Toronto Blue Jays have tough choices to make with playoff pitching rotation

Kevin Gausman dazzled for the Toronto Blue Jays once again in their 6-0 victory over the Houston Astros on Thursday.

The 34-year-old ace needed exactly 100 pitches in what was a complete game shutout, one where he gave up just two hits and a walk. While it was already quite clear, this performance further solidified that Gausman should be the man to lead the Blue Jays rotation once the playoffs begin.

Gausman has been red hot as of late, allowing just two runs through 24 innings over his past three starts while striking out 24 batters. He’s lowered his season ERA down to 3.44 and is heating up at the perfect time. While his spot in the playoff rotation is solidified, however, there are questions as to who else will start alongside him.

Blue Jays facing difficult decisions

Should the Blue Jays wind up clinching the AL East Division, which they currently lead with an 84-62 record, they would be lined up for a best-of-five Division series. If they instead fall back into a wild-card spot, they would be in line for a best-of-three. Either way, they’re going to need to have three starters lined up heading into the postseason.

In terms of ERA, Chris Bassitt would be the next man up. The 36-year-old has had an up-and-down 2025 season, but owns a respectable 3.97 ERA through 161 innings. Barring an ugly final few starts, he’s a reasonable bet as the Jays’ number-two option. After that, things get tricky.

Heading into the season, fans would have expected that if the Jays were to make the playoffs, Jose Berrios would be a part of the rotation. The 31-year-old has been a very good starter during his time in Toronto, and has a 3.99 ERA through 160 innings. That said, he’s struggled over the second half, having posted a 5.28 ERA since June.

That said, Berrios looked more like himself in his most recent start versus the Astros, a game in which he gave up two runs through 5.1 innings while striking out four, much to the delight of Jays manager John Schneider.

“I was really encouraged with his stuff,” Schneider said. “For one, he had a way better fastball. His tempo and delivery, I thought it was way better, and his curveball was way better.”

While it was a step in the right direction, Berrios’ recent struggles overall could pave the way for Shane Bieber, the Blue Jays’ big get at the trade deadline. The 2020 Cy Young winner has pitched just 24 innings after undergoing Tommy John surgery in April of 2024. The results have been mixed, as he’s given up 11 earned runs through his four starts for an ERA of 4.30.

The final option, and one that can’t be overlooked in these discussions, is Max Scherzer. The future Hall of Famer seemed to be having a revival for the Blue Jays before hitting a rough spot as of late. He’s given up 12 earned runs through 14.1 innings over his last three starts, causing his ERA to rise to 4.36.

Scherzer’s experience can’t be discounted, either. The 41-year-old has made 25 career playoff starts, the most of any in the Jays’ rotation. Meanwhile, Gausman, Bassitt, Berrios, and Bieber have all made three.

How the four outside of Gausman perform over their final few starts of the season could wind up playing a big part in the decision process, but either way, Schneider and the rest of the Blue Jays staff will soon have some very difficult choices to make.

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