Getty
Blue Jays urged to sign a pitcher to replace Lucas Golito.
The Toronto Blue Jays could have a need in the rotation following the injury to Cody Ponce.
The Blue Jays entered spring training wth a surplus of starting pitchers. Yet Trey Yesavage, Shane Bieber, and Jose Berrios began the year on the IL. Then, in Ponce’s first start with the Blue Jays, he suffered a knee injury. He’s now set to travel to California to see if he needs surgery, which could end his season.
So, with the Blue Jays needing another arm, MLB analyst Zachary Rotman of FanSided urges the team to sign former Boston Red Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito.
“Easily the most appealing free agent left is Lucas Giolito, who Jays fans know well given the fact that he spent the 2025 season in the AL East with the Boston Red Sox,” Rotman wrote. “Giolito was an instrumental piece for Boston, posting a 3.41 ERA in 26 starts and 145 innings of work.
“His advanced metrics weren’t nearly as good as the ERA would indicate, but the Jays don’t need him to be a savior of any sort. Ensuring they have a reliable back-end arm who can soak up some innings is what’s most important, and Giolito, even at his worst, can do just that.”
Golito could be a solid No. 5 starter for the Blue Jays, and it would also allow Toronto not to have to rush Bieber, Berrios, or Yesavage back quicker than expected to fill the void.
Then, once all the starters are healthy, Giolito could easily slide to the bullpen and be a multi-inning reliever, which is something Toronto is lacking out of the bullpen.
Giolito went 10-4 with a 3.41 ERA in 26 starts with the Red Sox last season.
Ponce May Need Surgery
The Blue Jays handed Ponce a three-year, $30 million deal this offseason after pitching in Korea and Japan.
Ponce was expected to be an important part of the rotation. However, in his first start, he suffered a knee injury that could end his season.
“I talked to him for a while last night, up until about 1 in the morning,” manager John Schneider said. “He’s got a pretty good perspective. He’s frustrated, for sure, but I think he has a good perspective on it. The person in me just hates it for him. His first outing, weird play, all of that. But he’s handling it okay. He was in here with his brother-in-law today, George Kittle.”
Blue Jays insider Hazel Mae, meanwhile, reported that Ponce is set to visit Dr. Neal ElAttrache (orthopedic surgeon) on Monday in Los Angeles, where it could be determined that he needs surgery.
“He’s (Elattrache) reviewed all the MRI’s.. I think to see him (Ponce) in person.. get his hands on him, and decide what route to take. Surgery is on the table,” Schneider said.
What Pitching Depth Does Toronto Have?
The Blue Jays rotation currently features Kevin Gausman, Dylan Cease, Eric Lauer, and Max Scherzer, so the team is expected to add a fifth starter.
However, due to an off-day on Thursday, Toronto could delay that for a bit longer. In Triple-A, the Blue Jays have Grant Rogers, Chad Dallas, Adam Macko, and Yariel Rodriguez as bulk options. The team already recalled Lazaro Estrada, who can give them multiple innings.
However, the Blue Jays are lacking pitchers with MLB experience, which is why Toronto could look outside the organization to replace Ponce.
Cole Shelton Cole Shelton covers the NHL, MLB and Cleveland Browns for Heavy.com. He has covered pro and college sports since 2016, including bylines at BJ Penn, USA Today, SB Nation, Rotowire, Canadian Baseball Network and more. More about Cole Shelton
More Sports
Loading more stories