The Toronto Blue Jays envisioned future Hall of Fame starter Max Scherzer playing a meaningful role in their rotation this season, but his ongoing recovery from numerous injuries has interrupted those expectations.
Fortunately for Toronto, an unexpected contributor has emerged. What began as a low-risk Rule 5 Draft selection has evolved into a pitcher who the organization now believes could play a much larger role, both this season as an injury replacement for Scherzer and well beyond if he and some other veterans leave their rotation in the winter.
Toronto Blue Jays’ Spencer Miles Emerges As Key Rotation Candidate
The Blue Jays are increasingly viewing newcomer Spencer Miles as an option to replace the production they were hoping to get out of Scherzer this season.
So far this season, Miles has contributed “far more than the Blue Jays imagined, prompting them to again consider building him up with the rotation in continued flux as Max Scherzer continues to rehab from a back issue and Patrick Corbin works out of the bullpen, leaving them short a starter,” as Shi Davidi noted for Sportsnet.
That represents a remarkable development for a pitcher who entered the season simply trying to stick on the major league roster after arriving from the San Francisco Giants through the Rule 5 Draft, a transaction process that rarely yields a significant contributor, particularly for a defending league champion.
But with a 2.83 ERA across the first 54 innings of his big-league career, the Rule 5 steal is making a solid case for a long-term rotation spot.
“For a Jays team hanging on the edge of contention, Miles’ expedited education is keeping the team competitive every five days,” Mitch Bannon wrote for The Athletic. “He’s gone from last man in the bullpen to long reliever to, essentially, the fifth starter — even if he pitches behind an opener or two.”
Toronto Blue Jays’ Spencer Miles Could Replace Max Scherzer, Kevin Gausman In Rotation Next Year
Miles’ emergence may have significance beyond simply filling innings while Scherzer rehabs this season, as the team could lose several veteran arms in free agency.
“Given that he’s already at 54 innings in 24 games and has become someone the club feels (could) grow into a viable option for the 2027 rotation, when they project to have several openings with Kevin Gausman, (Shane) Bieber and Scherzer all pending free agents, the stakes are suddenly higher given what he may become,” Davidi added. “Miles, however, shows no signs of slowing down.”
That long-term outlook illustrates just how dramatically Miles’ stock has risen within the organization over the first half of the season.
And while Toronto would undoubtedly welcome Scherzer’s return to full health, Miles has positioned himself to contribute regardless of the veteran’s timetable. Instead of serving merely as emergency depth, the Rule 5 pickup has become one of the organization’s more intriguing young pitching success stories, giving the Blue Jays another potential building block as they balance this year’s playoff push with the future of their rotation.
