Bowden Francis is a 29-year-old, right-handed pitcher. He’ll be 30 in April. He came to the Jays in trade with the Brewers, along with Trevor Richards, for Rowdy Tellez, in July 2021 (which seems a long time ago now).
After getting into a few games in 2022 and 2023, he had a breakout season in 2024, with a 3.30 ERA in 27 games, 13 starts. But it was his run of nine starts at the end of that season that put him on the map. He had a 1.53 ERA, with two starts where he carried a no-hitter into the ninth inning.
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I thought we had found someone who would be a starter for us for several years, but the 2025 season wasn’t what we were hoping for: 14 starts with a 6.05 ERA. He ended up missing the second half of the season due to shoulder impingement. Normally, that wouldn’t be something that would cost a pitcher half a season, but Bowden had a couple of setbacks along the way.
Before he was put on the IL, we could see there was something wrong. He wasn’t throwing the split Finger pitch that had been so effective in 2024 as much, and, instead, was throwing his curve more, which hadn’t been effective in 2024 and was less effective in 2025 (batters slugged 1.000 against it).
The question is: Where does that leave him for this season?
The Jays seem set for a rotation after adding a couple of free agent starters, as well as having some younger prospects who look to be ready to make the next step.
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Francis has an option year left, so he could start the season in Buffalo and show that he deserves a spot on the major league team. At the moment, it seems like a long shot that he’ll get much time with the Jays. And, of course, what chance he has depends on whether he’s totally recovered from the shoulder issue. He did throw
Bowden is one of a handful of Jays who will have to have a good spring training to keep himself in the conversation for a future spot on the team. A poor spring training, on a team needing 40-man roster spots, would put him in danger of being let go.
Steamer thinks he will get some playing time with the Jays. They figure him to pitch in 32 games, making 2 starts with a 4.13 ERA.
