John Schneider and Dylan Cease have the Blue Jays staring at one trade deadline truth: they still need another starter.
That is the biggest question hanging over Toronto as the deadline approaches. MLB.com laid it out clearly, and the answer is not hard to find once you look at the back end of this rotation.
The top 4 looks good enough. Cease, Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, and the return of Shane Bieber give the Blue Jays a real base to work from.
But the No. 5 spot is still floating. And that is not a small issue for a club sitting in the middle of a soft American League Wild Card race, where one hot stretch could change the whole season.
Patrick Corbin helped keep the rotation alive for 2 months, and Toronto should not forget that. But MLB.com noted he has allowed 14 runs over his last 15 1/3 innings, with an 8.22 ERA over that stretch, and he has not gotten out of the fourth inning in any of his last 3 starts.
That is where the problem gets bigger than one roster spot. When the fifth starter keeps leaving early, the bullpen pays for it, and Toronto's relief group is already carrying too much.
Max Scherzer does not feel like a clean fix either. MLB.com pointed out the 41-year-old owns a 10.23 ERA over 22 innings and has already been dragged down by multiple injuries this season.
Toronto's deadline answer is probably outside the building
There are internal names worth watching. Jake Bloss is back from Tommy John surgery and has already made 7 rehab starts, including a recent 4-inning outing for Triple-A Buffalo. Chad Dallas and Lazaro Estrada also give Toronto some bulk options.
But MLB.com's read feels right. This probably gets solved at the deadline.
And the Blue Jays have shown before they are willing to swing big for pitching. MLB.com pointed to the Bieber trade in 2025 and the José Berrios move in 2021 as proof Toronto is not shy about paying for starters when it sees the opening.
That matters even more because Gausman, Bieber, and Scherzer can all become free agents after this season. MLB.com noted that starters with control beyond 2026 should be especially attractive to Toronto.
The names mentioned by MLB.com tell you the level of the hunt: Tarik Skubal, Reid Detmers, Joe Ryan, Freddy Peralta, and Sandy Alcantara.
That is where this deadline starts for the Blue Jays. Not with a bench bat. Not with a small bullpen patch. With the need for one more real starter who can keep Schneider from burning through his bullpen every 5th day.
Should the Blue Jays trade for another starter before the deadline?
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