Ben Cowles’ time with the Blue Jays barely lasted long enough to unpack a suitcase.
Claimed off waivers from the Chicago Cubs on February 18, the 26-year-old infielder looked like a quiet depth addition — the kind of versatile piece who could hang around camp and maybe sneak onto the bench with a strong spring.
Instead, he became the casualty of a bigger move.
With Toronto officially re-signing Max Scherzer to a one-year deal, the club needed to clear a spot on the 40-man roster. Cowles was designated and quickly reclaimed by the Cubs, bringing his brief stint north of the border to an end.
A Classic Numbers Game
Cowles hasn’t made his MLB debut yet, but his value was rooted in versatility. He’s logged innings at every infield position except first base in the minors, making him a theoretical fit as a backup option behind Andrés Giménez, Ernie Clement, and Kazuma Okamoto.
The question was always going to be the bat.
And in a crowded spring camp, Toronto appears to have decided other internal options offered similar upside — or more.
Josh Kasevich has impressed early. Charles McAdoo and Leo Jiménez have also shown flashes. All profile in comparable utility roles, which made Cowles somewhat redundant in the pecking order.
When roster flexibility tightens, redundancy is dangerous.
The Scherzer Factor
The move wasn’t about Cowles as much as it was about Scherzer.
Toronto prioritized bringing back the 41-year-old veteran, who returns for his 19th MLB season. Scherzer sits just 30 innings shy of 3,000 for his career and only 11 strikeouts away from 3,500 — milestones that underline both his durability and legacy.
More importantly for the Blue Jays, he adds another experienced arm to an already deep rotation mix:
- Kevin Gausman
- Dylan Cease
- Trey Yesavage
- José Berríos
- Eric Lauer
- Cody Ponce
- (Eventually) Shane Bieber
Toronto has made its strategy clear since the World Series ended: raise the floor of the pitching staff. The Scherzer signing is another layer of insulation.
The Bigger Picture
For Cowles, the return to Chicago offers familiarity and perhaps a clearer path. For Toronto, it’s a reminder that roster construction often comes down to math rather than sentiment.
He wasn’t here long.
But in a spring defined by depth battles and roster jockeying, his departure underscores how competitive the Blue Jays’ infield picture has quietly become.
One veteran Hall of Famer arrives.
One depth infielder exits.
That’s the reality of a team pushing to contend again in 2026.
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