Blue Jays have interest in free agent starting pitcher Luis Severino: report

The Toronto Blue Jays have been linked to several free agents this offseason, and another was added to the list last night.

While Blue Jays management is trying to improve its roster in many areas, one that they really appear to be targeting is starting pitching. They are reportedly in the running for Corbin Burnes and Max Fried and were said to be in on Blake Snell prior to his signing with the LA Dodgers.

Now, it sounds like they may also have interest in Luis Severino.

“They’re in on [Juan] Soto, have interest in players such as Max Fried, Luis Severino, Anthony Santander and [Alex] Bregman,” Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith wrote in his latest column.

After a horrendous 2023 season, his eighth with the New York Yankees, Severino rebounded nicely in 2024 with the New York Mets. The 30-year-old made 31 starts, posting a 3.91 ERA along with 162 strikeouts through 182 innings.

Aside from his 2023 season in which he had an ugly 6.65 ERA, Severino has been a solid starting pitcher throughout his career, which has included two All-Star selections in 2017 and 2018.

Should the Blue Jays be able to add a pitcher such as Severino or, even better, Fried, it would add to what is already a pretty solid rotation. They currently have Kevin Gausman, Jose Berrios, and Chris Bassitt locked in, while Alek Manoah, who impressed before undergoing season-ending surgery in June, seems likely to get a spot.

There is also Bowden Francis, who became one of the best starting pitchers in the entire MLB to close out the 2024 season.

As Nicholson-Smith also mentioned, the Jays remain in on Soto, as are many teams across the league. The 26-year-old superstar hit a robust .288 with 41 home runs and 109 RBIs with the Yankees this past season and is reportedly seeking a deal that will pay him north of $700 million.

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