The Toronto Blue Jays have several challenging decisions ahead during this offseason. Many of those are going to include the starting rotation. One of the more interesting ones will include a pitcher that very few expected to make an impact in 2026, but he did.
Spencer Miles started the season as a Rule 5 Draft selection with almost no experience on a MLB playing field. In fact, he never even took the mound in 2025 as he was recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Now, he is a legitimate candidate for a permanent spot in Toronto's 2027 rotation.
That's a pretty significant move for a guy who has spent a lot of time recovering from injuries and literally entered spring training just trying to find a spot on the Major League roster.
After proving he could contribute in various roles, Miles has given the Blue Jays something to seriously consider as they are starting to evaluate their pitching crew.
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Dylan Cease Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
There's really no other way to put it than Toronto had an incredibly difficult and disappointing season.
Entering the offseason, Dylan Cease and Trey Yesavage are the important parts of the starting rotation. From there, many questions follow.
Jose Berrios and Bowden Francis are recovering from Tommy John surgery. Cody Ponce is expected to return, but he is still rehabbing from a knee injury.
Shane Bieber and Max Scherzer are headed into free agency with no guarantee of returning to the team.
Those factors leave the Blue Jays searching for starting pitching .
Now enter Miles.
The right-hander proved he had the ability to handle all sorts of assignments during his 2026 rookie season. He was a traditional starter, an opener and a reliever.
Having a player who can fill all of those roles is valuable, especially to a team who seemed to be dealing with constant injuries and multiple adjustments through the season.
There's also another side to that coin. Would the Blue Jays be better off to keep Miles in a bullpen position or should they give him the chance to see what he can accomplish as a full-time starter?
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Spencer Miles Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Toronto acquired Miles from the San Francisco Giants in the Rule 5 Draft, and when they did, they were taking a significant chance. He hadn't ever seen the Major League field and had thrown fewer than 15 innings in affiliated minor league baseball.
That's what made what he did in 2026 so surprising.
Rather than just being a warm body on the roster when times got tough, Miles turned into a pitcher the organization could trust in challenging situations.
He showed them enough to also suggest that his future could be much more than a traditional reliever.
The challenge for the Blue Jays at this point is figuring out if his production could turn into what is required of a Major League starter.
Starting regularly would be handling a lot more innings. He would need to maintain his effectiveness while facing opposing lineups multiple times. Then comes the dreaded word: durability. He would definitely have to work his way to prove he can stay healthy.
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Spencer Miles Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
With everything this team went through during the 2026 campaign, there should be little to no question about whether they should explore the pitching market. That's a given.
If the true intention is to return to the postseason and be a contender, then they cannot afford to enter another season without serious rotation depth.
That also doesn't mean that they should overlook what they already have.
Miles is here, and he has proven he is ready for the challenge. He could be an inexpensive rotation option.
If nothing else, Miles deserves the chance to compete for a starting rotation spot during spring training. If he steps up and proves he can do it, then the team just got a valuable starter to build around.
If not, he will still be an integral part of the bullpen.
The Blue Jays don't have to hand him a starting rotation spot, but what he accomplished in 2026 gives the team every reason to believe he should compete for one.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/bluejays/onsi as Blue Jays Have a Spencer Miles Decision That Could Shape Their 2027 Rotation .
