Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said Wednesday that the team has yet to decide whether Miles will be used as a starting pitcher or reliever next season, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.
Miles made eight starts and 41 relief appearances during his rookie season with the Blue Jays, logging a 2.63 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 93:25 K:BB over 95.2 innings. The righty didn't pitch at all in 2023 while recovering from Tommy John surgery, and he threw a total of just 16 innings from 2024-to-2025. It would be a significant workload increase in 2027 if the Blue Jays did decide to use Miles as a starter, and his ultimate role could depend on what Toronto does in terms of rotation additions over the offseason.
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Blue Jays' Ernie Clement: Not locked into starting job
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Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said Wednesday that Clement "will have to earn" the second-base job next season, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.
Atkins was quick to add that Clement "always has" earned regular playing time. The 30-year-old Clement slashed .296/.318/.433 in the first half but just .203/.235/.259 in the second half, which included a .386 OPS in September. Clement should ultimately get a chance at regular reps again in 2027, though it's too soon to say whether that will come mainly at second base or in a super-utility role.
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Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Turns clock back in season finale
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Scherzer (4-9) notched the win Sunday against the Reds, striking out seven while allowing one run on six hits and one walk in seven innings.
In what may have been his final major-league start, Scherzer put forth a vintage display Sunday. The future Hall of Famer worked seven innings for just the second time all year, generating an outstanding 19 whiffs and emptying the tank for a season-high 114 pitches on just three days' rest. Scherzer, 42, is an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and he'll decide over the winter if he's ready to hang up his cleats following a decorated 19-year big-league career. He appeared to be on his last legs in the first half, working to a 10.23 ERA and 1.73 WHIP over 22 innings before the All-Star break, but Scherzer did show signs of life with a 4.16 ERA and 1.20 WHIP across 62.2 frames after the break.
Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero: On bench for season finale
Rotowire
Guerrero is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Reds.
On the heels of an AL pennant run last fall, Guerrero disappointed in a major way in 2026, with his OPS falling 160 points to .688. Recent comments about his performance and contract drew the ire from the Toronto fanbase, but he quickly walked those comments back. Charles McAdoo will draw the start at first base in the season finale.
Blue Jays' Brett Bateman: On base three times in return
Rotowire
Bateman went 2-for-3 with a walk and a double in Saturday's 5-1 loss to the Reds.
Out of the starting lineup the last three games due to a sore hip, Bateman slotted back in atop the order as the center fielder and looked none the worse for wear. The 24-year-old has had a dazzling big-league debut since earning a promotion in early August, slashing .325/.400/.422 in his first 40 games with two homers, three steals, 11 RBI and 27 runs, and while he's made a strong case for a starting role in 2027, Bateman will be hard-pressed to repeat his .403 BABIP over a full campaign.
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Blue Jays' Trey Yesavage: Limited workload in Saturday's start
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Yesavage (5-6) took the loss Saturday as the Blue Jays fell 5-1 to the Reds, allowing one run on two hits and one walk over two innings. He struck out three.
The 23-year-old right-hander was able to make two abbreviated starts in the final week of the season after returning from minor knee surgery, with Yesavage getting limited to just 30 pitches (19 strikes) Saturday. He pitched well in his two frames, but a solo shot by JJ Bleday in the second inning put Cincinnati in the lead for good. Yesavage ended his first full season in the majors having thrown 97.2 innings over 20 starts while producing a 3.69 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 97:47 K:BB, giving him a baseline to build from in 2027.
Blue Jays' Spencer Miles: Stellar showing in latest short start
Rotowire
Miles struck out four and allowed two hits and no walks over three scoreless frames in a start during last Sunday's 7-2 win over the Rangers.
Drawing his eighth start of the season, Miles was sharp but was limited to 46 pitches since he's been mostly used in a relief role since the All-Star break. The Blue Jays haven't used Miles since last weekend, but he could be a candidate to pitch multiple innings in bulk relief in one of the team's final two games of the season against the Reds. The Blue Jays have named Trey Yesavage and Max Scherzer as their starters for Saturday and Sunday, respectively, and both are likely to be operating with limited workloads.
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Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Starting Sunday
Rotowire
Scherzer will start Sunday's regular-season finale against the Reds, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Scherzer said that he's still undecided about whether he'll retire after this season, but he'll officially get to make at least one more start on a big-league mound before he hangs up his cleats. The 42-year-old hasn't been particularly effective this season, posting a 6.14 ERA and 1.36 WHIP across 77.2 innings, but facing a Reds offense that's turned in a .690 OPS since the beginning of September could allow him to end his Hall of Fame career on a high note.
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Blue Jays' George Springer: Sitting down Saturday
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Springer isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Reds.
Springer will grab a seat on the bench after going 0-for-5 with a strikeout and a run scored in Friday's win. His absence will put Vladimir Guerrero at the DH spot, opening up first base for Sean Keys.
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Blue Jays' Brett Bateman: In Saturday's lineup
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Bateman (hip) will start in center field and bat leadoff Saturday against the Reds.
Bateman has missed three consecutive starts, but after entering Friday's game off the bench, he'll return to the starting nine for Toronto's penultimate regular-season contest. The 24-year-old has found consistent success at the plate since debuting in early August, slashing .318/.392/.411 across 173 plate appearances.
Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto: Drives in three runs Friday
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Okamoto went 2-for-3 with two doubles and three RBI during the Blue Jays' 6-5 win over the Reds on Friday.
Okamoto helped the Blue Jays jump out to an early 2-0 lead with an RBI double in the first inning before contributing two more runs in the seventh to tie the game up at 5-5. It was the 10th time this season (and second time in September) that Okamoto drove in at least three runs in a game. His 33 home runs and 92 RBI are both second-most in the majors among rookies this season behind Munetaka Murakami (35 home runs) and Sal Stewart (111 RBI).
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Blue Jays' Jose Soriano: Poor end to 2026 season
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Soriano did not factor into the decision Friday against the Reds, allowing five runs on eight hits while striking out two across three innings. He did not issue a walk.
Soriano was handed an early 2-0 lead, but he proceeded to give up a solo homer to Eugenio Suarez in the second inning before yielding four more runs in the third. Soriano did not come back out for the fourth inning, with his night ending with only 48 pitches (36 strikes), but he escaped with the no-decision after his Blue Jays teammates tacked on four runs in the seventh. He's given up at least four earned runs in each of his last three outings, and Soriano will end the 2026 regular season with a 12-8 record across 32 starts, along with a 3.91 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 169:73 K:BB over 177.1 innings. He was acquired by the Blue Jays from the Angels in early August and is under arbitration for both 2027 and 2028.
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Blue Jays' Louis Varland: Fans two for 35th save
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Varland earned the save in Friday's 6-5 win over the Reds, striking out two batters in a scoreless ninth inning.
The Blue Jays grabbed the lead thanks to a four-run seventh inning, and Varland shut the door on the Reds in the ninth, striking out the first and last batter he faced in the frame. He's fanned two batters in five of his last six outings, and his 35 saves on the season are tied with David Bednar and Aroldis Chapman for fifth-most in the majors. Varland also sports a 1.27 ERA and 1.00 WHIP across 78 innings.
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