RSS Blue Jays Team Notes

[Toronto Blue Jays]

MLBTR Podcast: Sifting Through The Trade Deadline Deals

The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.


This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Steve Adams and Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to go over the various deadline dealings, including…

• The Padres acquiring Mason Miller, JP Sears, Ryan O’Hearn, Ramón Laureano, Nestor Cortes, Freddy Fermin and Will Wagner, while not trading Dylan Cease nor Robert Suarez (1:20)
• The Athletics sending out Miller and Sears, getting a pile of prospects, headlined by Leo De Vries (25:20)
• The Twins trading a bunch of rentals but also Jhoan Durán, Griffin Jax, Louis Varland and Carlos Correa (31:50)
• The Astros taking on Correa despite previously trying to avoid the competitive balance tax (50:05)
• The Phillies’ deadline (58:25)
• The Mariners acquiring Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez from the Diamondbacks (1:00:40)
• The Diamondbacks trading Merrill Kelly but not Zac Gallen (1:07:45)
• The Rangers’ deadline (1:16:00)
• The Mets acquiring various relievers, including Tyler Rogers from the Giants (1:19:05)
• The Yankees acquiring Camilo Doval, David Bednar and Jake Bird (1:25:45)
• The Pirates holding several trade candidates but they did trade Ke’Bryan Hayes to the Reds (1:35:15)
• The Blue Jays acquiring Shane Bieber and Varland (1:43:40)
• The Red Sox acquiring Dustin May from the Dodgers (1:54:20)
• The underwhelming deadlines of the Cubs and Tigers (1:59:40)

Check out our past episodes!

• Megapod Trade Deadline Preview – listen here
• David Robertson, Trade Chips For The O’s and A’s, And What The Rangers Could Do – listen here
• Rays’ Ownership, The Phillies Target Bullpen Help, And Bubble Teams – listen here

The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff. Check out their Facebook page here!

Photo courtesy of Chadd Cady, Imagn Images

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/mlbtr-podcast-sifting-through-the-trade-deadline-deals.html

 

[Toronto Blue Jays]

Red Sox Claim Ali Sánchez

The Red Sox have claimed catcher Ali Sánchez off waivers from the Blue Jays, according to announcements from both clubs. Toronto had designated him for assignment a few days ago. Boston had a 40-man roster vacancy, though that is now full. Sánchez is out of options, so the Sox will need to make a corresponding active roster move when he reports to the club.

Sánchez, 28, signed a minor league deal with the Jays in the offseason. He has twice been called up to serve as an injury replacement. The first stint lasted about a week in late May/early June when Tyler Heineman was on the concussion-related injured list. Once Heineman returned, the out-of-options Sánchez was designated for assignment, cleared waivers, elected free agency and re-signed with the Jays. He got back to the majors a few weeks ago when Alejandro Kirk needed a stint on the concussion IL. Kirk’s return caused another DFA for Sánchez, but this one will lead to another big league opportunity.

The Sox have had Carlos Narváez and Connor Wong as their primary catching duo this year. Narváez is having a good season but missed Wednesday’s game due to knee soreness. Wong is having an awful season offensively, with a .160/.235/.179 line.

At this point, it’s unclear how the Sox plan to proceed. Perhaps Narváez will go on the IL. The Sox could also option Wong to the minors. It’s also possible they want to carry three catchers while they give Narváez a few days to rest his knee. That would involve optioning someone else, perhaps David Hamilton, in order to open a spot for Sánchez.

Sánchez debuted back in 2020 but his major league track record is still quite small. He has just 131 big league plate appearances with a .186/.224/.237 line. He has received solid grades for his glovework and generally put up good offensive numbers in the minors. From 2022 to the present, he has 931 Triple-A plate appearances with a .273/.350/.420 line and 97 wRC+. He is out of options but has barely over a year of service time, meaning he’s cheap and can be retained beyond this year if he’s still holding a roster spot at the end of the season.

Photo courtesy of Kevin Jairaj, Imagn Images

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/red-sox-claim-ali-sanchez.html

 

[Toronto Blue Jays]

Phillies, Blue Jays Could Consider Six-Man Rotations

Both the Phillies and Blue Jays are hoping to bolster their starting rotations by reinstating an All-Star right-hander from the injured list later this month. Aaron Nola has not pitched for Philadelphia since mid-May, when he hit the IL with a sprained ankle. While he was originally expected back in June, he suffered a stress reaction in his rib cage that prolonged his IL stint. He is now finally nearing his return. Earlier this month, MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki reported that Nola could rejoin the Phillies after three rehab outings; he has since made his first two, striking out six over 6 2/3 total innings at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, giving up one earned run on seven hits. Per Lochlahn March of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Nola is expected to make his next (and possibly final) rehab start this Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Shane Bieber has been recovering from Tommy John surgery since last April. A free agent over the winter, he re-signed with the Guardians, but Cleveland flipped him to Toronto ahead of last month’s trade deadline. He had already begun a rehab assignment in the Guardians system, and he picked up right where he left off with his new team, tossing five innings of two-run ball for the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons last weekend and 5 2/3 yesterday afternoon. Blue Jays manager John Schneider told reporters (including Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi) that Bieber will most likely require one more rehab start before he’s ready to make his 2025 debut.

When Nola and Bieber return, their teams will have to figure out how to integrate them into rotations that have been functioning just fine in their absence. Since Nola last pitched on May 14, Phillies starters rank second in MLB in ERA but first in FIP, xFIP, SIERA, strikeout-to-walk ratio, innings per start, and FanGraphs WAR. Their current starting five includes Cy Young contenders Zack Wheeler and Cristopher Sánchez; Ranger Suárez, who might have been a Cy Young candidate himself if he hadn’t missed the first five weeks of the season; Jesús Luzardo, whose peripherals have stayed strong, even though his ERA has shot up after a hot start; and Taijuan Walker, who has bounced back from a dreadful 2024 campaign to post an ERA in the mid-3.00s as both a starter and a reliever.

