Toronto Blue Jays announce starters for first two games of Spring Training

Feb 19, 2026 (12:57)

Photo credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Eric Lauer and Fernando Perez opening up Spring Training this weekend gives us an incredibly exciting look at the rotation.

The cold weather is finally melting away, and baseball is officially back in our lives.

Seeing pitchers actually throwing from a real mound brings an undeniable wave of joy to the city.

Management is wasting absolutely no time evaluating two very different types of arms this weekend.

Saturday belongs to a seasoned veteran who wants to prove last season was no fluke.

The excitement spiked the moment Keegan Matheson dropped the weekend pitching schedule straight from the complex.

#BlueJays starters to open Spring Training games:

Saturday: Eric Lauer
Sunday: Fernando Perez

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Lauer (Age 30, Drafted 1st round, 2016 by San Diego Padres) was a complete revelation for Toronto last year.

He answered every call out of the bullpen and spot starts, posting a brilliant 9-2 record.

Finishing the year with a 3.18 ERA over 104.2 innings gave this staff tremendous stability.

That is exactly the type of reliable depth required to survive a brutal divisional race.

Sunday brings a completely different flavor to the diamond as a top prospect takes center stage.

We are absolutely desperate to see what our top young arms can do against major league talent.

Fernando Perez (Age 22, Signed as International Free Agent, 2022 by Toronto Blue Jays) is a special talent.

He dominated the minor leagues last year with a 3.04 ERA across 121.1 innings of work.

The righty also racked up 105 strikeouts and proved he can handle an increased workload.

Known as "The GOAT" by the front office, his rise from Nicaragua is an inspiring story.

His pinpoint control makes up for lacking a blazing fastball, keeping hitters totally off balance.

Getting him into a big league environment early is a brilliant move by the coaching staff.

He needs to feel the bright lights and pitch against guys who punish simple mistakes.

The entire fanbase should be watching closely to see how Perez reacts to the pressure.

We have been waiting for homegrown pitching to step up and grab a roster spot.

Spring Training is built for these exact moments of discovery and raw competition.

Every great postseason run begins with the foundation built during these early exhibition games.

Having too many quality pitchers is a luxury this franchise has rarely enjoyed.

This rotation has the raw talent to dominate, and the battle begins this weekend.

Previously on Toronto Baseball Insider

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11 HOURS AGO\|103 ANSWERS Toronto Blue Jays announce starters for first two games of Spring Training Are you more excited to watch Eric Lauer build on last season or Fernando Perez make his debut?
Eric Lauer
Fernando Perez