The first month of the 2026 season is already in the review mirror. The Toronto Blue Jays ended April with a 14-17 record. Far below their expectations coming into the season, but it was actually above their projected win loss record, considering the amount of injuries they had endured within the first 30+ games of the year.
Despite being three games under .500 to that point of the season, the Blue Jays had received some impressive individual performances, but maybe none more impressive than what they got from Louis Varland.
Varland entered the season expecting to play a big role at the back-end of the Blue Jays' bullpen. The 28-year-old reliever had dominated for the Blue Jays in the postseason, appearing in 16 of the Blue Jays' 18 games, finishing with 16 innings pitched, a 3.94 ERA and 17 strikeouts during that stretch, which included starting Game 4 of the ALDS against the New York Yankees.
The St. Paul, Minnesota native picked up right where he left off to start 2026. He posted a 0.53 ERA in his first 16 games. He threw 17 innings, struck out 28 batters, allowed four runs (one unearned) and walked five, while giving up 13 hits and no home runs. He also collected three holds, and wound up with four saves after being anointed the main "committee closer" once Jeff Hoffman was removed from the role.
That work equated to a 1.0 fWAR, which was likely brought down by the fact that he did give up a .406 BABIP, but he managed to greatly limit the damage when he did let guys get on base. That fWAR is tied with Kevin Gausman and behind Dylan Cease's 1.3 fWAR marks. And both of those guys also have a case to be made as the MVP, there were other factors that just put Varland a step ahead.
Gausman, Cease and Guerrero Jr. all had impressive first months of the 2026 season for the Blue Jays
Cease has been everything the Blue Jays could have asked for when signing him to the largest free agent contract in team history just this past offseason. In 31.1 innings pitched he had a 14.07 K/9 rate (just behind Varland's 14.63), which led all starting pitchers, and he had a stingy 2.87 ERA. He also struck out 49 batters, which was the fourth most in the league. But the inability to get deep into games just puts him slightly behind Varland in this unscientific poll.
Gausman also had a great opening month. In his first seven starts, the Blue Jays' ace threw 40.2 innings, had a .241 BABIP against and also managed to K 40 hitters. He was susceptible to the long ball, allowing five home runs, while giving up 14 earned runs (15 total).
On the offensive side, perhaps noone challenge Varland as opening month MVP more than Vladimir Guerrero did. The franchise player slashed an absurd .354/.438/.469 with a wRC+ of 155. He had a walk rate that was the same as his strikeout rate at 11.5%. The one knock against Vladdy is that 31 of his 40 hits in that month were singles, with seven doubles and two home runs. You could easily make the case here that he should be the teams MVP for the first month and you'd have a strong case.
The reason Varland gets the nod over Vladdy comes down to the position change. For Varland to take over for Hoffman at the back end of the bullpen and to this point exceed expectations in a role he hasn't played in at the MLB level over his first four seasons is not an easy thing to over look. It could also go a long way to whatever success the Blue Jays may end up having in 2026.