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Blue Jays: Spencer Miles has earned the opportunity to be the fifth starter
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Photo credit: © Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
May 22, 2026, 07:00 EDTUpdated: May 22, 2026, 05:56 EDT
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The Toronto Blue Jays may have a player in Spencer Miles.
After winning the American League pennant and coming within inches of winning the World Series, the Blue Jays made a surprising move, selecting Spencer Miles from the San Francisco Giants in the 2025 Rule 5 draft.
Two months into the season, Miles is not only showing that selecting him and keeping him was the right decision, but he’s quickly becoming one of the most valuable members of the pitching staff. After throwing 11 scoreless innings his last three games, a question has arisen: Should Miles become their fifth starter, at least for now?
Now, he’s started a game before, doing so on May 10th against the Los Angeles Angels. But his last two outings have been out of the bullpen, even if he’s pitched three or more innings in both of them.
He’s steadily ramping up as well, going from 38 pitches on May 10th, to 56 on May 16th, and then 63 in Thursday’s series finale against the New York Yankees. Miles has also been dominant in this stretch, allowing just six hits, three walks, and striking out 13 batters for a 31.7 K%.
With Thursday’s strong performance, Miles now has a 2.17 ERA and 2.83 FIP with a 25 K% and 6.9 BB% in 29 innings pitched. If he can reach 75 or so pitches, why not give him the opportunity? After all, Miles started 23 of the 29 games he played in over his two seasons at Missouri.
Of course, the Blue Jays would have to be cautious in this approach, as Miles has had two major surgeries since turning professional, missing all of the 2023 season with a back surgery, and most of 2024 and all of 2025 with Tommy John surgery.
Realistically, the Blue Jays are in uncharted territory when it comes to Miles. It’s not often that you see a contender select a player in the Rule 5 draft, much less keep him for the duration of the season he needs to remain on the team. See, Rule 5 players can’t be optioned off the 26-man roster, meaning they first have to be waived, then offered back.
That alone came out of left field, but what makes this selection even more incredible is Miles threw just 14.2 professional innings before the Jays selected him in the Rule 5 draft. To find this level of success immediately is rare for a Rule 5 pick, to do it after just 14.2 innings pitched is unprecedented.
At the very least, Miles has given the Blue Jays something to ponder moving forward. Even if they continue to call it a bullpen day, Miles can increase his pitch count. However, they’ll need to monitor his innings, given his lack of innings pitched since turning professional in 2022.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
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