The Toronto Blue Jays entered the MLB trade deadline as potential sellers, and while the team did move some pieces, they also decided to be buyers.
Toronto’s big move was landing star pitcher Jose Soriano from the Los Angeles Angels in a surprise move. The Blue Jays had traded away right-hander Kevin Gausman to the Chicago Cubs, and there weren’t many who saw Toronto adding like this.
But with the Blue Jays wanting to finish the 2026 season on a high note, bringing in Soriano does make sense. Toronto also now has a potential ace for the future, with Soriano putting together a nice year for the Angels so far.
Jose Soriano Blue Jays Debut Set
After the trade for Soriano, there were questions about when he could make his debut for the Blue Jays. But the team has now announced this, with the right-hander scheduled to suit up for Toronto this week on Friday against the Philadelphia Phillies.
John Schneider says Jameson Taillon starts tomorrow, Dylan Cease pushed to Thursday with Jose Soriano debuting for the Blue Jays on Friday at Philadelphia, followed by Max Scherzer and Shane Bieber on Sunday.
— Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) August 4, 2026
Jose Soriano Outlook With Blue Jays
The Blue Jays are excited to see how Soriano can help this team, even if it’ll be tough to get back to playoff contention this year. Soriano is under team control for two more seasons, with the right-hander eligible to enter free agency in 2029.
After the trade, Soriano reflected on his time with the Angels, while praising the Blue Jays organization.
“I felt emotional because I have been with the Angels a long time, but at the same time I feel happy because this is a good organization and I have the opportunity to help this team win.”
The 27-year-old made 22 starts for the Angels this year, posting a 3.29 ERA over 123 innings pitched. Soriano is a strong strikeout pitcher, with the righty punching out 127 batters this year so far.
Toronto likely envisions Soriano at the top of the rotation for years to come, helping the Blue Jays get back to contention. If he can stay healthy, this could end up being a true steal of a trade for Toronto going forward.
What Does the Blue Jays Starting Rotation Look Like?
With the addition of Soriano, the Blue Jays now have multiple quality arms for the starting rotation. Right-hander Dylan Cease leads the pack, with playoff sensation Trey Yesavage right behind him.
Soriano could slot in as the No. 3 arm for the Blue Jays, giving this team a loaded rotation all around. Behind him are veteran Max Scherzer, Shane Bieber and Jameson Taillon, who Toronto also traded for.
Toronto is building a deep rotation to use moving forward, and it could help them in the long run. Last season, the Blue Jays were able to get to the World Series despite all sorts of questions around the starting pitching.
The Blue Jays have underperformed this year, sitting with a record of 54-60 on the year. Toronto is in last place in the AL East, but there is still time to salvage the rest of the 2026 season.
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