Get to know Toronto's trio of new starters

This story was excerpted from Keegan Matheson’s Blue Jays Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

HOUSTON -- The Blue Jays’ rotation has taken a dozen different shapes this season. Remember February, when we began the spring talking about this club having too many starters?

Kevin Gausman is gone now, traded to the Cubs at the Deadline, and in are the duo of José Soriano and Jameson Taillon. They’ll be joined soon by Spencer Arrighetti, who is nearing the end of his rehab from a foot injury after being acquired from the Astros.

This is what you need to know about Toronto’s new starters:

RHP José Soriano
Trade: From Angels for INF Arjun Nimmala, OF Eddie Micheletti Jr., RHP Angel Rivero
Role: Potential No. 2 starter

The Blue Jays’ big swing of the deadline represents long-term upside with team control through the 2027 and ‘28 seasons. The Blue Jays’ front office has a high hit rate on these bigger, bolder moves, and there’s a lot to love about Soriano’s profile.

Look at this as another Dylan Cease project. No, he’s not as talented as Cease because few pitchers on this planet are, but the challenge is the same. Soriano is wildly talented, but just needs to rein his powers and control the zone. If he can cut down his walks just a bit and dominate in the zone more, there’s another level to be unlocked.

“There’s nothing glaring, but I think the one thing is just harnessing his stuff in the zone,” said manager John Schneider. “It’s trying to limit the walks and trying not to be on the edges as much. When you’re acquiring a guy like that, you look at everything, including the catcher’s setup and the catcher’s framing, pitch usage, all of that stuff. There’s certain guys you look at and see that there’s definitely an arsenal tweak, but I don’t think there’s one with him.

Keep that catching comment in mind. Coming from the Angels to the Blue Jays, as a pitcher, is a massive upgrade in terms of the value Soriano will receive from his catchers.

RHP Spencer Arrighetti
Trade: From Astros for OF Daulton Varsho
Role: Potential No. 5 starter

Arrighetti is a Houston boy, and was living out his dream of playing for the hometown team. These past few days haven’t been easy.

“It was every emotion there is, all at once,” Arrighetti said. “Obviously, I had this bubble of supreme comfort being in Houston and being from Houston. My family had the luxury of being at just about every game I ever pitched here. That’s probably the hardest part to part with. My house is 20 minutes from here. That’s where I’m going to raise my kids. Houston will always be home.”

He’s excited to begin a new chapter, though, and once he’s done his rehab in Triple-A, he’ll slide right into the rotation. If all goes well and the Blue Jays can work with Arrighetti to get him more consistent, he could solidify the back end of this group in 2027 and beyond.

“I’ve played at Rogers Centre a couple of times now, so I’m incredibly excited to get there and to represent an entire country,” Arrighetti said. “That’s something I’m very proud of and very excited for.”

RHP Jameson Taillon
Trade: From Cubs with cash for a player to be named later or cash
Role: No. 5 starter entering free agency

When Taillon spoke to the media for the first time in Houston, he said he was just happy to have a uniform. He’s been in the big leagues for a decade and is a former No. 2 overall pick in the 2010 Draft, but there’s no ego here, which Schneider loves.

“His reputation around the league is pristine,” Schneider said. “People who have played with him, who have managed him, coached him, they all say the same thing. We’ve seen it in the first 48 hours here. He’s a dude. He’s all about winning, all about the team and doesn’t put himself first. That’s a huge plus to not only the staff but the clubhouse too.”

When Taillon was a free agent in 2022, prior to signing his four-year, $68 million deal with the Cubs, the Blue Jays reached out multiple times with interest. Eventually, they signed Chris Bassitt. Now a pending free agent, Taillon has plenty of motivation and is fully confident he still has something left in the tank. If he proves that, perhaps the Blue Jays’ interest is rekindled and they can discuss ‘27.