3 starting pitcher backup plans for Blue Jays after losing out on Roki Sasaki

Another day, another crushing blow to the Toronto Blue Jays' postseason hopes.

You can't say Ross Atkins hasn't tried his best to get another star in the building. Toronto has been in the mix for all the best free agents this winter. Juan Soto gave Toronto real consideration before bolting for Queens, while Corbin Burnes and Max Fried were both on the Blue Jays' list before signing elsewhere.

And now, Roki Sasaki has done what all MLB stars must — reject Toronto in a free agent bidding war. This was less a bidding war than a battle of merits, however, and the Blue Jays couldn't even land a top free agent when money wasn't a factor.

Sasaki, a 23-year-old phenom from Japan, has inked a new contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Nobody is surprised. The hard-throwing righty has a deadly three-pitch arsenal, with 100 MPH heat and a splitter of international renown. He gives Los Angeles far and away the best rotation in baseball?

The Blue Jays? Well, their rotation needs a bit of work. Sasaki would've been a tremendous boon for the organization. Instead, Atkins and the front office are left grasping at straws. The free agent reservoir of quality pitchers is running dry.

Here are a few options left available to Toronto.

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3. Blue Jays can gamble on John Means' uncertain future

John Means is probably the most interesting free agent left. He is undeniably talented, but after back-to-back Tommy John surgeries, there is little to assuage durability concerns. The 31-year-old has not pitched more than 24 innings in a season since 2021.

An All-Star and Rookie of the Year runner-up in 2019, Means once felt like an ascendant star. In 2021, his last "full" season, Means posted a 3.62 ERA and 1.03 WHIP across 126 starts. The southpaw is not blessed with elite velocity or incredible stuff. He's just a smart, wily mound presence who doesn't cough up free bases and who tends to keep hits in the park.

This is certainly not the most exciting option available for Toronto fans, but Means carries considerable upside if he can ever stay healthy. He posted a 2.61 ERA across four starts last season. Means is always productive when he's actually on the mound, even if it comes sandwiched between lengthy injury stints. There is a certain admirable consistency to his pitching, if not his availability.

Means has spent his career to date in Baltimore. This is a chance for Toronto to steal a productive rotation cog from a division rival.

2. Blue Jays can sign best remaining free agent Jack Flaherty

With pitching at such a premium, one could argue that Jack Flaherty is the best free agent left. He put together an incredible 2024 campaign between Detroit and Los Angeles, posting a 3.17 ERA and 1.07 WHIP across 28 starts. He struck out 194 batters in 162.0 innings, finishing with a whiff rate in MLB's 91st percentile.

There are lingering health concerns, but Flaherty put all postseason foibles behind him with an electirc October for the World Series champs. Flaherty famously hit a brick wall late in the 2023 season with Baltimore, but he looked far more comfortable pitching deep into the autumn months this time around. With injuries plaguing the top of LA's rotation, Flaherty was essentially the No. 1 ace for a team that soared high above the competition.

Still 29 years old, Flaherty should have a long and fruitful prime ahead of him. He is not so far removed from the top free agent aces who command $200 million-plus, like Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell, and Max Fried. Sure, he's probably a cut below, but the Blue Jays' rotation right now is several cuts below. Flaherty has frontline stuff at his apex, and Toronto has a glaring need for a new arm with Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassitt reaching the end of the road.

1. Blue Jays can dial up Padres for blockbuster Dylan Cease trade

Just like Toronto, the San Diego Padres felt the keen sting of disappointment when Roki Sasaki posted that Dodgers hat on his Instagram account. There was real momentum behind San Diego as a potential Sasaki destination, as Yu Darvish is a longstanding mentor of his. In the end, though, the glamor and competitive odds of LA were too great to ignore.

The Padres might be less inclined to trade Dylan Cease with Sasaki officially out of reach, but his free agency is coming around the corner all the same. If the Padres don't feel confident about retaining Cease next winter — and it's clear they don't — it's only reasonable to cash in now. The Blue Jays are equipped with enough farm system depth to give the Padres something worthwhile in return.

Cease put together his best season yet in 2024, making 33 starts and posting a 3.47 ERA. The talented righty finished third in total strikeouts, just four shy of the leader (Tarik Skubal) in five fewer innings pitched. He put together a no-hitter in July and was in the thick of the NL Cy Young race down the stretch.

The long-term uncertainty inherent to his expiring contract might spook the Blue Jays, as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette are also free agents next winter. It's hard to imagine Ross Atkins retaining all of his stars on lucrative, multi-year contracts. That said, if Toronto wants to get serious and prove to Guerrero that money is of no object, this trade accomplishes it. Cease can go head-to-head with the very best pitchers in the AL East any day of the week. He is also extremely durable, which the Jays need more of.