Nola had a rough stretch of starts to begin the season, pitching to a 6.16 ERA in his first nine outings. Yet, it’s important to consider that a nine-run blow-up outing two days before he hit the IL significantly affected his surface-level stats. Moreover, several of his underlying numbers suggest he was much better to start the 2025 campaign than his ERA would have you think. His 3.77 SIERA this year is almost identical to his 3.72 SIERA from 2023-24, and while his FIP sits at 5.04, his xFIP is a much more respectable 3.65. He also boasts a lengthy track record of major league success. Long story short, there is no question he will have a spot in Philadelphia’s rotation upon his return.

The most straightforward course of action for the Phillies once Nola comes back would be to move Walker back to the bullpen. While he has pitched to a 3.48 ERA in 13 starts, his 4.64 SIERA out of the rotation is much less promising. It’s also impossible to forget just how much he struggled as a starter last season, producing a 7.18 ERA and 5.11 SIERA in 15 starts. However, the Phillies might also want to take advantage of the fact that Walker is throwing well right now. After all, most teams don’t have the luxury of six healthy, MLB-caliber starting pitchers.

Luzardo missed significant time with injuries in 2022 and ’24, and only once has he pitched a full, qualified season. Suárez has never qualified for the ERA title, topping out at 155 1/3 innings in 2022. Before this year, Nola could claim to be the most durable pitcher in the game, but his health is now something of a question mark. Wheeler’s health, too, is something to monitor after he underwent an MRI for shoulder soreness earlier this month (per The Athletic’s Matt Gelb). It came back clean, and the team doesn’t appear to be worried, but Wheeler is 35 and critical to his team’s World Series aspirations. Finally, Sánchez hasn’t given the Phillies any reason to worry so far, but the one-two punch of Wheeler and Sánchez has been paramount to Philadelphia’s success in 2025. Keeping both of them at full strength is a top priority.

So, it’s not hard to understand why a six-man rotation might appeal to manager Rob Thomson, especially with his club having just begun a stretch of 24 games in 25 days. Indeed, Charlotte Varnes of The Athletic reports that the skipper will at least consider switching to a six-man cycle when Nola comes off the IL.

It’s worth noting that the Phillies also thought about using a six-man rotation earlier this season, only to ultimately stick with the traditional five-man setup. When Suárez was nearing his return from the IL in May, Thomson fielded questions about adding Suárez to a group that already included Wheeler, Sánchez, Nola, Luzardo, and Walker. Could it happen? “Possibly,” he said at the time. “We’re kind of walking through that a little bit right now” (per Noah Levick of NBC Sports Philadelphia). Yet, Gelb suggested the Phillies were “highly unlikely” to go with a six-man rotation, and he proved to be correct. The circumstances are undoubtedly different in August than they were in May, but there’s a good chance the same outcome will prevail, and the Phillies will return to the five-man rotation they had always planned to use before injuries got in the way.

Toronto’s rotation has not been nearly as strong as Philadelphia’s this year, but the Blue Jays have been in much better shape since Eric Lauer forced his way into the starting rotation and Max Scherzer came back from the injured list, joining the steady and reliable trio of Kevin Gausman, José Berríos, and Chris Bassitt. Dating back to the week of Scherzer’s return, Blue Jays starters have a 4.00 ERA in 41 games. They rank 10th in both SIERA (3.93) and FanGraphs WAR (3.1). That’s a notable improvement from their performance over the three months prior, when they pitched to a 4.65 ERA (26th in MLB), a 4.16 SIERA (18th), and just 2.7 fWAR (27th) in almost twice as many games.

As is the case for the Phillies, there is really only one solution if the Blue Jays want to keep a five-man rotation when Bieber joins the squad: move Lauer to the bullpen. However, Lauer has been far more than just a stopgap for Toronto. In 18 games (12 starts), the southpaw has a 2.59 ERA and 3.62 SIERA. He has yet to allow more than three earned runs or seven hits in a start this year. His middling stuff and unimpressive track record are valid causes for concern, but there’s no denying how well he’s pitched. Since he formally joined the starting staff in mid-June, one would be hard-pressed to argue he hasn’t been better than all four of his much more established rotation-mates.

Much like with Nola, there is no question that Bieber, the 2020 AL Cy Young winner, will have a spot in Toronto’s rotation when he’s ready for it. Thus, Schneider told Davidi that a six-man rotation is “a definite possibility,” at least for “10 days or two weeks.” Needless to say, such an arrangement would be great for Lauer. Not only would he get to keep his job in the rotation a little longer, but some extra rest would probably do him well, considering he’s never pitched a full, qualified season. Extra rest would also benefit the injury-prone, 41-year-old Scherzer and the returning Bieber. On the other hand, it might not please the workhorses Gausman, Berríos, and Bassitt, each of whom has pitched just about every five games like clockwork since he arrived in Toronto. Unlike the Phillies, the Blue Jays have several off-days coming up, so a six-man rotation could mean that, at times, their starters would go a week between outings. Any potential benefits of a six-man rotation would be cancelled out if the extra time off negatively impacts any of their veteran arms. The Blue Jays would also have to consider the fact that their bullpen, a group that has struggled to a 8.48 ERA over the last two weeks, would be pitching one man down.

Images in article courtesy of Reggie Hildred, Imagn Images (Nola) and Ross Cameron, USA TODAY Sports (Bieber).

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/phillies-blue-jays-could-consider-six-man-rotations.html

 

[Toronto Blue Jays]

Poll: Who Had The Best Deadline In The AL East?

The trade deadline has come and gone. While trade season was slow to get started this year, when all was said and done, there were several dozen trades made in a flurry of movement over the final few days before the deadline arrived. The full impact of these trades won’t be known for years to come, but that doesn’t mean we can’t analyze the deals and decide whose haul looks the best right now. Starting last week, MLBTR began running a series of polls asking which club in each division had the best deadline. So far, the Phillies, Reds, Padres, Mariners, and Twins have each come out on top in their respective divisions. Today, we’ll be finishing the series with the AL East. Here’s a look at each of the five clubs, listed from best to worst record in 2025:

Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays bolstered their bullpen, their offense, and their catching depth ahead of the trade deadline, but their biggest move was a high-risk, high-reward deal to upgrade the top of their rotation. Seranthony Domínguez and Louis Varland give manager John Schneider two more hard-throwing late-inning options, and while Domínguez is a rental, Varland is under team control through 2030. Ty France has played almost every day since he came over from the Twins alongside Varland, alternating between first base and DH. It’s been several years since he was much more than a league-average bat, but he’s hit well so far with Toronto. Former Padres prospect Brandon Valenzuela offers catching depth at Triple-A.

