Blue Jays acquire RHP Arrighetti, send Varsho to Astros while in Houston

HOUSTON -- The Blue Jays sent Daulton Varsho across the diamond here in Houston to join the Astros, in a deal that netted them 26-year-old starter Spencer Arrighetti.

Arrighetti is another long-term addition for their rotation after landing José Soriano from the Angels in a big, splashy deal Monday morning.

Shortly after 2 p.m. CT in Houston, Varsho strolled out to center field at Daikin Park, wandering around the wall and warning track to get a feel for its dimensions. Just over one hour later, news broke of the deal. Varsho packed his bags and moved clubhouses. Soon after, he was in the Astros’ lineup as the cleanup hitter, and a video played on the stadium’s video board advertising that his jerseys were already for sale in the team shop.

TRADE DETAILS
Toronto gets: RHP Spencer Arrighetti
Houston gets: OF Daulton Varsho

This was the Blue Jays’ third move of the day and their fifth ahead of the Deadline, followed by the Jeff Hoffman deal before the clock finally ran out. This trade, along with Kevin Gausman and Hoffman, clearly signals the Blue Jays accepting the reality of their disappointing season, even if Varsho was still holding on to hope for another postseason run.

“Everybody in that room thought we could,” Varsho said. “Most of the guys, we kept our heads held high. We never were down on ourselves. We had tough losses, but we were playing better baseball. Unfortunately, it just didn’t happen. Overall, I’m in a better place now after a couple of hours getting my breath and understanding where I’m at. I wish those guys the best because I really care for those guys, especially the coaches. It’s hard.”

Varsho came into this season primed for a big contract year and looked great in Spring Training, but that hasn’t carried over into the season. He’d originally looked like he had the potential to emerge as one of the top position players on the free-agent market with a big offensive year alongside his Gold Glove-caliber defense, but he’s hit just .243 with a .682 OPS and his defense has surprisingly taken a step back.

Still, Varsho has been a key piece in this era of Blue Jays baseball, and his departure is yet another sign that we’re entering a new one. Varsho represented one of the biggest swings we’ve ever seen from this front office when they acquired him from the D-backs for catching prospect Gabriel Moreno, who has grown into a star in Arizona, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

“He was loved, really, by his teammates, by all of us, by his teammates and the coaching staff,” manager John Schneider said. “He came here as a little bit of a younger dude with something to prove. He’s leaving here with a kid and as someone who felt pretty deeply rooted in our clubhouse and community. That’s tough.”

Arrighetti is a solid return for two months of Varsho, the Blue Jays opting to target controllable starting pitching over another prospect they may need to wait on. While the Soriano addition raised the ceiling of this 2027 and '28 rotation significantly, Arrighetti could raise the floor. He’s currently on the IL with right foot nerve irritation, but has been throwing bullpen sessions and expects to pitch again in '26.

Blue Jays’ 2027 rotation projection

1. Dylan Cease
2. José Soriano
3. Trey Yesavage
4. Cody Ponce
5. TBD

That “TBD” is getting more interesting now, and will be opened up to a group that includes Arrighetti. Rule 5 Draft wonder Spencer Miles is another candidate as the Blue Jays likely stretch him out next season, and they are expected to continue to address the decision. Even after they entered 2026 with what seemed like incredible rotation depth, they’ve been spread thin throughout the season.

Arrighetti doesn’t light up the radar gun, living near 93 mph, but his big curveball is the star of his arsenal. He’ll be the latest project for Pete Walker and the Blue Jays’ pitching coaches, who will need to drag down his walk rate (5.1 BB/9) from the past two seasons to develop Arrighetti into a full-time option.