Spencer Miles was the biggest overachiever on a disappointing Blue Jays team this season.

A Rule 5 pick whose previous professional career high in innings pitched was just 16, Miles soared past every reasonable expectation, posting a 2.63 ERA across 95.2 innings at 26 years old.

That kind of jump raises a real question heading into 2027. What role does Toronto give him next?

Manager John Schneider estimated the Blue Jays could reasonably add 20 to 30 innings to that total next season, opening the door for Miles to develop into an effective No. 5 starter.

"I think he has his stuff to do it," Schneider said. "You just have to be pretty convicted in a plan based on his background and what's going to be best for him health-wise."

Why the offseason rotation moves will decide his fate

That last part matters enormously. Jumping a pitcher's workload significantly in one year carries real injury risk, especially for someone who's never approached this kind of volume before.

The decision ultimately hinges on how much starting pitching Toronto adds this winter.

The more healthy, established starters the Blue Jays bring in, the more tempting it becomes to simply keep Miles in the high-leverage, high-volume bullpen role he carved out for himself in 2026.

That's a real trade-off for the front office to weigh. Miles has already proven he can handle premium bullpen innings at an elite level, a genuinely valuable asset as is.

Stretching him into a starting role carries upside, but also risks disrupting something that's already working extremely well in its current form.

Given Toronto's rotation questions heading into next season, with Shane Bieber's status unresolved and Jose Berrios still working back from Tommy John surgery, there's a real case for keeping Miles's ceiling open as a starting option.

Whether Toronto ultimately stretches him out or keeps him anchored in the bullpen will likely become clearer once the offseason's bigger pitching moves start to take shape.