The crown jewel of general manager Ross Atkins’s deadline was 2020 AL Cy Young winner Shane Bieber, who is nearing his return from the Tommy John surgery that’s kept him out since last April. The Blue Jays will hope he can be the ace they’ve been lacking all season. In a best-case scenario, the Jays acquired the pitcher who will start game one of their first playoff series as they try to break out of a long postseason losing streak. In a worst-case scenario, they gave up a promising pitching prospect (Khal Stephen) in exchange for a guy who won’t be able to pitch like he did before his injury. Bieber has a $16MM player option for 2026 with a $4MM buyout.

In exchange for Bieber, Domínguez, Varland, France, and Valenzuela, Toronto parted with young major leaguers Alan Roden and Will Wagner, as well as pitching prospects Stephen, Kendry Rojas, and Juaron Watts-Brown. That’s no small price to pay, but the Blue Jays are hoping they added enough to help them secure their first AL East title in a decade.

Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox made the biggest trade of the season in June, sending All-Star slugger Rafael Devers (and the nine years left on his contract) to the Giants in exchange for Kyle Harrison, Jordan Hicks, James Tibbs III, and Jose Bello. Yet, they were rather quiet ahead of the trade deadline. They reportedly expressed interest in a wide variety of players, including Jhoan Duran, Eugenio Suárez, Yandy Díaz, Nathaniel Lowe, Josh Bell, and Dalton Rushing, as well as front-line starters Dylan Cease, Mitch Keller, Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Sandy Alcantara, and, until late on deadline day, Joe Ryan. However, all they ultimately added was a back-end starter, Dustin May, and a left-handed long reliever, Steven Matz. They did not pick up any bats. May has a 4.93 ERA and 4.31 SIERA in 20 games (19 starts) this year, including a poor first outing with Boston last week. Matz has pitched well in his first season as a full-time reliever, putting up a 3.22 ERA and 3.53 SIERA in 58 2/3 frames. He has yet to allow a run in three outings with the Sox. Both will be free agents at the end of the year.

Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow’s seeming failure to add a more talented starting pitcher, the kind Boston would feel confident starting in a playoff series, looked all the worse after the news broke that Tanner Houck would undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the remainder of the season. That being said, the Red Sox have continued to play well since the deadline. They now hold the second Wild Card spot and boast the highest run differential in the American League. While they didn’t add much to help them make a playoff push, the flip side is that they didn’t have to give up much either. For instance, they held onto Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu, two players the Twins were reportedly seeking in exchange for Ryan – and two players who have been key contributors for the Red Sox all year.

New York Yankees

The Yankees were one of the league’s busiest buyers at the deadline, adding three notable bullpen arms and several complementary pieces for the lineup. All-Star closers David Bednar and Camilo Doval arrived in New York, alongside fellow righty Jake Bird, to join a bullpen that already featured Devin Williams and Luke Weaver. All three have had their struggles since they joined the team (as has Williams), but at its best, this Yankees bullpen still has the potential to be the best in the American League. Bednar is enjoying another dominant season after putting his poor 2024 behind him, and Doval, too, has bounced back from a disappointing 2024 campaign to post strong numbers in 2025. Bird was optioned to Triple-A after just three appearances for his new club, but he’s an experienced big league reliever with intriguing stuff. At worst, he’s a durable depth piece with options remaining, and at best, he’s a whole lot more. All three bullpen additions are under team control beyond this season: Bednar for one more year, Doval for two, and Bird for three.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. can only play one position at a time, and when that position became second base again, the Yankees needed a real solution at third. Ryan McMahon is that solution, and utility men José Caballero and Amed Rosario (when healthy) can help him out with a left-handed pitcher on the mound. GM Brian Cashman also brought righty-batting outfielder Austin Slater aboard to join Caballero and Rosario in balancing out a lefty-heavy lineup. Unfortunately for the Bombers, Rosario and Slater have both already hit the IL. Rosario is expected back from a minor shoulder sprain shortly, but Slater will be out for most of the regular season with a hamstring strain. Even so, the Yankees aren’t exactly missing Oswald Peraza, whom they flipped to the Angels; the former top prospect struggled badly for the past three years and desperately needed a change of scenery.

Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays started July with a top-10 record in MLB and sole possession of the first AL Wild Card spot. By deadline day, they had fallen below .500. Of course, it’s hard to say if that changed their deadline plans at all. As usual, the Rays did a bit of selling and a bit of buying. They dealt two key members of their starting rotation, Taj Bradley and Zack Littell, and two members of their regular starting lineup, utility man Caballero and catcher Danny Jansen. Yet, they also added a rental starter, Adrian Houser; two new catchers, Nick Fortes and Hunter Feduccia; and two relievers, Griffin Jax and Bryan Baker. Jax and Houser were two of the more sought-after players on the market, Houser due to his cheap contract and surprisingly dominant numbers with the White Sox, and Jax because he’s one of the game’s best relievers under team control for several more years.

Also noteworthy are the players the Rays chose not to trade. A few days before the deadline, they were said to be open to trading Yandy Díaz and Brandon Lowe, but they ultimately held on to both veterans. The Rays also kept closer Pete Fairbanks. A week before the deadline, a report suggested they would “strongly prefer” to keep Fairbanks, but it’s not as if he wasn’t drawing interest. Lowe, Díaz, and Fairbanks are three of the tight-fisted Rays’ more expensive players. Fairbanks and Lowe only have one year of team control remaining after 2025, while Díaz is signed through 2026 with a club option for 2027. The team’s decision to keep them around seems to suggest they’re hoping to contend this year, even after parting with the likes of Bradley, Littell, Caballero, and Jansen.

