The Blue Jays are being urged to pry Paul Blackburn away from the Yankees this winter. The bigger payoff might be what it does for Spencer Miles.

FanSided's Ben Wrixon made the pitch. He wrote that Blackburn "shined in a new role after spending years as a middling starting pitcher."

Wrixon pegged his ERA at 1.69 across 65 appearances. He also flagged a 3.75 FIP, suggesting the right-hander "got somewhat lucky."

Versatility is the selling point. Wrixon noted whichever team signs him might try to stretch him back out as a starter.

That fits Toronto's biggest worry. Dylan Cease, José Soriano, Trey Yesavage and Cody Ponce figure to form the rotation, with José Berrios and Bowden Francis coming off injuries.

It also weakens a rival. Blackburn was a key piece of the Yankees' bullpen, and pulling him out of the Bronx has value on its own.

Spencer Miles' breakout makes his 2027 role a tough call

Miles was a Rule 5 find who dominated in relief and started some games, too. He posted a 2.73 ERA across 49 appearances, eight of them starts.

Ross Atkins has admitted figuring out his role is a difficult decision. Does Toronto need another dominant setup man, or another starter?

Make him a starter. Sign Blackburn to cover the high-leverage innings, then let Miles compete with Spencer Arrighetti for a rotation spot in camp.

The bullpen would still be loaded. Louis Varland and Tyler Rogers at the back end, with a proven multi-inning arm in front of them, keeps the late innings in good hands.

It's like hiring a new assistant so your best employee can finally tackle a bigger project. The daily work still gets done, and the upside grows.

The FIP gap is real, though. Paying a reliever coming off numbers that luck helped inflate is a classic free-agent trap.

Can Toronto afford to wait and find out? With the rotation this thin, Miles starting might be the cheapest upgrade available, and Blackburn could be the price of making it work.