Just when the Toronto Blue Jays appeared finished making headline moves, Bleacher Reportâs Kerry Miller has connected the club to a stunning late-offseason possibility â a 32-year-old, two-time American League All-Star left-hander whose projected $200 million contract would vault Torontoâs payroll from fifth-highest to roughly $345 million, third-highest in baseball.
Miller outlined the scenario while examining late-offseason fits for still-unsigned Houston Astros free-agent starter Framber Valdez, pointing to Torontoâs aggressive recent spending and ability to upgrade an already strong rotation as key factors behind the surprising connection.
In his analysis, Miller stopped short of predicting a deal but noted that the Blue Jaysâ willingness to operate at the top of the market â combined with their need for another proven frontline arm â makes them a logical, if unexpected, contender should they choose to re-enter the pitching market, with less than two weeks to go before spring training opens, after signing former San Diego Padres ace Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210 million contract.
Blue Jays Rotation Already Top-Tier
The Blue Jays at first glance do not seem to be the most likely landing spot for Valdez. In addition to Cease, the Blue Jays still have two-time All-Star Kevin Gausman in the final season of his five-year, $110 million contract, as well as rookie Trey Yesavage, whose 2025 season saw him skyrocket from Single-A ball to three appearances in the World Series, including two starts.
The Jays rotation will also feature 2020 American League Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber and 10-year veteran José BerrÃos, another two-time All-Star.
With Spotrac estimating that Valdez will command a six-year deal totaling $200 million, why would the Blue Jays add yet another $30 million per year contract, the third on their current roster?
‘Best Rotation in Baseball’
Writing on Friday, Michael Brauner of SI.com gave the answer.
“On the surface, the Blue Jays have plenty of pitching, but if general manager Ross Atkins is in fact determined to make another splash and build a super rotation, Valdez could make some amount of sense for Toronto,” Brauner wrote. “Between Valdez and Cease holding things down at the top along with Yesavage, Shane Bieber, Kevin Gausman and even Cody Ponce, bringing in the southpaw instantly makes Toronto the best and arguably deepest rotation in baseball.”
According to Miller, the Blue Jays had been ready to hand free-agent slugger Kyle Tucker, the top bat on the free-agent market, a 10-year, $350 million contract â before the former Chicago Cubs star inked a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers that pays him a staggering $60 million per year for four years, albeit with some cash deferments.
Blue Jays Still Willing to Pay Big Money?
The fact that the Jays were reportedly willing to add another $35 million per year to their payroll for Tucker appears to indicate that they have money left to shell out, according to Miller.
“So, is there an outrageous amount of money burning a hole in their metaphorical pocket, or were they simply willing to stomach a colossal payroll if it meant signing Tucker?” he asked. “If it’s the former, then signing Framber Valdez is definitely on the table.”
If the Spotrac projection is accurate, signing Valdez would add $33 million to the Toronto payroll next season alone â taking the total to $345.4 million, trailing only the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers as baseballâs biggest-spending teams.
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