Baltimore Orioles

They weren’t quite as active as the Twins, but the Orioles took advantage of a seller’s market to make the most of their disappointing situation. They traded 2025 All-Star Ryan O’Hearn, the surprisingly productive Ramon Laureano, long-tenured center fielder Cedric Mullins, utility infielder Ramon Urías, veteran starter Charlie Morton, and relievers Domínguez, Baker, Andrew Kittredge, and Gregory Soto. In exchange, they brought back Boston Bateman, Brandon Butterworth, Cobb Hightower, Victor Figueroa, Tyson Neighbors, and Tanner Smith (O’Hearn/Laureno); Raimon Gomez, Anthony Nunez and Chandler Marsh (Mullins); Twine Palmer (Urías); Micah Ashman (Morton); Juaron Watts-Brown (Domínguez); Wilfri De La Cruz (Kittredge); Wellington Aracena and Cameron Foster (Soto); and a 2025 Competitive Balance (Round A) draft selection, No. 37 overall (Baker).

According to MLB Pipeline, Bateman slots in as their No. 9 prospect, while Watts-Brown slots in at No. 13, De La Cruz at No. 24, Hightower at No. 26, and Aracena at No. 29. Only time will tell how well these trades work out for the Orioles, but it’s hard to deny they made the right call to sell when they did, and they succeeded in dealing almost all of their healthy impending free agents. Meanwhile, they didn’t part with any pieces that could contribute significantly in 2026 and beyond. Fans can hope that GM Mike Elias will use the money he saved and prospects he added at the deadline to improve the O’s roster over the offseason and bring winning baseball back to Baltimore next year.

Entering the season, many thought the AL East would be the most talented and competitive division in the league. It could very well still produce three playoff teams and four clubs above .500, but not many would have guessed the division would shake out quite like this, with the Blue Jays leading at the deadline and the Orioles selling off parts. There are still seven weeks left for the AL East to continue surprising us, and the moves each team made at the deadline could play a big part in all that. So, which of these five do you think had the best deadline? Have your say in the poll below:

Take Our Poll

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/poll-who-had-the-best-deadline-in-the-al-east.html

 

[Toronto Blue Jays]

Blue Jays Notes: Yesavage, Deadline, Hernandez

The Blue Jays promoted right-hander Trey Yesavage from Double-A to Triple-A, reports Keegan Matheson of MLB.com, furthering the chances that last year’s first-rounder could impact the major league club before season’s end. As Matheson outlines, the club has been particular in managing the East Carolina product’s workload and even had him come out of the bullpen in his last outing — though he still wound up working five innings of long relief.

Both manager John Schneider and GM Ross Atkins have previously suggested that Yesavage could be considered for a late promotion to the majors this season. Though he’s just in his first full professional season, Yesavage will have pitched across four minor league levels once he makes his first appearance with Triple-A Buffalo. He’s pitched 80 2/3 innings and logged a terrific 3.01 earned run average while setting down a whopping 42.3% of his opponents on strikes. His 9.5% walk rate is higher than average but not to the extent that it’s alarming.

Toronto beefed up its bullpen with deadline trades for veteran Seranthony Dominguez and controllable Louis Varland, adding a pair of impact arms to a group that had lacked some stability. Bringing Yesavage into the mix would plug in another power arm — potentially one who could pitch in high-leverage settings.

Yesavage, of course, could have been used in an entirely different manner — as a trade chip to bring in further talent at the deadline. The Athletic’s Mitch Bannon reports that the Jays were at least willing to discuss Yesavage and fellow top prospects Arjun Nimmala and Johnny King but ultimately held onto that trio. Both Yesavage and Nimmala, in particular, are consensus top-75 prospects in the sport. Yesavage ranks 26th on MLB.com’s updated list and 57th at Baseball America. Nimmala is 44th at BA and 51st at MLB.com.

Keeping Yesavage has obvious potential benefits not just in 2025 but for the 2026 rotation. He may be viewed as a bullpen option for the current campaign, but Yesavage’s long-term home will be in the rotation. With the Jays set to see Max Scherzer, Shane Bieber and Chris Bassitt all reach free agency at season’s end, Yesavage could be a prominent factor in the starting staff as soon as Opening Day 2026.

In that sense, getting a look at him versus big league opponents in 2025 takes on all the more importance. That’s especially true when considering that the Jays traded away pitching prospects Khal Stephen (Bieber), Kendry Rojas (Varland) and Juaron Watts-Brown (Dominguez) — all of whom could reach the majors in 2026. That sequence of trades noticeably bolstered the current roster but also further thinned a pitching pipeline that will be critical in the short-term. Beyond the looming departures of Bassitt, Scherzer and Bieber, the Jays will see Kevin Gausman and Eric Lauer become free agents post-2026. Jose Berrios has an opt-out opportunity following the 2026 season as well.

While that pitching situation will be a primary focus of the upcoming offseason, adding some offense to the lineup was viewed as a pivotal aspect of the 2024-25 winter. The Jays were tied to several marquee free agents and wound up landing Anthony Santander on a five-year contract that hasn’t panned out thus far, as the former Orioles slugger has been beset by shoulder troubles all season.

One alternative that the Jays pursued was a reunion with Teoscar Hernandez. A return to Toronto was very much in play — according to the outfielder himself.

“We actually came really close to a reunion so I can come back to Toronto,” Hernandez tells Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. “They were trying to do a couple of things, I’m not going to say what, but they were trying to do a couple things first.”

Though Hernandez understandably didn’t go into specifics, it seems fair to presume that one major item on the list was the eventual extension with Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who signed a 14-year deal in spring training. The Jays also wound up adding Santander on a heavily deferred five-year deal, signing Jeff Hoffman for three years, re-signing Yimi Garcia for two years and bringing Scherzer in on a one-year pact. Several of those moves have delivered less-than-ideal results, though it also bears highlighting that Lauer was a minor league signee who’s stepped in as a godsend for the pitching staff.

Hernandez, of course, ultimately re-upped with the Dodgers on a three-year, $66MM contract that — like the Santander deal — contains some deferred money. His return campaign in Los Angeles hasn’t been nearly as strong as his 2024 season. In 389 plate appearances, Hernandez is slashing .254/.289/.464 with 18 home runs.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/blue-jays-notes-yesavage-deadline-hernandez.html

 

[Toronto Blue Jays]

Blue Jays To Designate Buddy Kennedy For Assignment

The Blue Jays are activating infielder Andrés Giménez from the 10-day injured list, reports Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet. In a corresponding move, infielder Buddy Kennedy will be designated for assignment.

