The Blue Jays’ starting pitching situation was dire before the 2026 season even began. Trey Yesavage, José Berríos and Shane Bieber all started the campaign on the injured list. Then key offseason signing Cody Ponce sprained his ACL on March 31, requiring season-ending surgery.
In response, the Jays bumped Eric Lauer -- who was excellent in a swing role in 2025 -- into the rotation and signed Patrick Corbin to a $1 million deal to serve as a stopgap. But Yesavage is now inching closer to a return after another rehab start this week, and Berríos was dominant in his second outing with Single-A Dunedin on Wednesday.
After marching all the way to Game 7 of the World Series last year, Toronto is 10-14 to begin 2026. And now, a roster crunch is coming. Here’s a status report on the pitching options facing the Blue Jays as they sit fourth in the AL East in the early going:
Eric Lauer
The Blue Jays’ magical 2025 may have looked different without the 3.18 ERA Lauer posted in 104 2/3 innings, including 15 starts and 28 total appearances. The 30-year-old lefty just hasn’t found the same rhythm in 2026.
He was shaky again Wednesday night in a 7-3 loss to the Angels, allowing three runs on seven hits, including two home runs. The long ball has bothered Lauer thus far, having given up at least one homer in four of five appearances.
His four-seam fastball velocity is down more than one mph (91.7 to 90.3), and he’s walking batters more than twice as often (6.1% to 12.7%) compared to 2025. Perhaps he’s best suited by returning to long relief with the impending return of two big pieces in the Toronto rotation.
Patrick Corbin
Corbin’s signing seemed like little more than an emergency backup plan at the time, but he’s now given his team a legitimate chance to win in back-to-back starts after a four-run, two-homer day in his season debut.
The 36-year-old lefty has gone at least five innings and allowed just one run in his past two outings against the Brewers and Angels. Tuesday’s stellar performance led to a win, and it seems likely to have solidified his spot in the rotation -- ahead of Lauer -- once Yesavage is back.
But is his 3.68 ERA in 14 2/3 innings enough to stay there permanently? That seems like a longshot, with Corbin last posting a sub-four ERA in 2019 and not having an expected ERA below four since 2018.
Perhaps Corbin could join Lauer in a ‘pen job once Berríos returns. The Jays’ relief corps has been taxed, and there are now questions surrounding the hierarchy of the group, with struggles from closer Jeff Hoffman.
Trey Yesavage
Yesavage’s Tuesday start was expected to be his final rehab appearance while recovering from a right shoulder impingement. However, he managed just 2 1/3 innings with Triple-A Buffalo and threw only 64 pitches.
His fastball was on par, between 93-96 mph, but the club wanted him at 75 pitches. It’s possible he’ll need another rehab start before making his return.
"I mean, I wish he threw more pitches," manager John Schneider said on Tuesday. "I think physically, he’s pretty good. So we’ll figure that out in the next couple of days. ... I don't need to see the 12-strikeout game in the Minors."
José Berríos
Albeit against Single-A competition, Berríos had it all working in his second rehab start while dealing with a stress fracture in his right elbow. He threw 55 pitches in four innings, allowing just three hits while striking out five with no walks.
His four-seam averaged 93.5 mph and his sinker 93.1, which would both be improvements over 2025 and more on par with his 2024 self.
Berríos is able to pitch through the stress fracture in his elbow, and in fact, he likely would have been in the Opening Day rotation had routine imaging for the World Baseball Classic not revealed inflammation.
Shane Bieber
Bieber was transferred to the 60-day IL on April 13, but that was simply a procedural move, as his return from right elbow inflammation is still on track. He was scheduled for a bullpen this week in Dunedin.
Dylan Cease and Kevin Gausman have both been quite good to begin 2026, but the Jays could certainly use their trio of planned rotation members back in the fold, as Corbin and 41-year-old Max Scherzer lead an aging and ragged group at the moment. Even Scherzer has dealt with forearm tendinitis through four starts.