With a hard-earned celebration complete, the focus turns to what’s next for the Toronto Blue Jays as they await the winner of the Yankees–Red Sox Wild Card Round series set to begin in New York Tuesday evening. The next few days will include workouts at Rogers Centre ahead of Saturday’s ALDS opener. And plenty of questions about who will make the Blue Jays ALDS roster. Final specifics are due Saturday morning at 10 a.m. ET and will depend on health and opponent.

This is not a prediction of who will be rostered. It is a closer look at where the tougher decisions might exist. And which variables will inform the choices GM Ross Atkins and manager John Schneider will make.

Rules & context shaping the Blue Jays ALDS roster

Each team gets 26 roster spots, with a maximum of 13 pitchers allowed, and rosters can be reset for each series. That’s a reduction of two from the expanded 28-man rosters and up to 14 pitchers used to close the regular season.

Notable given Toronto’s injuries. A player subbed out during a post-season series due to injury is ineligible to appear in the next round, so there is risk in rushing someone back.

For context on how teams build rosters, eight LDS teams rostered between 11 and 13 pitchers last year, with two AL teams going bench-heavy and lighter on pitching:

Yankees, Royals: 11 pitchers, 15 position players
Tigers, Guardians, Phillies: 12 pitchers, 14 position players
Dodgers, Padres, Mets: 13 pitchers, 13 position players

Position players and the Blue Jays ALDS roster

Apparent locks (12): Alejandro Kirk, Tyler Heineman, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Andres Gimenez, Ernie Clement, Addison Barger, Anthony Santander, George Springer, Daulton Varsho, Myles Straw, Nathan Lukes, Davis Schneider

Additional candidates (4): Bo Bichette, Joey Loperfido, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Ty France

Factors to consider:

Bo Bichette is not yet running and is only hitting off a tee and taking flips, so expecting him for Saturday is a stretch. If Bichette is unavailable, Kiner-Falefa has a clear path as a backup infielder who offers late-game defence.
If Bichette were to play, the Blue Jays would likely need a deep bench to ensure pinch-running options. Under those circumstances, Kiner-Falefa has a very good shot at a roster spot, coming in during late innings for Barger and playing second while Clement slides to third.
Anthony Santander just returned to action a week ago, and the Blue Jays batted him cleanup Sunday given the stakes of that game. With Bichette’s ongoing absence, Santander is the team’s best bet to provide impact and appears to be a lock for the ALDS.
Joey Loperfido and Ty France could be on the outside looking in, depending on how many pitchers Toronto carries. France makes sense as an option against left-handed starters and has been used as a late-innings pinch-hitter.

Pitching decisions that will shape the Blue Jays ALDS roster

Apparent locks (9): Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, Trey Yesavage, Jeff Hoffman, Seranthony Dominguez, Yariel Rodriguez, Louis Varland, Brendon Little, Eric Lauer

Additional candidates (5): Chris Bassitt, Max Scherzer, Tommy Nance, Mason Fluharty, Braydon Fisher

Presumed unavailable due to injury (1): Jose Berrios

Factors to consider:

There is variability on the pitching side depending on how many arms Toronto plans to carry and how the club approaches its starters. The ALDS schedule includes off-days after Games 2 and 4. Which opens room for creativity such as non-traditional starts, piggybacking, or a bullpen day.
Toronto will need left-handers in the bullpen to navigate either opponent’s lineup. The Yankees feature left-handed hitters in several spots, and the Red Sox have their own left-handed threats.
Gausman and Bieber will presumably start the first two games in some order. With the Game 1 starter also lining up for a decisive Game 5, if needed.
Chris Bassitt is said to be recovering well from back inflammation. Assuming Bassitt is available, he is on the roster. If the Blue Jays choose a more traditional rotation, Max Scherzer is an October option given why he was signed.
Questions remain on Scherzer’s recent form: 25 runs allowed in his last 25 innings across six starts raises fit questions versus how to use Trey Yesavage. Was recent bullpen bulk from Varland and Lauer a dry run for a playoff option?
Carrying both Bassitt and Scherzer would likely mean leaving at least one of Tommy Nance, Braydon Fisher and lefty Mason Fluharty off the roster. All three have been pitching exceptionally well. That is a good problem to have and will resolve by health and matchups.

What will decide final choices for the Blue Jays ALDS roster

Health and opponent are the primary variables. The number of pitchers carried will affect which position players are on the roster, and vice versa. Managerial strategy. Whether to prioritize depth, matchups or a conventional rotation. It will determine if the club leans into bullpen creativity or traditional starts.

With final roster submissions due Saturday morning at 10 a.m. ET, the coming days at Rogers Centre. And the outcome of the Yankees–Red Sox Wild Card Round will set the stage for Toronto’s ALDS plan.

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