Kennedy was selected to Toronto’s roster a week ago. It seemed likely to be a short stay. He was hitting just .207/.309/.259 for Triple-A Buffalo at the time he was called up. His selection was less about his performance and more about the specific roster needs.

The Jays went with a temporary three-catcher setup. Ali Sánchez was selected to the roster when Alejandro Kirk landed on the concussion injured list. When Kirk was ready to return, Tyler Heineman was also banged up after taking a foul ball to the mask. They decided to keep all three for a few days, just to be safe, which meant bench infielder Leo Jiménez had to be optioned out as the corresponding move for Kirk’s activation.

A few days later, the Jays were comfortable enough with the health of Kirk and Heineman to bring back another bench infielder. Jiménez had not yet been optioned for the 10-day minimum, so he couldn’t be recalled. Giménez was still not ready to come off the IL but was beginning a rehab assignment. Kennedy got the roster spot while Giménez got into game shape. The Jays sent Kennedy to the plate 6 times and he got a hit and a walk, but he’s now been squeezed out.

Since Kennedy is out of options, he had to be removed from the 40-man. With the trade deadline having passed, the Jays will have to put him on waivers. He was passed through waivers unclaimed just over a month ago, after being designated for assignment by the Phillies, and could do so again.

He now has a .193/.288/.300 line in 163 big league appearances. His Triple-A work is better, with a .284/.395/.443 line and 118 wRC+ dating back to the start of 2023. However, his out-of-options status makes it hard for him to hold a roster spot for very long. If he clears waivers again, he’ll have to right to elect free agency since he has a previous career outright.

Photo courtesy of Kiyoshi Mio, Imagn Images

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/blue-jays-to-designate-buddy-kennedy-for-assignment.html

 

[Toronto Blue Jays]

Blue Jays Notes: Shapiro, Bichette, Schneider, Springer, Manoah

Mark Shapiro is in the midst of his tenth season as the Blue Jays’ president and CEO, and his current five-year contract is up after the conclusion of the 2025 campaign. Speaking with The Athletic’s Mitch Bannon and other reporters earlier this week, Shapiro didn’t give any updates on any extension talks, or if any negotiations were even ongoing. However, Shapiro firmly stated “I want to remain here, and I can also say that both Edward and Tony have been reciprocal in that desire,” referring to Rogers Communications chairman Edward Rogers and CEO Tony Staffieri.

It is worth noting that when Shapiro’s previous five-year deal expired following the 2020 campaign, a new extension wasn’t reached until January 2021. The Jays’ front office operated more or less normally during this interim period, or as “normally” as could be expected since the pandemic was still a gigantic factor during the 2020-21 offseason (particularly since the Blue Jays couldn’t play in Toronto until the end of July 2021). It would seem like an unofficial agreement was in place for Shapiro’s return and things just weren’t formalized until that January, so if history repeats itself, we might not receive public confirmation of a new contract until some time after the 2025 season is over.

While Shapiro and GM Ross Atkins have received plenty of criticism over their decade in charge of the franchise, the fan angst that reached a peak after the Jays’ dismal 2024 season has now been quieted by Toronto’s huge turn-around in 2025. The Blue Jays have the second-best record in baseball and a five-game lead in the AL East as we reach mid-August. Despite postseason appearances in 2020, 2022, and 2023, the Jays haven’t won a playoff game (let alone a series) since reaching the 2016 ALCS in the first year of the Shapiro/Atkins tenure.

Given the Jays’ current success on the field and the franchise-building projects Shapiro has overseen (i.e. major renovations to both Rogers Centre and the Blue Jays’ Spring Training complex) in the last decade, it would certainly seem like the executive is in good standing to receive another contract. The same could be said of John Schneider since the manager is in the final guaranteed year of his contract, and while Shapiro deferred comment on any extension talks, he did praise Schneider’s work over his three-plus years leading the dugout.

Likewise, Shapiro didn’t go into detail over any plans to retain impending free agent Bo Bichette, other than to say “I’m confident that, at the right time, we’ll make an effort.” This likely means the Blue Jays will wait until after the season, as Shapiro didn’t want to draw any focus away from Bichette’s on-field efforts. After an injury-marred down year in 2024, Bichette has looked much more like his old self, hitting .294/.336/.463 with 16 homers over 538 plate appearances (for a 122 wRC+).

Speaking of returns to form, George Springer’s resurgence has been one of the keys to the Jays’ season, and the veteran looks to be close to an activation off the concussion-related injured list. Springer hasn’t played since he was hit in the head by a pitch on July 28, but he has now cleared concussion protocols and returned to action in a minor league rehab game today.

Springer was 1-for-2 with a walk and a double for Triple-A Buffalo, acting as the Bisons’ designated hitter. Postgame, Springer told reporters (including Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News) that he isn’t sure if he’ll remain for another rehab game on Friday, perhaps to play the outfield as the final step in the recovery process.

Things didn’t go as smoothly for Alek Manoah in his first Triple-A rehab game on Wednesday, as the starter allowed three runs on three hits and two walks over 1 2/3 innings and 49 pitches. Bannon writes that the plan was for Manoah to toss 70-75 pitches over as many as five innings, except the outing had to be cut short due to the righty’s struggles.

It has been almost three years since Manoah was a viable force in the Blue Jays’ rotation, as he struggled badly in 2023 and his hopes at a bounce-back year were halted by a Tommy John surgery in June 2024. Over four rehab starts at four different minor league levels, Manoah has an 11.57 ERA and more walks (eight) than strikeouts (six) in seven total innings.

Until his control or his overall results improve, it is hard to see Manoah being called up for a significant role for a team battling for a division title. A return to the rotation might not be necessary since deadline trade acquisition Shane Bieber is first in line as the proverbial sixth starter, but even bringing Manoah back as a reliever is a risk if he can’t harness his pitches.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...apiro-bichette-schneider-springer-manoah.html

 

[Toronto Blue Jays]

Dodgers To Place Max Muncy On IL With Oblique Strain, Claim Buddy Kennedy

The Dodgers have claimed infielder Buddy Kennedy off waivers from the Blue Jays, per Dodger Blue. Right-hander Julian Fernández has been designated for assignment as the corresponding 40-man move. Toronto designated Kennedy for assignment last week. Manager Dave Roberts says that Kennedy will jump right onto the active roster as third baseman Max Muncy goes on the 10-day injured list due to a grade 1 oblique strain, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.

