Blue Jays: Predicting the Buffalo Bisons’ rotation
Photo credit: © Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Dec 29, 2025, 12:00 ESTUpdated: Dec 29, 2025, 04:02 EST
One area of weakness for the Toronto Blue Jays in the past few seasons has been starting pitching depth.
A big reason for their early struggles in 2025 was because of that weakness. When Bowden Francis struggled and Max Scherzer left his Blue Jays’ debut with an injury, the Jays turned to a bullpen day to fill a spot in the rotation.
Eventually, the rotation stabilized as Eric Lauer filled in and pitched well, while Scherzer returned from injury. Heading into the 2026 season, it’ll be a strength for the Blue Jays, as Shane Bieber is set to return, while they’ve gone out and got Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce.
Lauer will remain in the Blue Jays bullpen, with José Berríos also an option for the rotation. But on top of that, the Jays will have some prospects ready to fill whenever. Let’s take a look at what the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons’ rotation will look like to begin next season.
Looking at the Buffalo Bisons’ rotation
Watching the 2024 Blue Jays was pretty tough, but one bright spot to end that season was Bowden Francis’ performances. On two separate occasions, he carried a no-hitter into the ninth inning, just to have it broken up with a lead-off home run. Francis also had a no-hitter heading into the sixth inning in the game after his first no-hit bid.
Because of the strong end to his 2024 season, Francis was given an opportunity as the Blue Jays’ fifth starter, but it didn’t go so well. In 14 starts, Francis authored a 6.05 ERA and 6.85 FIP in 64 innings pitched, with an 18.8 K% and 9.4 BB%, giving up 19 home runs for a 2.67 HR/9. Francis went on the injured list in June and didn’t pitch again in 2025. Who knows how much that injury played a part in his poor performance.
The Jays’ bullpen will have a longman next season (or two), while the rotation is all but set in stone. That makes Francis’ option year next season incredibly valuable, as he could fill in the rotation whenever needed.
There’ll be a handful of other players on the 40-man roster who’ll fill into the Bisons’ rotation next season. Ricky Tiedemann was added to the roster in November, despite not throwing a pitch last season. The left-handed pitcher throws hard and has nasty secondary stuff, but has dealt with injuries in the past three seasons, receiving Tommy John surgery during the 2024 season.
He’ll no doubt get a look in the Bisons’ rotation to begin the season, but there’s a chance he could also make his big league debut in 2026. If he pitches well, he could force the Blue Jays’ hand to find a way to get him into the rotation, or maybe pitch out of the bullpen in a bulk-role at some point next season.
Adam Macko is another left-handed pitcher who is also on the 40-man roster. Acquired in the Teoscar Hernández trade shortly after the end of the 2022 season, Macko began the 2025 season on the injured list, but still pitched in 18 games with the Bisons last season.
His results weren’t particularly great, posting a 5.06 ERA and 4.56 FIP in 64 innings pitched, but he had a strong end to his season, posting a 3 ERA and 4.57 FIP over his final two months. If the Jays need a start filled from a pitcher in Buffalo, he could be the first to be called up.
Lázaro Estrada made his big league debut in 2025 and looked solid despite an 8.59 ERA in seven and one-thirds innings pitched. Down in Buffalo, the 26-year-old Cuban posted a 5.73 ERA and 4.81 FIP in 97.1 innings pitched, starting 20 of the 26 games he appeared in. He’ll probably be a back-end-of-the-rotation starter for the Bisons.
That leaves one more spot in their rotation. While the Jays could bring in a minor-league signing, it wouldn’t be surprising if Grant Rogers gets an opportunity in that role next season. Drafted in the 11th round of the 2023 draft, Rogers posted a 3.47 ERA and 3.66 FIP in 150.1 innings pitched over 28 starts last season in High-A and Double-A.
While those five are my picks to begin the season in the Bisons’ rotation, there are a few other candidates to pitch in the Bisons’ rotation next season. CJ Van Eyk found success in Mexico’s Winter League and made 17 starts with the Bisons in 2025.
The other pitcher of note is Gage Stanifer. Drafted in the19th round of the 2022 draft, the hard-throwing righty had a breakout season in 2025, ending his season with two starts in Double-A. It would take a hot start to his 2026 season with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats to get a look with the Bisons early in the summer, but it’s not out of the question.
Either way, the Blue Jays will have far more starting pitching depth heading into the 2026 season.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.