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Offseason Outlook: Toronto Blue Jays

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After falling painfully short in the World Series, the Blue Jays now face the challenge of keeping their core roster together, starting with the possible departure of cornerstone Bo Bichette.

Guaranteed Contracts

  • Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B: $480MM through 2039
  • Andres Gimenez, 2B/SS: $86.5MM through 2029 (includes $2.5MM buyout of $23MM club option for 2030)
  • Jose Berrios, SP: $66MM through 2028 (Berrios can opt out of contract after the 2026 season)
  • Anthony Santander, OF/DH: $65.5MM through 2029 (includes $5MM buyout of $15MM club option for 2030; Santander has opt-out after 2027 season that Jays can override by increasing salary and exercising 2030 option)
  • Alejandro Kirk, C: $52MM through 2030
  • Kevin Gausman, SP: $23MM through 2026
  • George Springer, OF/DH: $22.5MM through 2026
  • Jeff Hoffman, RP: $22MM through 2027
  • Yariel Rodriguez, RP: $17MM through 2028 (includes $6MM player option for 2028; Blue Jays have $10MM club option if Rodriguez declines)
  • Myles Straw, OF: $8.75MM through 2026 (includes $1.75MM buyout of $8MM club option for 2027; Blue Jays also have $8.5MM club option for 2028 with $500K buyout; Guardians paying $2.75MM to Jays as condition of January 2025 trade)
  • Yimi Garcia, RP: $7.5MM through 2026

Option Decisions

  • Shane Bieber, SP: $16MM player option for 2026 ($4MM buyout)

2026 financial commitments (assuming Bieber declines player option): $164.75MM
Total future commitments (assuming Bieber declines player option): $850.75MM

Arbitration-Eligible Players (service time in parentheses; projections from MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)

Free Agents

As devastating as Game 7 was for the Blue Jays and their fans, the rest of the 2025 season was an unqualified success.  The club won its first AL East title in 10 years and its first AL pennant since 1993, in a stunning turn-around for a club that finished in last place in the AL East just a season ago (and held a modest 26-28 record through the first two months of 2025).

Just about every single Toronto hitter improved on their 2024 numbers, turning the Jays into a dangerous all-around offense fueled by putting the ball in play, high-volume and quality contact, and timely (if not always consistent) power.  Bichette was a key element of this formula.  After struggling with injuries and inconsistent play since August 2023, he returned to his old self in 2025 by hitting .311/.357/.483 with 18 home runs over 628 plate appearances.  Those numbers likely would've been even stronger if Bichette wasn't sidelined by a left PCL sprain in early September, which kept him out of action until the World Series.  Even while clearly limited in terms of running or normal flexibility, Bichette still hit .348/.444/.478 over 27 PA during the Fall Classic.

Bichette has stated that he won't need a knee surgery this winter, and while we could perhaps wait a few days to make sure Bichette wasn't just trying to tough it out for the postseason, it would seem like his PCL sprain shouldn't leave him any worse for wear for Opening Day 2026.  That means the Blue Jays and other suitors will probably feel comfortable in bidding normally on the All-Star now that he's hitting the open market.

There has been speculation for years about how the Jays would approach the free agencies of Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. during the 2025-26 offseason, and the Guerrero debate was firmly answered last April when the two sides agreed to a 14-year, $500MM extension.  With such a big commitment made to Guerrero, of course, that only raised fresh questions about Bichette's future.  Especially when coming off a down year in 2024 and with the Jays acquiring Andres Gimenez last winter, it seemed like Toronto was preparing itself to let Bichette walk.

The team's magical run in 2025 may have changed the equation.  Ownership and the front office may have some natural inclination to try and run it back (as much as possible) with a roster that came two outs away from a championship.  The Rogers Communications ownership group is very wealthy and has been comfortable in taking the Blue Jays' payroll into luxury tax territory in both 2023 and 2025, including the team's record high payroll and tax number this season.  (Cot's Baseball Contracts estimates payroll at $254MM and the tax number at roughly $278.8MM, while RosterResource estimates a $257.8MM payroll and a $282.7MM tax number that would put the Jays over the third penalty tier.)

