TORONTO, ON – APRIL 14: Ross Atkins, general manager of the Toronto Blue Jays, speaks during a press conference before Vladimir Guerrero Jr. signs a 14-year contract extension at Rogers Centre on April 14, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)
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The Toronto Blue Jays came excruciatingly close to winning it all in the World Series and things might have gone better had their bullpen been a little more dependable.
The Blue Jays struggled throughout the season to close out games and their best late-inning option, Jeff Hoffman, blew a save in Game 7 of the World Series to hand the Los Angeles Dodgers the victory. Now the team is looking to obtain a new high-leverage arm or two to ensure that doesn’t happen again next season.
After the team added free agent starter Dylan Cease with a $210 million contract, the Blue Jays have reportedly been involved in pursuits of several notable relief pitchers.
“The Jays, who are in agreement with free-agent right-hander Dylan Cease on a seven-year contract, continue to pursue late-inning relievers, and were in the mix for three who already signed — (Ryan) Helsley, Raisel Iglesias and Phil Maton,” Major League Baseball insiders Ken Rosenthal and Katie Woo reported for The Athletic.
Though the Jays lost out on those options — with Helsley reportedly agreeing to a $28 million contract from the American League East division rival Baltimore Orioles — they are now pursuing another rival’s former closer, per Rosenthal and Woo.
“With Ryan Helsley off the market, Pete Fairbanks might be the next closer to sign,” they added. “The Toronto Blue Jays and Miami Marlins are among the teams interested in him, according to industry sources briefed on his market.”
Fairbanks posted a 2.83 ERA with 59 strikeouts across more than 60 innings for the Tampa Bay Rays in this past season and he has performed particularly well against the Blue Jays in recent divisional matchups. In 27 career innings against the Blue Jays, Fairbanks has held their hitters to a dismal .130 batting average.
So, while there are some more standout closer options still on the market, including Edwin Diaz, Devin Williams and Robert Suarez, Fairbanks could be an enticing option for the Blue Jays. It seems likely they will be addressing the bullpen in short order, especially after their decision to bring Cease in to fortify the rotation.
“The Blue Jays have Jeff Hoffman in the closer’s role for now and Louis Varland in place as a high-powered setup man, but the Seranthony Dominguez role needs to be replaced,” Keegan Matheson wrote for MLB.com. “The Blue Jays adding an established closer is absolutely possible, especially after this bold, decisive first step into free agency.”