It’s no secret that the Jays will use Cease as the main arm in their rotation, as the strikeout wizard should be one of the key weapons alongside Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage and Shane Bieber when he’s ready to go.
Assuming Bieber won’t be out long-term, the Jays coaching staff has a few arms to choose from to round out the group who all have the pedigree to have a shot as a starter. Assuming there is only one spot left after the above pitchers are placed, there is room for only one spot up for grabs between:
- Cody Ponce
- Jose Berrios
- Eric Lauer
It’s no secret that the player on the outside looking in is Lauer, who will likely once again be the club’s tall man heading into 2026.
The left-hander is coming off a career year with the Jays, saving the club after injuries hampered the rotation. Lauer made 15 starts in 28 appearances, posting a 3.18 ERA and 3.85 FIP in 104 2/3 innings.
Eric Lauer first spring start: – 20 pitches/13 strikes – no game plan, just wanted to get into competition mode – in terms of execution, he left too many pitches in the zone – legs were shaking during the game that he was so excited for his start “I felt like I had restless leg syndrome”
The 30-year-old could easily be part of the starting conversation if someone goes out long-term, especially since Bowden Francis is out for the year with an elbow injury, but even he may have to wait a few innings given the depth of the current Jays.
That leaves both Ponce and Berrios fighting for that crucial final spot, which doesn’t seem like an easy decision at the moment.
Berrios has a history of starting, but he’s had a tough 2025 season both on and off the field. The right-hander was inconsistent on the mound, finishing with a 4.65 FIP over 166 innings, which is his lowest mark since 2017 (where he split time between the major leagues and the minors).
The World Series situation is likely water under the bridge at this point as all the conversations that needed to be had appear to have taken place, but it will be difficult to see Berrios return to the rotation if he continues to struggle on the mound.
He wasn’t great in his Spring Training debut, seeing a drop in velocity while allowing two earned runs in 2 2/3 innings, but the small sample size only becomes concerning if he doesn’t find a way to reverse the trend. Saying he’s not worthy of a rotation spot after one start is a quick shot from the hip, but a few starts together where the speed stays low and opponents continue to score will start a bigger conversation, barring a George Springer-like turnaround last season.
This is where Cody Ponce could surpass the Puerto Rican product on the depth charts, as the right-hander is coming off an MVP campaign in Korea that saw him sign a three-year, $30 million pact with the Jays this winter.
Ponce could start the year in the bullpen if the Jays feel like taking the experience in Berrios and wading back into MLB waters with their new right-hand man, but a strong spring could change things if the Jays chase another pennant and make a postseason run. Ponce was a standout in his lone season in Korea, but he will have to prove starting this spring that his 1.89 ERA and 12.6 K/9 can translate to the major leagues.
One way the Jays can alleviate this problem is by going with a six-man rotation, which has its own pros and cons. Moving Berrios or Lauer for an established reliever is another tactic the front office could pursue, though that comes with its own challenges.
The Blue Jays were reportedly open to trading Berrios this winter, but he will remain with the organization heading into the spring. His remaining dollars, in the 2025 season and the impending player opt-outs, complicate matters on the trade front. The Jays also don’t have much starting depth outside of the options mentioned above, which puts the organization in a tough spot if Bieber continues to battle an elbow issue and another starter goes on the IL.
The Jays may also be cautious with Yesavage this season after he threw over 100 innings last season. Therefore, he won’t make his spring training debut until next week as he continues to develop. Toronto doesn’t appear to have a Yesavage on any sort of innings or pitch limit this year, though manager John Schneider has documented a sense of normalcy this spring. This could indicate that Lauer remains over Berrios on a trade front, and sees the southpaw making a few starts in place of Yesavage if the weeks get long.
Overall, the best-case scenario sees either Berrios or Lauer leaving this spring, more so towards Berrios over the swingman.
Toronto doesn’t need to panic by any means into selling either player – there may be one or two players in the bullpen with some hurt feelings – but acquiring an established reliever to shore up the relief corps may be a better choice than a starter who makes too much money (in Berrios’ case) and languishes in a middle relief capacity or sells high to Lauer for the same return.
The Jays are at risk of having their depth tested with Adam Macko and Ricky Tiedemann lurking in Triple-A should either player be traded or the Jays turn to a veteran free agent in late spring, whether that’s Scherzer or another name.
Keeping Lauer over Berrios solves this potential problem, but only time will tell this spring how the Jays’ rotation picture will play out.
PRESENTED BY VIVID CHAIRS
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