Would the Blue Jays be willing to pay something in the $150MM-$200MM range on Bichette and add yet another long-term deal to a ledger that already has over $850MM in future commitments?  Guerrero alone takes up a big chunk of that $850MM-plus figure, but the Blue Jays also have to factor in other potential expenditures.  As we'll explore later in the outlook, Toronto will again need to make some investments in its rotation, and Kevin Gausman is a free agent next winter.  Extending George Springer didn't seem like a consideration a year ago, but after Springer's big comeback season, the Jays must now at least be thinking about retaining the veteran when his current deal is up next winter.

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Ryan Borucki, Michael Stefanic Elect Free Agency

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Left-hander Ryan Borucki and infielder Michael Stefanic have both elected free agency, as per the MILB.com transactions wire.  Both players were outrighted off the Blue Jays’ 40-man roster during the regular season and chose to accept the outright assignments rather than elect free agency at the time, but it was expected that they would opt into minor league free agency at some point after season’s end.

Borucki began his career in Toronto’s organization and spent parts of his first five MLB seasons (2018-22) with the Jays before he was traded to the Mariners in June 2022.  After a brief stint in the Cubs’ farm system, the southpaw’s next big league action came with the Pirates from 2023-25 until he was designated for assignment and released in August.  The Jays soon picked him up on a minor league contract and he got a brief run on their active roster in September, appearing in four games before being DFA’ed and outrighted.

Over 256 1/3 innings in the Show, Borucki has a career 4.28 ERA, 19.7% strikeout rate, 8.9% walk rate, and 48.3% grounder rate.  Those numbers included a 4.63 ERA in 35 combined innings with the Pirates and Blue Jays in 2025.  Borucki is the type of specialist reliever whose career was heavily impacted when MLB instituted the three-batter rule for relievers in 2020, as Borucki has struggled badly against right handed-hitting batters but dominant against left-handed bats.

Between those splits, his low strikeout totals, and the natural variance involved with being a grounder specialist, Borucki will very likely again have to settle for a minor league contract as he enters his age-32 season.  He is bound to land somewhere since so many teams need bullpen depth and/or left-handed relief help, but Borucki may be facing another round of DFA and outrights unless he can both earn a look in a big league bullpen and start producing consistent results.

Stefanic began his pro career as an undrafted free agent with the Angels in 2018, and broke into the majors by appearing in 90 games with Los Angeles over the 2022-24 seasons.  He inked a minors deal with Toronto last winter and had his contract selected for a nine-game cup of coffee in May when the Jays were in need of infield depth.  Stefanic produced a .462 OPS over 25 plate appearances in 2025, and he has hit .227/.314/.267 in 289 career PA in the Show.

This uninspiring slash line is a far cry from the impressive numbers Stefanic has posted in Triple-A, as he has batted .332/.427/.454 over 1884 PA with the Blue Jays’ and Angels’ top affiliates.  Between these stats and his ability to play all over the infield, Stefanic should catch on somewhere on another minors contract, but he is out of minor league options.

Chris Bassitt Interested In Return To Blue Jays In 2026

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After last night’s heartbreaking Game 7 loss to the Dodgers, the Blue Jays have been thrust into the offseason on a far more somber note than they were hoping when they headed back to Toronto one win away from a World Series championship. For several of the team’s players, however, yesterday also marked their last official day as a member of the organization before they became free agents earlier today. One such player is right-hander Chris Bassitt, but the veteran told reporters (including MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson) that he hopes he’ll have another chance to play with this group of Blue Jays.

There’s certainly room in the Toronto rotation mix for Bassitt to return. Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, and Jose Berrios all figure to enter Spring Training with locked-in rotation jobs next spring, but that still leaves two spots open for reunions or external additions. Internal options exist to fill those holes. Eric Lauer and Bowden Francis both started plenty of games for the Jays this year, while the farm system boasts youngsters like Adam Macko and even rehabbing top prospect Ricky Tiedemann, both of whom could impact the big league club next year in theory.

The Jays will likely want more certainty than those internal options can provide for their rotation next year, however, and Bassitt can offer that. He’s made at least 30 starts in four consecutive seasons now, pitching to a 3.77 ERA with a 4.01 FIP in that time. Three of those seasons came with Toronto as part of a three-year, $63MM deal signed prior to the 2023 season. It was more of the same from Bassitt this past year, as he offered the Blue Jays 170 1/3 innings of work while posting a 3.96 ERA and 4.01 FIP. He didn’t slow down much in the second half, either, despite an injury that limited him in late September and cost him spots on the Jays’ Wild Card and ALDS rosters. After posting a 3.69 ERA after the All-Star break in the regular season, he went on to move to the bullpen for the ALCS and became one of the club’s most important arms throughout the final stages of the playoffs with a 1.04 ERA, 1.52 FIP, and 33.3% strikeout rate across seven appearances.

