The Toronto Blue Jays have already added a ton of value to their pitching rotation this offseason with the additions of Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce, but they might not be done.
On Wednesday, Bleacher Report’s Erik Beaston predicted that Toronto will be the team that signs veteran reliever Pete Fairbanks.
“(Fairbanks) does not carry the name recognition of others on the market but he is a solid addition to any team who wants to bring him on board after the Rays declined his option at the end of the season,” Beaston wrote. “Adding him to the Blue Jays bullpen has the potential to be another sneaky-great move by that team’s front office.”
Beaston acknowledged that Fairbanks has also been linked to the Miami Marlins by The Athletic, and that Miami might be a more savory destination for the right-hander. Ultimately, though, Beaston predicted that Fairbanks will be wearing Toronto blue in 2026.
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“Miami may be the more likely fit, though, given the Fairbanks’ history with Peter Bendix, the Marlins’ president of baseball operations and the former general manager of the Rays,” Beaston continued. “Prediction: The allure of the AL champs is too great to pass up and Fairbanks signs with Toronto.”
Drafted in the ninth round by the Texas Rangers in 2015 out of Missouri, Fairbanks debuted in 2019 with a rocky 6.86 ERA over 21 innings. Midseason, Tampa Bay traded for him, igniting his ascent.
With the Rays, Fairbanks locked down the ninth starting in 2023, posting a 2.58 ERA across 49 outings with 25 saves. He followed with a 3.57 mark and 23 saves in 2024, despite injuries sidelining him briefly. In 2025, he peaked at career highs: 61 appearances, 60.1 innings, a 2.83 ERA, and 27 saves, fanning 59 while staying healthy all year.
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On November 6, the Rays declined his $11 million 2026 option for a $1 million buyout, thrusting the 31-year-old into free agency.