Muncy was scratched from Wednesday’s lineup due to right side soreness. The club was off yesterday and it seems further testing has determined that he needs at least a bit of a breather. It’s not clear exactly how long that breather will be. “I don’t think anybody expects it to be season-ending, but hopefully it’s sooner rather than later,” Roberts said, per Alden González of ESPN.

It’s an unfortunate development for the Dodgers. It’s been a real up-and-down season for Muncy but he’s been in good form lately. He started the year ice cold, slashing .190/.313/.286 through May 12th. Since then, he’s been red hot, hitting .314/.447/.660. That heater was interrupted by a monthlong stint on the IL due to a bone bruise in his left knee but that didn’t slow down his production. He came off the IL a little over a week ago and produced a .348/.531/.870 line in eight games between IL stints.

Despite Muncy’s production, the Dodgers have been in a bit of a skid lately. They went 10-14 in July and are 5-7 so far in August. Meanwhile, the Padres have gone on a tear and have taken over the lead in the American League West. The two clubs start a series against each other in Los Angeles tonight. Losing one of their hottest hitters is obviously less than ideal for the Dodgers as they move into the stretch run. Ideally, Muncy can return fairly quickly but oblique injuries are notoriously difficult.

It’s also not great when considering the club’s larger infield picture. Enrique Hernández, Tommy Edman and Hyeseong Kim are also on the IL, leaving the club a bit thin in that department. Alex Freeland will likely step in as the regular third baseman with Miguel Rojas taking over the keystone. The only healthy position player on the 40-man roster who is on optional assignment is outfielder Esteury Ruiz.

Claiming Kennedy gives the Dodgers a bench infielder, something they would have otherwise lacked. The 26-year-old has plenty of intriguing numbers in the minors but hasn’t yet clicked in the majors. That has led to him exhausting his options, which has pushed him into journeyman territory. Over the past few years, he has suited up for the Diamondbacks, Tigers, Phillies and Blue Jays. He has stepped to the plate 163 times scattered over the four most recent seasons but with just a .193/.288/.300 line to show for it.

As mentioned, his minor league work has been better. Dating back to the start of 2023, he has 1,262 Triple-A plate appearances. His 13.9% walk rate and 17.1% strikeout rate in that time are both solid figures. He produced a combined .284/.395/.443 line and 116 wRC+ over that span while playing all four infield spots and a bit of left field as well. Since he’s out of options, he may only hold his roster spot for as long as it takes for someone else to come off the IL. But he was out there on the wire when they needed an infielder, so he’ll get a shot with the Dodgers now.

Fernández, 29, signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers in the offseason. He was selected to the 40-man roster on July 7th. He pitched two innings that day, allowing two earned runs, and was optioned back down to Triple-A the next day.

His major league track record is still limited, as he had just six appearances prior to his one with the Dodgers this year, but he’s been in good form in Triple-A this season. He has tossed 41 1/3 innings with the Oklahoma City Comets, pitching in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, with a 3.05 earned run average, 8.8% walk rate and 28.7% strikeout rate.

With the trade deadline having passed, Fernández will end up on waivers. He can still be optioned for the rest of this year and one additional season. Given his numbers this year and the fact that he can be stashed in the minors, it’s possible he gets claimed in the coming week by a club in search of extra bullpen depth.

Photo courtesy of Kirby Lee, Imagn Images

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...-with-oblique-strain-claim-buddy-kennedy.html

 

[Toronto Blue Jays]

Blue Jays Reinstate George Springer From Injured List

The Blue Jays announced that George Springer has been activated from the seven-day injured list for concussion-related injuries. Outfielder Joey Loperfido was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo in the corresponding move.

Springer last played on July 28, when a wayward pitch from the Orioles’ Kade Strowd caught the Toronto slugger on the earflap of his helmet. Springer was removed from the game and was officially placed on the concussion IL a few days later, to give him some extended time to recover. A clean slate of tests earlier this week paved the way for Springer to start a Triple-A rehab assignment, and he’ll now join the Jays lineup after two games in Buffalo.

After posting underwhelming numbers in both 2023 and 2024, it seemed as though Springer was hitting a decline phase as he entered his age-35 season. Instead, he has bounced back with one of the best seasons of his 12-year career, hitting .291/.383/.506 with 18 home runs over 408 plate appearances. Only eight qualified hitters in baseball (including teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr.) have a better wRC+ than Springer’s 148 figure.

One element to this turn-around may be Springer’s increased usage as a designated hitter, as he has already set a new career high for DH days by appearing 52 times at the position, as opposed to 45 appearances as an outfielder. It is perhaps noteworthy that Springer didn’t see any action in the outfield during his two rehab games, and it could hint that the Blue Jays will continue to lean towards using the veteran primarily as a DH down the stretch in order to keep him fresh. In any case, having Springer back in any capacity is naturally a big help to a Toronto club trying to secure its first division title since 2015.

Loperfido was the odd man out of the roster mix with Springer back, likely just because Loperfido has minor league options remaining. Performance-wise, Loperfido was very impressive since being called up in July, delivering a .358/.409/.506 slash line over 89 plate appearances. It seems likely that Loperfido will be back up at least by September 1 when the rosters expand, if another injury doesn’t earn him a quicker ticket back to the Jays’ active roster.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/blue-jays-reinstate-george-springer-from-injured-list.html

 

[Toronto Blue Jays]

Latest On Blue Jays’ Rotation

Manager John Schneider spoke to reporters today about the club’s upcoming rotation plans. Mitch Bannon of The Athletic as well as Sportsnet’s Hazel Mae and Arden Zwelling relayed some of the details. Schneider said that Shane Bieber, José Berríos and Kevin Gausman will start the three games in Miami this weekend with lefty Eric Lauer available out of the bullpen.

Though Lauer will be in the ’pen this weekend, Schneider emphasized that it will be a temporary move. “This is not a move to the bullpen,” the skipper said. “It’s kind of an evolving thing as we go.” He continued: “It’s going to be a fluid situation. For that series he’ll be available out of the pen. It definitely doesn’t take him out of starting contention going forward.”

