Blue Jays MVP & Cy Young Candidates This Season

As one of the World Series favourites in baseball odds at the BetMGM online sportsbook, it’s no surprise the Toronto Blue Jays have multiple MVP and Cy Young candidates in 2026. 

The Jays haven’t had a player win MVP since Josh Donaldson in 2015 and haven’t had a Cy Young winner since Robbie Ray in 2021.

Blue Jays MVP Candidates

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has received MVP votes in four of the last five seasons, including a runner-up finish and a sixth place. In 2025, he posted his highest walk rate since he finished as MVP runner-up in 2021 and ranked in the 96th percentile in xwOBA.

Elite bat speed and a high barrel rate show Guerrero still has top-tier power, despite hitting only 23 home runs last season. He has Triple Crown-winning upside with the great swing decisions, contact hitting, and power. 

Aaron Judge opens as the clear AL MVP favourite, but Guerrero is right up there with Bobby Witt Jr., Gunnar Henderson, and Julio Rodríguez in the group of players that could topple Judge. 

Alejandro Kirk

With MLB odds to win MVP of +10000, Alejandro Kirk is a rank outsider for this award. He is notably projected for the most fWAR among Jays players, however, and posted elite numbers across the board in 2025, despite a .769 OPS. 

Kirk is one of the best defensive catchers in the big leagues, ranking in the 100th percentile in blocks above average and the 98th percentile in framing. At the plate, he makes great swing decisions, with a low strikeout rate and a walk rate that hovers around 10%. 

In 2025, Kirk was in the 91st percentile in hard-hit rate and the 87th percentile in xwOBA. He endured a lot of batted-ball misfortune and could feasibly have an OBP above .380 with 25+ home runs.

Blue Jays Cy Young Candidates

Dylan Cease

Dylan Cease finished as runner-up for the AL Cy Young Award in 2022 and fourth place for the NL Cy Young in 2024. Down years in 2023 and 2025 meant Cease has only received votes in two of the last four seasons, but when he has a good year, he tends to be among the best pitchers in baseball.

Even in a difficult 2025, Cease was in the 74th percentile in xERA and the 95th percentile in whiff rate. 

The big fastball and wicked slider are Cease’s two key pitches, but he could mix in more of his changeup, which ranks as a very good pitch per stuff+.

Kevin Gausman

Kevin Gausman hasn’t had an ERA above 3.82 since 2019. He’s one of the most consistent pitchers in the big leagues – he’s been incredibly durable and pitches a lot of innings by modern standards.

The days of serious Cy Young contention are likely behind Gausman, barring significant batted-ball luck. His stuff isn’t quite as sharp as it once was, and his expected metrics suggest he’s a good rather than great pitcher. 

Trey Yesavage

Trey Yesavage only made three regular-season starts before excelling in the playoffs with 39 strikeouts in 27.2 innings. His tumbling splitter left hitters baffled, resulting in lots of soft contact and plenty of whiffs.

It’s a big ask for a pitcher with so little big-league experience to contend for a Cy Young. Yesavage has the stuff to be in the mix, but he would need to pitch significantly more than his career-high for innings in a single season (139.2 in 2025).