While Bassitt is certainly a useful pitcher even as he looks ahead to his age-37 season, it’s fair to wonder if the Jays might have their sights set higher in free agency this winter. There’s a plethora of quality arms available this winter ranging from Framber Valdez, Ranger Suarez, and Dylan Cease at the top of the market to other intriguing options like Zac Gallen, Michael King, and Tatsuya Imai. Meanwhile, hurlers like MacKenzie Gore, Joe Ryan, and Sandy Alcantara could be available on the trade market. For a Blue Jays team that saw how valuable a true ace can be after facing Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the playoffs, it would be understandable if a front-of-the-rotation arm was at the top of their wish list this winter.

That’s not a profile Bassitt can fill, and trade deadline acquisition Shane Bieber could be much more reasonably expected to provide that sort of production if the Jays want to bring back a newly-minted free agent from the 2025 team. With that said, it’s possible the Jays will aim lower as they fill out their rotation or pursue multiple starters. In those cases, a reunion with Bassitt would make much more sense. If Bassitt doesn’t end up returning to Toronto, there’s a number of teams that figure to be on the lookout for pitching help this winter, and he should have little trouble securing a rotation job somewhere even if his age seems likely to limit him to one-year offers.

Max Scherzer Plans To Play In 2026

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The 2025 season ended in heartbreak for the Blue Jays and their fans last night, but future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer made it clear that yesterday’s somber note isn’t the one he intends to wrap his career up on. Scherzer was asked about his future and, while he avoided specifics, made clear that he’s not yet ready to call it quits.

“The only thing I can say is,” Scherzer told reporters, as relayed Jesse Rogers of ESPN in the aftermath of last night’s game, “it’s going to take some time to give a full answer to that, but there is no way that was my last pitch.”

Scherzer turned 41 back in July, and it’s fair to wonder if the current season could be a player’s last even when he enters his late thirties. Fellow future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw wrapped up the final season of his career last night, having announced prior to the postseason that he wouldn’t be returning in 2026 for what would have been his age-38 campaign. Questions regarding Scherzer’s future were especially understandable given the health issues he’s dealt with in recent years. While the three-time Cy Young award winner was once among the most durable pitchers in the entire sport, nerve issues in his hand and thumb have contributed to him making just 26 starts over the past two years. His performance has slipped over that time as well, with a 4.77 ERA and a 4.72 FIP in 128 1/3 innings of work since the 2024 season began.

Even if Scherzer isn’t the surefire ace he once was, he’s still a valuable pitcher and one many teams would be happy to have on their roster. The veteran added 14 1/3 innings of 3.77 ERA baseball to his postseason resume during Toronto’s run and, while his regular season run prevention numbers may have been lackluster, his peripherals indicate that he’s still a solid starter. Scherzer’s 4.26 SIERA puts him in line with the performance of solid mid-rotation arms like Mitch Keller, Robbie Ray, and Yusei Kikuchi. His 16.5 K-BB% was on the same level as players like Carlos Rodon, Casey Mize, and Kris Bubic. His 12.4% barrel rate this year is certainly a potential red flag, but a team that believes they can help Scherzer keep the ball off the barrel next year would surely see Scherzer as a solid addition to their pitching staff.

Even so, it’s likely that Scherzer’s ceiling in free agency figures to be the one-year, $15.5MM contract he signed with Toronto last year, coming off a nine-start 2024 campaign with the Rangers. It’s possible he’ll need to come down from that price tag after a second injury-shortened season, though fellow future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander secured a similar one-year, $15MM guarantee from the Giants last winter coming off a season where he posted a 5.48 ERA in 17 starts quite similar to Scherzer’s 5.19 ERA in that same number of starts. At this stage in his career, Scherzer is sure to prioritize competing in October as he looks for his next team. That could well mean a return to the Blue Jays, as both Scherzer and teammate Chris Bassitt’s departures will leave room for the club to pursue additional rotation help.

Toronto is far from the only contender in need of starting pitching this offseason, however. The Cubs, Padres, and Red Sox all made the postseason this year and have already been linked to the starting pitching market. Meanwhile, teams like the Braves, Astros, and Giants that missed the playoffs this year still figure to try and contend next year and could pursue Scherzer from a similar position to the one the Blue Jays found themselves in this offseason. All of those clubs would be new to the veteran, but reunions with any of the Mets, Tigers, and Diamondbacks are at least plausible as well in addition to a return to the Jays.

