Shane Bieber's Blue Jays future is still unsettled, and Blue Jays Today already has a replacement in mind: free agent Casey Mize.

Bieber has said he wants to return. The club hasn't committed, and Ross Atkins would only say the Jays will work through a process with him.

Nick Paleolong pointed to Mize as a fallback. He went 6-10 with a 4.32 ERA this season.

He added 110 strikeouts, and Paleolong was realistic about the role, calling him "more of a three or four in the rotation."

The context matters. "There's no more Gausman. Bieber and Scherzer are also headed to free agency," Paleolong said.

He also floated a three- to five-year deal for the 29-year-old. That's where this gets complicated.

Brock Burke's NL-leading 77 appearances make him the better fit

A long-term commitment to a mid-rotation arm coming off a losing record is a bad bet. Pay for a short deal, or don't pay at all.

Burke makes more sense. The 30-year-old lefty posted a 2.30 ERA for the Reds this season.

He also held opponents to a .202 average and allowed just five homers in 74.1 innings.

The need is obvious. "The Jays desperately need to add more lefties into that bullpen, especially after relying on Mason Fluharty so much this past year," Paleolong said.

Any concerns? The walks, because 40 of them is a lot of free traffic for a late-inning arm.

Burke is the furnace tune-up you book in October. Nobody gets excited about it, but you'll be glad come January.

None of this replaces the top priority. Toronto finished last in the majors in runs and home runs, and a big bat still comes first.

Bieber's process will play out alongside all of it. If Atkins brings him back on a short deal and adds Burke, the pitching side is handled, and the money can chase the bat.