Miles in the Rule 5 Draft back in December from the San Francisco Giants organization. As such, he must remain on the 26-man roster for the entirety of the 2026 season or be offered back to them. Getting this decision right is crucial. 
Miles has been injured for most of his professional career since being selected in the fourth round of the 2022 MLB Draft. However, when healthy, he’s flashed a high-velocity sinking fastball and a curveball capable of generating swings and misses. 
He’s struck out eight batters in five innings pitched while allowing two earned runs so far this spring. More concerning is that he’s walked four batters. The stuff is there, but the control might still be a work in progress. He’ll probably need to show he can limit baserunners better to make the team. 
Tommy Nance
Nance excelled to the tune of a 1.99 ERA and 1.87 FIP in 31 ⅔ innings pitched out of the bullpen for the Blue Jays in 2025. He didn’t allow a home run and walked just seven batters. His place on the 2026 squad doesn’t appear set in stone, however. 
Spring training hasn’t been kind to the right-hander thus far; he’s given up two earned runs on five hits through three innings pitched. Working in his defence is that he also struggled last spring and ultimately ended up having a great year. 
The bigger story with Nance is that he’s out of minor-league options. The Blue Jays would probably lose him if they leave him off their roster, which should increase the likelihood of him making the team on Opening Day. 
Angel Bastardo
Bastardo is another Rule 5 arm competing for a job in the bullpen. The Blue Jays selected him in 2024 from the Boston Red Sox, but didn’t have to roster him last season because he was out the entire year recovering from Tommy John surgery. Now it’s decision time. 
The righty has thrown three and ⅔ scoreless innings in spring training thus far. He, like Miles, throws a fastball in the mid-nineties that can creep higher. He was once a top-30 prospect in the Red Sox system for a reason—someone will take a flier if they let him go. 
Bastardo could force the issue with a few more good outings, as the Blue Jays may consider him a higher-upside arm than Nance. However, Miles would probably be the choice between the Rule 5 arms if the Blue Jays pick one, given he has even better stuff.

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