Dodgers Win World Series

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The Dodgers are champions. Los Angeles outlasted Toronto in an epic Game 7 showdown. Will Smith delivered the game-winning swing, homering in the 11th inning to give the Dodgers their first lead, which they wouldn’t relinquish. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, pitching on no rest after throwing 96 pitches on Friday, closed out the win. Unsurprisingly, the all-time performance earned Yamamoto the Series MVP award.

LA becomes the first team to repeat as champions since the Yankees in 2000. New York won three straight titles (1998-2000). It’s the Dodgers’ ninth World Series title, moving them into a tie for third with the Athletics and Red Sox. It’s their third title in the past six seasons.

Miguel Rojas, an unlikely World Series hero, rescued LA’s season in the ninth inning. The light-hitting shortstop yanked a Jeff Hoffman slider over the left field wall to tie the game. Rojas joined Bill Mazeroski as the only players in World Series history to hit a game-tying or go-ahead home run in the ninth inning or later in a winner-take-all game (h/t Jesse Rogers of ESPN).

Rojas’ heroics allowed Yamamoto to do something just as special. After a complete game win in Game 2 and a quality start in Game 6, the ace entered in the bottom of the ninth inning with two runners on. He hit Alejandro Kirk with a pitch to load the bases, but wiggled out of the jam. Defensive sub Andy Pages leaped over teammate Enrique Hernandez to reel in an Ernie Clement drive to send the game to extra innings. Yamamoto then cruised through the 10th inning in order before getting into trouble in the 11th frame. With runners on first and third and one out, he coaxed a double play grounder from Kirk to seal the game.

Toronto was in control for much of the game. Shohei Ohtani, pitching on three days’ rest, labored through the first two innings. After George Springer singled to start the third frame, Nathan Lukes sacrificed him to second. Ohtani then intentionally walked Vladimir Guerrero Jr., before hanging a slider that Bo Bichette deposited into the center field stands for a three-run homer. The Blue Jays had multiple chances to extend their lead, including a leadoff double in the eighth inning, but failed to cash in.

The Blue Jays came out swinging in the Fall Classic, exploding for nine runs in the sixth inning to win Game 1 in blowout fashion. A dominant Yamamoto performance evened the series, then LA took a 2-1 lead after Freddie Freeman walked off Game 3 in the 18th inning. Toronto bounced back, winning Game 4 and Game 5 behind strong starts from Shane Bieber and Trey Yesavage, respectively. Yamamoto cruised again in Game 6, pushing the series to its limit. Game 7 delivered an instant classic.

Bo Bichette Doesn’t Expect To Require Offseason Knee Surgery

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Bo Bichette has played through a sprained PCL in his left knee during the World Series. He’s clearly physically limited but has picked up five hits (all singles) with three RBI in 18 trips to the plate.

Of course, Bichette’s focus for the next day or two will be fully on the World Series. He did address the injury before tonight’s Game 6, telling Ben-Nicholson Smith of Sportsnet that he does not expect he’ll need to undergo offseason surgery. Bichette suffered the injury in a collision at home plate with Yankees catcher Austin Wells on September 6. He was out of action for almost seven weeks before making his return for the Fall Classic.

Bichette would clearly still be on the injured list if this were the regular season. However, he has gotten to a point where he can hit and make routine defensive plays. The Jays moved him to second base while keeping Andrés Giménez at shortstop to slightly reduce his defensive workload. They used him as a designated hitter in Game 5 after George Springer tweaked his side. However, Springer has improbably returned for tonight’s game and is back at DH. Bichette heads out to the keystone again.

The 27-year-old infielder (28 in March) is days away from becoming a free agent for the first time in his career. He’s widely viewed as the second-best player in the class behind Kyle Tucker. The knee injury might add to the already present questions about how long he can be expected to stick at shortstop. There’ll be teams that prefer Bichette as a second baseman, but he’s an annual threat to lead the league in hits and is coming off a .311/.357/.483 batting line in the regular season.

Bichette spoke with Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic about his decision to play through the injury earlier this week. He acknowledged that he’s “not really expecting to make huge progress” in the healing process while he’s playing. Bichette nevertheless stated that he’d “risk it all” to win a World Series. He demurred on the free agency question this evening. Bichette admitted at today’s pregame media scrum that while he has thought about his future at times this season, he has “got a World Series to win” right now (video via TSN).

