The Toronto Blue Jays didn’t leave the 2025 World Series as losers. They left the court feeling like a team that was very close to the top — and knew exactly what they needed to do to get back there. This winter, Toronto acted as a team carrying the memory of Game 7: aggressive, unwavering, and willing to pay the price.
But then Kyle Tucker fell into the hands of… the Los Angeles Dodgers.
It wasn’t just losing a target. It was losing the right target, to the right team that beat you. For Toronto fans, this was the heaviest psychological blow of the offseason. And that’s why the Blue Jays’ next reaction will say a lot.
According to Christopher Kline (FanSided), Toronto could choose to respond quietly with a batting order, but with a mound — specifically Kris Bubic, the Kansas City Royals’ All-Star ace.
At first glance, this idea seems… superfluous. The Blue Jays have a packed rotation: five high-paying starters, plus the sensational rookie Trey Yesavage. But looking closer, there’s one thing Toronto is missing—and the Dodgers capitalized on in the World Series: diversity.
The Blue Jays’ current rotation is almost entirely right-handers. In a postseason where matchups are dissected pitch by pitch, the lack of a lefty frontline can be a strategic disadvantage. Bubic addresses that very issue.
In the 2025 season, despite being interrupted by injury, Bubic still pitched with an ERA of 2.55, a WHIP of 1.178, 116 strikeouts in 116 innings, and won his first All-Star. He’s not the type of pitcher who dominates with velocity, but with deception, command, and the ability to disrupt hitters—a type of pitcher that’s very difficult to prepare for in a short series.
What makes Bubic even more attractive is his contract value. With only $3 million spent last season, facing arbitration, and years of team control remaining, this is a “reasonable luxury” given Toronto’s already inflated payroll: a quality upgrade without stifling their financial future.
More importantly, this trade is symbolic.
After missing out on Tucker, Toronto could have opted for the safe option, saying “we’re strong enough.” But trading Bubic would be a different statement: we don’t just want to be strong enough — we want every advantage we can. It also opens the possibility of negotiating a long-term extension if Bubic performs well and the Blue Jays progress further into the postseason.
Kansas City, meanwhile, isn’t necessarily unwilling to listen. A suitable prospect package could make the Royals consider it, especially if they aren’t ready to push their competitive window of opportunity immediately. And Toronto has plenty of leverage to sit at the negotiating table.
The timing is also very sensitive. Spring Training is approaching, and pitchers with profiles like Bubic rarely stay on the market for too long. If Toronto is serious, they can’t afford to hesitate.
Losing Kyle Tucker is a blow. But sometimes, big blows force teams to think more sharply. The Blue Jays don’t need to copy the Dodgers to beat them. They need to create a lineup that makes the Dodgers harder to play than anyone else.
And perhaps the answer doesn’t lie in a star bat—but in a quiet lefty ace, ready to be the piece that makes the upcoming rematch have a different outcome.
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