For the past few months, the Jays have had a stable rotation of Berríos, Gausman, Chris Bassitt, Max Scherzer and Lauer. That gave the club a pretty solid group for the regular season but they decided to chase upside for their playoff rotation by grabbing Bieber, a former Cy Young winner, from the Guardians at the deadline.

At the time of the deal, Bieber was still rehabbing from last year’s Tommy John surgery. That gave the Jays some time to decide on how they would handle their sudden rotation surplus. For now, Lauer is apparently going to miss a start but might still return to a rotation role going forward. They reportedly considered a six-man rotation but won’t be doing that right now.

The schedule might be playing a role. The Jays are off tomorrow and next Thursday as well, meaning they only play six times in the next eight days. After that, they play six more before another off-day September 4th, then three more before yet another off-day September 8th. Put together, that’s 15 games in 19 days. Going to a six-man rotation would mean each guy only throwing about once a week, or sometimes less. That could give the starters extra rest but perhaps also extra rust.

Time will tell how the Jays handle things in the longer term. Based on Schneider’s comments, it presumably depends on health, usage and other factors in the coming weeks. The Jays have a 13-game stretch in the middle of September with no off-days from September 9th to 21st, so perhaps a six-man rotation becomes more viable in that window.

It’s the proverbial good problem to have, as there are plenty of other clubs who would love to have to be making these kinds of tough calls. As Lauer himself put it, per Keegan Matheson of MLB.com, “It’s going to be interesting. I’m glad I’m not the one making the decisions.”

For Lauer, it’s a bit unfortunate, as he has arguably been the best of the bunch this summer. Signed to a minor league deal in the offseason, he has proven to be a tremendous help for the Jays this year. Thanks to Scherzer missing some time and Bowden Francis both struggling and getting hurt, Lauer was able to take over a rotation job and run with it. He has given the Jays 88 innings on the year overall with a 2.76 earned run average, 24.5% strikeout rate and 7% walk rate.

Despite the strong results, there are reasons the Jays likely picked him to dial things back. Last year, he was stuck in the minors and wasn’t throwing especially well. He was released by a few different clubs and only logged 75 1/3 innings, plus another 34 2/3 in Korea, a total of 110. In 2023, injuries limited him to 91 1/3 innings between the majors and minors.

This year, he logged 24 innings in Triple-A before getting called up. When combined with his 88 big league innings, he’s at 112 for the year. That’s fairly in line with his workload last year and the year prior. It’s conceivable he could have seen his effectiveness decline if he had stayed and continued logging rotation innings.

In addition to the workload, the Jays also might not be totally convinced his results are fully sustainable. As mentioned, he wasn’t especially good in the minors last year. He has bounced back tremendously in 2025 but with a .260 batting average on balls in play and 84.3% strand rate. His 3.54 FIP and 3.88 SIERA are still good but suggest regression is a distinct possibility. Since Lauer averages less than 92 miles per hour on his fastball, it’s fair to wonder how long he can walk the tightrope.

As mentioned, the situation is quite fluid and could change rapidly. One injury would obviously change things in a hurry. Scherzer has been battling thumb issues for years now and missed most of the first half of 2025, though he has been quite sharp lately. Over his past seven starts, he has gone at least five innings in all of them and at least six frames in all but one. In that time, he has a 3.14 ERA, 23.5% strikeout rate and 5.3% walk rate. Gausman, Bassitt and Berríos have been quite stable but pitching injuries can often pop up out of nowhere these days. Bumping Lauer to the bullpen is a bit tough for him but a nice safety net for the club as they push towards the final month of the regular season.

As for the roster machinations, the Jays announced after today’s game that right-hander Braydon Fisher has been optioned to Triple-A Buffalo. That opens an active roster spot for Bieber’s reinstatement on Friday.

Similar to Lauer, it’s a tough development for Fisher, as he has been pitching well. In 38 1/3 innings for the Jays this year, he has a 3.05 ERA, 31.2% strikeout rate and 7.8% walk rate. However, a lot of his best results were earlier in the season. Through July 1st, he had a 1.90 ERA, 37.1% strikeout rate and 5.6% walk rate. Since then, it’s been a 4.91 ERA, 23.5% strikeout rate and 10.5% walk rate.

The shuffles speak to the deep pitching staff the Jays have built since by multiple arms at the deadline. Rosters expand from 26 to 28 in September, with the pitcher limit going from 13 to 14. Fisher could return next month though likely not at the beginning. Optional assignments for pitchers come with a 15-day minimum unless someone else is going on the injured list.

Bieber will also need a 40-man spot but the Jays opened a spot there a week ago when infielder Buddy Kennedy was designated for assignment as the corresponding move for Andrés Giménez being activated from the 10-day IL.

Photo courtesy of John E. Sokolowski, Imagn Images

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/latest-on-blue-jays-rotation-2.html

 

[Toronto Blue Jays]

Blue Jays Activate Shane Bieber

Aug. 22: The Blue Jays announced that Bieber has been reinstated from the 60-day IL, as planned. He’ll start tonight’s game.

Aug. 18: Right-hander Shane Bieber will start for the Blue Jays on Friday. Manager John Schneider gave the news to reporters, including Mitch Bannon of The Athletic, prior to today’s game. Bieber is currently on the 60-day injured list and will need to be added to the roster before that start. The 40-man roster currently has a vacancy. If that is not filled before Friday, then only a corresponding active roster move will be required.

Bieber will be making his anticipated team debut in Miami as the Jays face the Marlins. The Jays just acquired Bieber at the deadline, even though he had not yet finished his recovery from 2024 Tommy John surgery.

The Jays are hoping that Bieber was their best bet for upgrading their playoff rotation. Their rotation otherwise features a group of solid mid-rotation type of guys. Max Scherzer has been an ace in the past but is now 41 years old and has been working around an ongoing thumb problem. Eric Lauer has an excellent 2.76 earned run average this year but he has middling velocity and he hardly pitched in the majors over the previous two years. Kevin Gausman, José Berríos and Chris Bassitt are reliable veterans but few would consider them to be aces.