MLBTR Podcast: Bo Bichette’s Health, Kazuma Okamoto, And Dylan Cease’s Market

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The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…

Plus, we answer your questions, including…

  • If the Blue Jays were to extend Addison Barger, would the Lawrence Butler deal be a good comp? (40:35)
  • If a veteran signs a minor league deal, are they eligible to be taken in the Rule 5 draft? (44:50)
  • Will the Red Sox trade Jarren Duran? (46:25)

Check out our past episodes!

  • The Phillies’ Outfield, Tarik Skubal, And Hiring College Coaches – listen here
  • Murakami To Be Posted This Offseason, Managerial Vacancies, And More! – listen here
  • Rockies’ Front Office Changes, Skip Schumaker, And ABS Talk – listen here

The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff.  Check out their Facebook page here!

Photo courtesy of Dan Hamilton, Imagn Images

Blue Jays Notes: Springer, Bassitt, Yesavage

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The World Series continues with Game 4 tonight after last night’s 18-inning marathon that ended with the Dodgers winning 6-5. However, veteran George Springer will not be in the starting lineup for the Blue Jays, though he will seemingly remain on the roster (link via Shi Davidi of Sportsnet). The 36-year-old left last night’s game with what was called “right side discomfort” and underwent an MRI today. “MRI showed that he’s hour-to-hour, day-to-day,” said Blue Jays manager John Schneider, “so just see how he kind of navigates the next couple hours.” With Springer out of the lineup, Bo Bichette will serve as DH and bat third.

Toronto will certainly hope that Springer can continue to appear in the World Series, even if in a diminished role. He enjoyed a resurgent season in 2025, as he batted .309/.399/.560 with a 166 wRC+ in 140 games as Toronto’s DH. After posting a roughly league-average output over 2023-24, he increased his walk rate from 9.8% to 11.8% and, more importantly, struck the ball with much more authority on his way to a career-high 46.7% hard-hit rate. The result was a season worth 5.2 fWAR, which stands as Springer’s highest total since his 2019 season with the Astros and the best season of his Blue Jays tenure.

Moving to the pitching side of things, Schneider said that right-hander Chris Bassitt will be available out of the bullpen tonight (link via Mitch Bannon of the Athletic). If he pitches, it would be the first time in his career that he has pitched on consecutive days. Bassitt, 36, started all but one of his 32 appearances for Toronto this year. Though he posted a solid 3.96 ERA along with a respectable 22.6% strikeout rate and a 7.1% walk rate in 170 1/3 regular-season innings, the team has used him as a reliever in the postseason. Bassitt was the fourth pitcher out of Toronto’s bullpen in Game 3, throwing just eight pitches. Indeed, Schneider noted that every one of his relievers is available for tonight’s game except for Eric Lauer, who pitched 4 2/3 innings last night (link via Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet).

Looking ahead slightly, rookie right-hander Trey Yesavage is lined up to start Game 5 tomorrow night (link via Davidi). The 22-year-old began the season at the Single-A level but rode an outstanding strikeout rate to reach the big-league rotation by the end of the year, making three regular-season starts plus four more so far in the postseason. He most recently started Game 1 of the World Series, allowing two earned runs in four innings in an eventual Blue Jays victory, and would be on normal rest for a Game 5 start.

George Springer Undergoes MRI For Right Side Discomfort

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George Springer left the Blue Jays’ crushing Game 3 loss with what appeared to be a right side injury. Toronto’s leadoff man was leading off the seventh inning and fouled off the first pitch from Justin Wrobleski, then winced and grabbed for his lower right side. After unsuccessfully trying to walk it off, he called for the trainer and was immediately lifted from the game. Manager John Schneider provided details to reporters (including Shi Davidi of Sportsnet) following the 18-inning epic about Springer’s status, revealing he was suffering from “right side discomfort” and had already been sent for an MRI, which the club was awaiting results on.

The possibility of a side injury raises fears about an oblique strain that would certainly put an end to Springer’s series. Even minor oblique strains are an almost automatic injured list stint — usually requiring upwards of a month on the shelf. Springer was able to play through knee discomfort after being hit with a pitch in Game 5 of the ALCS. An oblique injury would be essentially impossible to overcome, as they inhibit a hitter’s ability to rotate through their swing.

