The American League East arms race continued this offseason. As spring training approaches, let’s break down what each team’s starting rotation looks like heading into 2026.
The Red Sox and Blue Jays made the most aggressive moves to improve their rotations. Boston became the final team in baseball to dip into free agency, signing left-hander Ranger Suárez late in the offseason. The Sox also added significant depth and upside via trades for right-handers Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo, signaling a clear push to stabilize and elevate the rotation.
The Blue Jays are coming off a World Series appearance, falling to the Dodgers in a seven-game series. This winter, Toronto doubled down on an already deep roster by signing Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210 million deal, giving the club another bona fide top-of-the-rotation arm to anchor the staff.
Baltimore entered the offseason in search of a frontline starter to sit atop its rotation, but ultimately landed right-hander Shane Baz in a trade with division rival Tampa Bay. While Baz brings upside, the Orioles still lack a true established ace, leaving questions about how the rotation stacks up against the rest of the division.
The Yankees made a more measured addition, acquiring left-hander Ryan Weathers in a trade with the Marlins. New York’s biggest boosts, however, will come internally, as ace Gerrit Cole continues his recovery from Tommy John surgery and Carlos Rodón works his way back from elbow issues.
1. Dylan Cease
2. Kevin Gausman
3. Shane Bieber
4. José Berríos
5. Trey Yesavage
Depth/Competition: Cody Ponce, Eric Lauer
Toronto’s rotation stacks up as one of the deepest in the division. Cease gives the Blue Jays a true power ace, while Gausman and Bieber form a veteran-heavy middle with postseason pedigree. Berríos remains a stabilizing presence, and Yesavage enters camp with a real chance to win a back-end spot if the club prioritizes upside over innings certainty.
Player to Watch: Trey Yesavage
Yesavage enters 2026 with sky-high expectations—and for good reason. The 22-year-old rookie has already cemented himself as a rising star in Toronto after a meteoric ascent through the organization. He opened the 2025 season at Single-A Dunedin in April and, by October, was toeing the rubber in Game 5 of the World Series.
During the 2025 regular season, Yesavage made three appearances, posting a 1–0 record with a 3.21 ERA across 14.0 innings, striking out 16 batters with a 1.43 WHIP. While the sample size was small, his stuff and the moment throughout the postseason, including the World Series, never looked too big.
In Game 5 of the World Series against the Dodgers, Yesavage generated 23 whiffs, the most by any pitcher in a World Series game since pitch tracking began in 2008. His 12 strikeouts were also the most ever recorded in a World Series game without issuing a walk, a historic performance that announced his arrival on the biggest stage.
Now heading into 2026, Yesavage isn’t just a breakout candidate—he’s a central piece of Toronto’s rotation plans and one of the most electric young arms in the American League.
If they fall out of the race, who is the first to be dealt: Kevin Gausman
Gausman enters the 2026 season in the final year of the five-year, $110 million deal he signed with Toronto in the winter of 2021. Over his first four seasons with the Blue Jays, the right-hander has compiled a 48–41 record with a 3.48 ERA across 125 starts, establishing himself as one of the most reliable arms in the organization.
During that stretch, Gausman has racked up 793 strikeouts and is on pace to reach 800 early in the 2026 campaign. He has also thrown three complete games, including two shutouts, and his 11.2 WAR with Toronto stands as the highest mark of any team he’s pitched for during his MLB career.
Gausman was at his best when the stakes were highest in the 2025 postseason, posting a 2.95 ERA in five starts. He even made a relief appearance in Game 7 of the ALCS, underscoring his value as both a rotation anchor and a high-leverage option.
With the right-hander entering the final year of his contract, and if—and that’s a big if—the Blue Jays fall out of the playoff race, Gausman would likely become one of the most attractive starting pitchers available at the trade deadline, offering contenders proven postseason experience and dependable front-of-the-rotation production.
1. Gerrit Cole
2. Max Fried
3. Carlos Rodón
4. Luis Gil
5. Ryan Weathers
Depth/Competition: Will Warren, Cam Schlittler
If healthy, the Yankees may have the highest ceiling in the division. Fried and Cole give New York a dominant left-right combo at the top, while Rodón’s rebound is one of the rotation’s biggest swing factors. Gil’s power arsenal fits well in the fourth spot, and Weathers provides length and matchup flexibility. Depth arms like Warren and Schlittler give the Yankees insurance they’ve lacked in recent seasons.
Player to Watch: Cam Schlittler
Red Sox fans have a new villain.
The New England native became public enemy No. 1 during the postseason, trolling Boston fans on social media. The righty backed up his trash talk, striking out a dozen Sox batters. Schlittler, 24, went 4-3 with a 2.96 ERA in 14 regular-season starts during his rookie campaign, striking out 84 batters against 31 walks in 73 innings while permitting 58 hits.
He primarily leaned on his fastball (54.7%), rounding out his arsenal with a cutter (20.8%), a curveball (14.9%), a sinker (7.2%), and a sweeper (2.4%), per Baseball Savant. The rookie is reportedly increasing his workload down in Florida as the club embarks on the opening camp. His electric fastball and tremendous upside offer the Yankees another weapon in their rotation to pitch meaningful innings until Cole is ready later in the year.
