Toronto Blue Jays will have pair of key pitching decisions to make

The Toronto Blue Jays face an interesting set of dilemmas ahead of them in the coming weeks.

For a team that’s often built an identity off strong pitching rotations, the Blue Jays haven’t quite had a full set of starters for much of this season.

Toronto has had just four pitchers start over five games: Chris Bassitt, Jose Berrios, Kevin Gausman, and Bowden Francis. As a whole, the Jays’ entire pitching staff (including the bullpen) has put up a 4.17 ERA, sitting 22nd among MLB’s 30 teams, while EVA Analytics ranks Toronto’s rotation as the 24th best in the league.

But there might be some relief coming soon in the form of Max Scherzer and Alek Manoah, who are both rehabbing extended injury struggles.

Scherzer managed just one start before a lengthy rehab process this season, while Manoah hasn’t pitched at all in 2025 after a Tommy John surgery last summer. Scherzer made his second rehab start for Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday, with the chance of returning to the big leagues next week.

Meanwhile, Manoah is targeting an August return to the majors, and is currently working out at the team’s training complex in Dunedin, Florida.

If the Jays were looking for an odd man out of their rotation to whittle it down to five once Manoah and Scherzer return, Francis seems to be the man on the chopping block. His eight losses lead the American League, part of a season that’s been struggling from the get-go to recreate his 2024 magic. He’s currently on the injured list with a right shoulder issue.

But it’s not as easy as one might think.

Francis had a stretch last August during which, over four starts, he gave up just six hits and two earned runs while punching out 32 batters in 29 innings. He also set a new MLB record in those four starts, posting a WHIP of just 0.31. There’s clearly a talented pitcher in his skill set, despite his current struggles.

Of course, either Manoah or Scherzer could just as easily end up injured again themselves or struggle to find their way back to facing major league hitting after extended time off.

While he’s a future Hall of Famer, Scherzer is 40 years old and in the last stages of his MLB career as he battles ongoing finger issues.

Meanwhile, Manoah has hardly looked the pitcher who finished third in Cy Young voting in 2022 over the last three years, and expecting him to suddenly return to those levels probably isn’t all that wise either.

If two of Scherzer, Manoah, and Francis put together a decent back half of the season, Toronto could have a much improved pitching staff as they make a playoff push.

In any case, Toronto will have their work cut out for them to figure out what their starting rotation will look like over the second half of the season.

You might also like:
• Toronto Blue Jays cut ties with seven-year MLB veteran pitcher