Losing Springer would be a massive blow to Toronto’s chances of coming back to pull off an upset in the series. He has four homers and six doubles across 14 postseason contests. None was bigger than the go-ahead, three-run shot off Eduard Bazardo to knock off the Mariners in Game 7 of the Championship Series. Springer is hitting .246/.323/.561 in October. That follows up a resurgent regular season in which he hit .309/.399/.560 with 32 home runs, his best year since 2019.

Ty France came off the bench to work as the designated hitter for last night’s game. It’s unlikely that’d be the plan for the remainder of the Series if Springer is sidelined. Bo Bichette would presumably move to the DH spot for the final few games, which would draw Isiah Kiner-Falefa back in at second base for defensive purposes. Bichette has been limited in his first game action since spraining his knee in early September. He did not start Game 2 and was lifted for Kiner-Falefa as a pinch-runner/defensive substitute in the seventh inning. Bichette has picked up where he’d left off at the plate, though, going 3-7 with a walk and a strikeout in the series.

If Springer cannot return, the Jays would petition MLB to replace him on the roster. Joey Loperfido, who replaced the injured Anthony Santander on the ALCS roster, was dropped from the World Series roster with Bichette and France activated from injury. He’d be the obvious choice to return to the roster in Springer’s place.

Blue Jays Notes: Bichette, Scherzer, Defense

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After getting shut down offensively in Game 2 of the World Series, Toronto will get an important bat back in the lineup tonight. Bo Bichette will draw the start at second base for Game 3, batting fourth. “[He] felt good coming out of yesterday,” manager John Schneider told reporters on Sunday, including David Singh of Sportsnet. “I think with each day that goes on, he’ll probably get as close to normal as he can at this stage of the year.”

Bichette made his long-awaited return in Game 1 after missing close to two months with a knee injury. He singled on a 3-0 pitch in his first at-bat. Bichette began Toronto’s game-breaking sixth inning, drawing a walk against Blake Snell to lead off the inning. Isiah Kiner-Falefa replaced him on the bases and came around to score the go-ahead run. Toronto would go on to tag Snell and two relievers with nine runs in the frame.

It was Kiner-Falefa, not Bichette, who drew the start at second base in Game 2. Bichette grounded out as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning. He played a couple of innings in the field in relief of Kiner-Falefa. “Seven weeks is a long layoff, so you don’t want to just go back to 100 percent,” Schneider told reporters, including Shi Davidi of Sportsnet, regarding Bichette’s usage.

Bichette is playing second base for the first time at the professional level since 2019 at Triple-A. The early returns have been acceptable, as Bichette has handled the few chances he’s had so far. Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports that Toronto is adjusting their infield strategy to support him. The team is having shortstop Andres Gimenez and first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. shade closer to Bichette to provide extra coverage. “I think the positioning part of it plays a big component,” Schneider told Bannon.

Toronto hasn’t had an error in either game of the World Series. They were a middling defense during the regular season, ranking 18th in fielding percentage. The Blue Jays had the 12th-most errors. Kiner-Falefa is known for his defensive ability and is capable of handling multiple infield positions. While he did go 5-for-15 in the ALCS, the utilityman is hitless so far against the Dodgers. Getting Bichette’s bat in the mix will be a boost, especially after Yoshinobu Yamamoto silenced the lineup on Saturday. Kiner-Falefa is a candidate to replace Bichette on the bases or in the field in a late-game situation.

The Blue Jays will send Max Scherzer to the bump on Monday. Schneider is expecting the same intensity he showed in Game 4 of the ALCS. “Wonder how many coaches he’ll knock over tonight,” Schneider told reporters, including Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. The fiery right-hander had a handful of animated moments during his last outing, a near-quality start against Seattle. Scherzer allowed two earned runs over 5 2/3 innings to earn the win and knot the series at 2-2.

Scherzer’s appearance for Toronto tonight will make him the first player to pitch for four different teams in the World Series, per MLB. The 40-year-old also made Fall Classic starts for Detroit, Washington, and Texas, winning the title with the latter two teams.

Scherzer came into the postseason in a rut, giving up 17 earned runs over 15 innings to close the regular season. He did not make the ALDS roster, with Schneider citing the matchup against the Yankees as the reason for the veteran’s omission. Scherzer tossed a quality start in his lone appearance against the Dodgers this season, holding them to two earned runs over six innings in early September.

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