Blue Jays Free Agents: Who Stays and Who Goes?

The Toronto Blue Jays will likely see a fair amount of roster churn this winter. With multiple players heading into free agency, the question becomes, “Is this player going to help us win, or is there a better option?”

For quite a few of these players, I’m sure there would be mutual interest in a reunion; it just depends on whether it makes sense. I’m sure the Blue Jays would like their team in 2027 (if there is one) to have a little bit more youth, and almost all of these players are 30+.

This article isn’t about whether I think the Blue Jays should re-sign these players, but rather whether a reunion makes sense at this current time. It might also allow us one final glimpse at some of these players before they make their way back south of the border.

Shane Bieber (RHP)

2026 Stats: 11 GS, 55.2 IP, 4.37 ERA, 7.11 K/9, 3.88 BB/9, 5.15 FIP, 0.1 fWAR

It’s been 1 1/2 injury-filled seasons for Shane Bieber in Toronto, with inconsistent results throughout. He took a risk re-signing with Toronto after 2025, but is it likely he’ll mirror that decision and return in 2027?

It’s important to emphasize just how many games Bieber has missed throughout his career. Since first earning a call-up in 2018, he’s been placed on the IL five times, including twice in 2026 (missing the start and end of the season).

Since his acquisition in 2025, Bieber has made 18 appearances for the Jays (and another five in the postseason), but seven of his 11 starts in 2026 were rough, something that might be troubling when evaluating a potential return.

What was incredibly worrying was Bieber’s lack of control. Heading into 2026, his career high in BB/9 was 3.07 (in 2021), but this year he added another 0.81 to that mark. Over his career (including 2026), it’s at 2.10, showing just how much of an outlier this season was. Rock bottom came on July 28, a game in which he walked six of the nine batters he faced and couldn’t escape the first inning.

As a No. 4 or No. 5 option, Bieber isn’t a terrible shout. His offspeed pitches are still strong (+4 Run Value), but his fastball is just OK (+2 Run Value), and his breaking balls are rough (-6 Run Value). That’s a significant change from 2025, when they were arguably his best pitches. If he’s struggling to locate and getting hit hard in the process, he’s not the best option.

Unfortunately, I see Toronto trying to upgrade its rotation elsewhere.

Verdict: Go (But I’m not happy about it)

Patrick Corbin (LHP)

2026 Stats: 19 G (15GS), 80.0 IP, 5.51 ERA, 7.09 K/9, 2.81 BB/9, 4.64 FIP, 0.4 fWAR

Patrick Corbin was likely never viewed as a long-term option for the Jays, and I have a strong feeling the organization feels the same way.

Equipped with arguably the worst fastballs in baseball (-16 Run Value), Corbin hasn’t recorded a season with an ERA or FIP below 4.00 since 2019. There were moments when it looked like he’d had a late-career resurgence, but he never pitched more than six innings in an outing and, by July, was relegated to the bullpen.

Like Bieber, Corbin finished the season on the IL and similarly didn’t start the season with the Jays (he was brought in on April 3 to help their injury-riddled rotation).

He wasn’t able to sign during the offseason as a 36-year-old, and now at 37, there likely won’t be many options offering him a Major League contract. If he’s back in Toronto, it’d likely be on a Minor League deal.

Yes, Toronto doesn’t have any left-handed starters in its rotation, but there are better options to fill that void.

Verdict: Go

Yimi García (RHP)

2026 Stats: 0 GP (Appeared in nine minor-league games while rehabbing before undergoing another shoulder surgery)

Yimi García is a tough pitcher to analyze, mainly because when he did pitch in 2026, he didn’t look like the pitcher Blue Jays fans are familiar with.

García has been absolutely riddled with injuries since 2025, missing time due to a right shoulder impingement, left ankle sprain, and right elbow ulnar nerve and AC joint surgery. García was working his way back from the latter when he suffered a setback in June, followed by another in July that ended his season.

It’s unclear if García will even be healthy when the season begins in March. He’ll turn 37 in August, and a major concern will likely be his fastball velocity (which dipped below his 2025 average of 95.8 mph during his rehab games) and BB% (which wasn’t great even when he was healthy).

He’s been a Blue Jay twice, but I don’t think there’ll be a trifecta.

Verdict: Go

Max Scherzer (RHP)

2026 Stats: 18 GS, 84.2 IP, 5.74 ERA, 7.23 K/9, 3.72 BB/9, 5.11 FIP, 0.3 fWAR

If Max Scherzer wants to pitch in 2027, I’m sure the Blue Jays would love to have him back. Yes, his stats in 2026 weren’t great, but everything he’s done for this organization over the last two seasons has cemented him as a fan favorite.

If Mad Max wanted one start to pass his old teammate Justin Verlander in strikeouts, Toronto would likely oblige. But so would some of his other former teams (such as Arizona, Detroit, and Washington).

It’s obvious he’s nowhere near the pitcher he once was (his SO/9 and BB/9 were both the worst of his career), but having him around the team isn’t going to make the team THAT much worse. If he’s going to go five innings and allow four runs, you can hope your team can afford to make up for that once every five games.

We’ll see what Scherzer’s future entails, and I’m sure he’s going to take his time deciding what comes next.

Verdict: Stay (If he wants to)

Paul Sewald (RHP)

2026 Stats (Toronto/Arizona): 62G, 53.1 IP, 4.73 ERA, 8.94 K/9, 2.19 BB/9, 5.24 FIP, -0.5 fWAR

Toronto went “Bargain Bin” hunting when they claimed Paul Sewald off waivers from the Diamondbacks on August 12. It’s fair to say that move paid off.

Starting the season as Arizona’s closer, Sewald found himself off the roster after allowing 27 runs in 39 innings, including three blown saves. His biggest downfall was his hard-hit rate (which was the worst in MLB), as almost everything opponents made contact with was being hit out of the park (12 home runs over that span).

His move to Toronto seemed to fix a lot of his problems. Sewald allowed only two extra-base hits as a Jay (and just one home run) over his 17 appearances, and didn’t allow a hit in 12 of those outings.

He continued to allow barely any walks (2.19 BB/9) and managed 0.1 fWAR in his brief time with the Jays. His fastball isn’t particularly fast (91.4 mph), but coupled with his wipeout slider, he has all the tools to be a strong low-leverage reliever. He can also be thrown into more stressful situations, evidenced by his 110 career saves.

There’s relievers aplenty, but with his familiarity with the organization, he’s a strong option.

Verdict: Stay

George Springer (DH)