4 former Blue Jays from the 2025 squad that are struggling with their new teams The 2025 Toronto Blue Jays captured the American League East title and advanced to the World Series, marking their most successful season in decades. Yet, as the roster celebrated in October, several key contributors from that championship-caliber team have found themselves in difficult situations with their new clubs in 2026. A combination of roster turnover, performance declines and challenging transitions has left some familiar faces struggling to replicate their Toronto success. Patrick Corbin, a veteran left-hander who posted a 3.45 ERA in 182 innings for the 2025 Blue Jays, signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks in free agency seeking a return to his earlier form. Through his first 15 starts in 2026, Corbin has struggled mightily, posting a 5.82 ERA with opposing hitters batting .298 against him. His strikeout rate has dropped nearly 30% from his Toronto numbers, and he’s averaging fewer than five innings per start—a significant decline from his 2025 workload. Braydon Fisher, who emerged as a reliable middle reliever for Toronto in 2025 with a 2.91 ERA and 62 appearances, was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates during the offseason. The right-hander has appeared in just 18 games for Pittsburgh in 2026, posting a disappointing 6.75 ERA. Opponents are hitting .340 off his fastball, and his walk rate has more than doubled compared to his final season in Toronto. Max Scherzer, the future Hall of Famer who provided veteran leadership and a 3.28 ERA in 24 starts for the 2025 Blue Jays, signed a one-year deal with the Texas Rangers. At 41 years old, Scherzer has shown flashes of his former dominance but has been hampered by injuries, and inconsistency. Through 12 starts, he carries a 4.91 ERA, with his fastball velocity averaging 2.3 mph below his 2025 numbers. The Rangers have skipped his turn in the rotation twice due to forearm tightness. Tyler Rogers, the submarine specialist who recorded a 2.45 ERA in 68 appearances for Toronto in 2026 spring training before being designated for assignment, was claimed off waivers by the Cincinnati Reds. Rogers has appeared in 22 games for Cincinnati but owns a 5.40 ERA. His signature sinker has lost much of its late movement, resulting in a 48% hard-hit rate allowed—up from 29% in his final Toronto spring outing. These transitions highlight the difficult reality of MLB roster management. While the 2025 Blue Jays benefited from a blend of veteran stability and emerging talent, the subsequent offseason moves have not yielded similar results for several departing players. Factors including age, changes in pitching mechanics, new ballpark environments, and the inherent difficulty of sustaining elite performance contribute to these struggles. For Blue Jays fans, watching former contributors face adversity elsewhere serves as a reminder of how challenging sustained success is in professional sports. The highly depth that allowed Toronto to overcome injuries and slumps in 2025 has, in some cases, left those same players without the same support systems in their new environments. As the 2026 season progresses, it remains to be seen whether any of these veterans can rediscover the form that helped propel Toronto to the World Series just months ago.
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