Michael Soroka might be the best-value starter on the free-agent market, and the Blue Jays should bring the Alberta native home.

His 2026 numbers stack up with the big names. He posted a better WHIP than Dylan Cease, a better K/9 than Freddy Peralta and a better HR/9 than Tarik Skubal.

It was the second-best season of his career. The 29-year-old threw 116 innings for the Diamondbacks, his second-highest total.

His debut set the tone. On March 30, he struck out 10 over five scoreless innings, including the fourth immaculate inning in Diamondbacks history.

He also handled Toronto. In mid-April at Chase Field, he allowed two runs over seven innings with five strikeouts and no walks.

His best weapon is the slurve. Opposing hitters batted just .178 and slugged .226 against it.

A 2015 Blue Jays connection makes Michael Soroka a natural fit

The Jays have history with him. In 2015, he pitched for Canada's junior national team against a Blue Jays split squad, and errors behind him led to seven runs, only one earned.

Afterward, Alex Anthopoulos and other front-office members called him into their booth. Anthopoulos joked that if he signed, they'd put a better defence behind him.

They never got the chance. Toronto picked 29th in that draft, and the Braves took him at No. 28.

The injury history is real. He tore his Achilles in 2020 and again in 2021, then threw just 46 combined innings from 2020 through 2023.

He also missed six weeks this season with a glute strain. Most of his injuries have been to his lower body, which means fewer miles on his arm.

So is he worth the risk? At his price, yes.

He signed a one-year, $7.5 million deal with Arizona last winter. He'll earn more this time, but likely far less than Skubal or Peralta, and a qualifying offer seems unlikely.

Sign him. Behind Cease, José Soriano and Trey Yesavage, the rotation is scribbled in pencil, and based on 2026 results he'd be a legitimate No. 2.

He's the house with a rebuilt foundation. You inspect it carefully, but the bones are excellent.

He's said he'd like to stay in Arizona, where he spends his winters. But with five Gold Glove finalists on the roster, the Jays can finally keep their 11-year-old promise of a better defence behind him.