The Toronto Blue Jays have become a very active team in free agency in the past few seasons, and with starting pitching as a need this offseason, the front office might have its sights set on the best man available: two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal.
Skubal was traded from the Detroit Tigers to the Los Angeles Dodgers ahead of the MLB Trade Deadline and would help the then-defending champions return to the playoffs. However, Skubal and LA couldn't knock out the Milwaukee Brewers, who swept them in four games of the NLCS.
Despite not winning a ring with the Dodgers, Skubal is still a high-leverage pitcher who is expected to get a massive contract. Given Toronto has spent a great deal of money since 2024, they could easily be in the mix for the superstar lefty. The question is, should they be?
Toronto Blue Jays center fielder Kevin Pillar (11) poses for a photo. Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports
Former Blue Jays fan favorite Kevin Pillar has kept up with the franchise since retiring, and if there's anyone whose opinion on the franchise matters, it's the former Gold Glove-caliber center fielder.
Hosting Blue Bird Territory , Pillar was asked by The Athletic's Mitch Bannon whether Skubal should be the player they put all their eggs in one basket for this offseason.
"I don't," Pillar said. "They got their ace, they got Dylan Cease and as much as you want to build your team around having this elite starting pitching, I think the Blue Jays have good starting pitching. You can never have enough starting pitching."
"I think the Blue Jays learned this year that they need to distribute that money over position groups as opposed to going out to sign Skubal."
Pillar doubts the front office would commit to two elite starting pitchers on an eight-year-plus contract. Cease is already a legitimate ace who was in the AL Cy Young Award conversation earlier this summer and someone that Ross Atkins and company should build around.
More than Skubal, perhaps resigning Shane Bieber would be the more responsible move. Bieber costs less and is a former Cy Young Award winner himself. Unlike Skubal, Bieber is a risky player to take another chance on, given his recent injuries that have impacted the last two seasons of his career.
Skubal should be a player the Blue Jays check in on, but ultimately, he shouldn't be the one they sign. Toronto is likely to add a starting pitcher this offseason , just not at the price that Skubal and agent Scott Boras will command.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/bluejays/onsi as Former Blue Jay Weighs In on Tarik Skubal-to-Toronto Rumors .
