Overview
- Manager John Schneider named the initial five starters as Kevin Gausman, Dylan Cease, Eric Lauer, Cody Ponce and Max Scherzer.
- Trey Yesavage was diagnosed with a shoulder impingement and will begin the season on the injured list with no firm return date as the club slow-plays his ramp-up.
- José Berríos and Shane Bieber are also slated to start the year on the injured list, creating short-term gaps the Blue Jays expect their depth to cover.
- Eric Lauer steps into a regular turn after a strong 2025 with Toronto, with reporters projecting injured starters could return in waves.
- Max Scherzer and Cody Ponce delivered standout springs, including Scherzer’s 13 2/3 scoreless innings and Ponce’s 0.66 ERA over 13.2 Grapefruit League frames.