Blue Jays free agent target: Michael Soroka

You can count on two hands the number of Canadian-born starting pitchers to play for the Toronto Blue Jays: six. Might there be a seventh homegrown Canuck on the horizon for the Blue Jays?

Canadian-born starting pitchers are a rarity in Major League Baseball, with 81 in big-league history, and seven Canadians toeing the rubber for their respective teams in 2026. One of those starting pitchers might be of interest to the Blue Jays as they look to fortify their starting rotation for the 2027 campaign.

It’s not Cal Quantrill, who was lights out in the second half for the Texas Rangers. It’s Michael Soroka of the Arizona Diamondbacks, another pitcher who put forth a solid effort this past year. He led all Canadians in games started in 2026. The D-backs hold a mutual option with Soroka for next year, but he’ll almost certainly test the waters of free agency.

Unlike in previous years, Soroka has momentum on his side and a chance to make some serious money as a mid-tier option in the starting pitching pool. There’s a multi-year deal in the future for Soroka, but which team will take a chance on the former All-Star and 2019 Rookie of the Year runner-up?

2026 Season Stats

It was a return to form for the 29-year-old in 2026, as Soroka started 21 games for the D-backs, the most since his rookie campaign with the Atlanta Braves in 2019. He posted a 3.41 ERA and a 24.1 per cent strikeout rate with the Snakes.

By limiting hard contact and possessing a deadly slurve and slider combination, Soroka was a master at getting swings outside the strike zone. According to Baseball Savant, Soroka had the highest run value for a slurve among any starting pitcher in the majors in 2026.

His 6.1 per cent walk rate also put Soroka in the upper echelon of starting pitchers who were among the elite at limiting free passes. These were numbers on par with what Soroka put forth during his breakout campaign in 2019 with the Braves.

2026 wasn’t without a few speed bumps for Soroka, as he landed on the injured list with a left glute injury and right arm inflammation. This limited him to only 116 innings for the Diamondbacks, who were actually a top-five team in innings pitched for starting pitchers.

Soroka ranked fourth on the D-backs in innings pitched behind Eduardo Rodriguez, Merrill Kelly, and Brandon Pfaadt.

Does Soroka fit on the Blue Jays?

With at least one spot open in the Blue Jays’ starting rotation heading into 2027, it never hurts to load up on depth starters. In years past, the Blue Jays may have gotten away with signing someone like Soroka on a prove-it deal, but coming off a 2.7 fWAR season, Soroka can be a little more picky about where he plays next.

Spotrac puts Soroka’s free agent market value at a staggering $79.9 million over a four-year deal. Considering his resume of injuries over the years, he’d be hard-pressed to fetch that value on the open market. But a multi-year deal around $20 million per season won’t be out of the question for the Calgary native.

Soroka is in the second tier of free agent starting pitcher options, which includes Kevin Gausman, Michael King, Sonny Gray, and Nick Martinez. Because Soroka bounced between five MLB teams over his career, it feels like he’s much older than 29 years old, but that’s the advantage he has over the veteran arms on this list.

Any team that feels like its contention window is wide open would be wise to sign a pitcher like Soroka, who could just be scratching the surface of his potential. But the injury risk will always be there, which is why teams like the Blue Jays should tread lightly.

Depending on what happens with the lockout, the Blue Jays might be better served by acquiring a starter like King or Gray or by reuniting with Gausman on a short-term deal. If all those options fall by the wayside, it might be time to give Soroka’s agent a call. But by then, there may be a dark horse team willing to empty the Brink’s truck for the 29-year-old.

There’s never a sure thing when it comes to signing a starting pitcher, but the Blue Jays have enough question marks in their starter depth pool. Pitchers like Cody Ponce, Bowden Francis, José Berríos, and Jake Bloss are all working their way back from significant injuries, but Bloss’ showing in the Arizona Fall League has been promising so far.