The peak version of Bieber would jump to the front of the group, which is why the Jays were willing to give up prospect Khal Stephen to get him. Bieber won a Cy Young award back in 2020. He had a 1.63 ERA in that shortened season, striking out 41.1% of batters faced. No one would have expected him to maintain that level of production forever. His 2021 season was a drop from those heights but still very good. He had a 3.17 ERA and 31.1% strikeout rate, though a subscapularis strain knocked him out of action for about three months.

In 2022, he logged 200 innings with a 2.88 ERA but his strikeout rate dropped further to 25%. The following year, he only struck out 20.1% of batters faced as his ERA climbed to 3.80. The first warning signs of elbow trouble appeared that year, as inflammation put him on the IL for about two months. He began 2024 healthy but made just two starts before getting knocked to the surgeon’s table.

What version of Bieber shows up now is anyone’s guess. For what it’s worth, he has thrown 29 minor league innings this year while rehabbing with a 1.86 ERA and 34.6% strikeout rate. Though only the most recent three outings have been at the Triple-A level, with a 24.6% strikeout rate in those. He has been averaging 92.8 miles per hour on his fastball. He was at 94.1 mph back in 2020 but dropped to 92.7 in 2021 and then was in the 91-92 range after that.

The Jays don’t necessarily need Bieber to immediately be perfect right away. They are basically assured a playoff spot now and will likely be more concerned by what they can get out of Bieber in October. That gives them a bit more than a month to assess his stuff and results. The fact that his velo has come back in Triple-A is nice but that’s not going to be enough. Sandy Alcantara has basically got his velo to pre-surgery levels this year but has posted a 6.31 ERA on the season.

It’s unclear if the Jays will go with a six-man rotation or bump someone to a long relief role. They Jays start a series against the Pirates in Pittsburgh tonight, with Gausman, Scherzer and Bassitt the scheduled starters. They are off on Thursday. Schneider said today, per Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet, that Saturday’s and Sunday’s starters are to be determined.

While the coming weeks are obviously important for the Blue Jays, they will be huge for Bieber personally as well. At season’s end, he will be choosing between a $16MM player option for 2026 and a $4MM buyout. If healthy and in good form, he should have an easy choice to take the buyout. Though if he struggles or gets hurt again, the choice will get tougher.

Photo courtesy of Nick Turchiaro, Imagn Images

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/blue-jays-to-activate-shane-bieber-on-friday.html

 

[Toronto Blue Jays]

Yimi García To Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery

The Blue Jays announced to reporters, including Mitch Bannon of The Athletic, that Yimi García will undergo surgery to clean up scar tissue in his throwing elbow. He won’t return this year but is expected to be ready for next year’s spring training. He’ll be transferred to the 60-day injured list whenever the Jays need a roster spot.

It’s the second straight season marred by elbow issues for García. He hit the IL in June of last year for right elbow ulnar neuritis. He was reinstated from the IL in July, just in time for the Jays to trade him to the Mariners for outfielder Jonatan Clase and catcher Jacob Sharp. A few weeks after that trade, right elbow inflammation put García back on the shelf and he finished the season there.

He hit free agency and the Jays brought him back via a two-year, $15MM deal. A shoulder impingement put him on the IL in May. He was reinstated in early July but went back on the IL a few days later due to a left ankle sprain. While on the IL, his experienced a recurrence of ulnar nerve symptoms in his elbow. This surgery now wipes out any hope of him returning to the club.

Despite the injury problems, the results have still been decent, to varying degrees. Last year, he tossed 39 innings with a 3.46 earned run average, 32% strikeout rate and 7.8% walk rate. This year, in 21 innings, his strikeout and walk rates regressed to 27.8% and 13.3% respectively. However, he also increased his ground ball rate from 27.3% to 41.2%, leading to a 3.86 ERA.

The Jays presumably knew they weren’t likely to get García back for the stretch run. Ahead of the deadline, they added Seranthony Domínguez and Louis Varland to bolster their bullpen for the stretch run.

Domínguez is an impending free agent, so that opens up a spot in next year’s bullpen. If García can return to health as hoped, he could slot into that opening, though Ryan Burr and Nick Sandlin are also on the IL and could be back in the mix next year.

The Jays also provided an update on outfielder Anthony Santander, per Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. Santander is progressing well enough that he could begin a rehab assignment next weekend with a chance to return later in September.

Toronto fans haven’t yet had a chance to see Santander at his best. Signed to a five-year deal in the offseason, he slumped to start the season and then tried to play through a left shoulder subluxation. He was eventually placed on the IL in late May with a .179/.273/.304 line on the year. But just last year, Santander launched 44 homers for the Orioles, which is why the Jays signed him. If they can get him healthy and clicking again, the switch hitter could be a difference maker down the stretch.

The Jays have largely been using George Springer as their designated hitter but he has also been playing the outfield on occasion. If Santander is able to come back, those two would presumably take turns as the DH. That could lead to less playing time for corner outfield guys like Nathan Lukes, Addison Barger and Davis Schneider but Lukes can also play center while Barger can also play third and Schneider second. The distribution of playing time will likely depend on who is healthy and playing well a few weeks from now.

Infielder Ernie Clement recently got spiked on a slide, which led to a hairline fracture of his left middle finger and some stitches in his leg, per Nicholson-Smith. He hasn’t yet gone on the IL and could be fully healed up by the time Santander is back but those minor scrapes are the things that could impact lineup decisions down the road. Santander is on the 60-day IL and will need a 40-man spot when he’s activated. He could take García’s spot if the Jays don’t use it on someone else in the coming weeks.

Photo courtesy of Dan Hamilton, Imagn Images

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/yimi-garcia-to-undergo-season-ending-elbow-surgery.html

 

[Toronto Blue Jays]

Blue Jays, Eloy Jimenez Agree To Minor League Deal

The Blue Jays and outfielder/designated hitter Eloy Jimenez are in agreement on a minor league contract, as first reported by Mike Rodriguez. The Klutch Sports client was with the Rays organization earlier this season but was cut loose around the All-Star break.

Jimenez, 28, was a top prospect with the Cubs and White Sox and looked to be emerging as a core piece for the latter when he debuted with a 31-homer rookie campaign back in 2019. The slugger signed a six-year, $43MM contract before ever taking a single at-bat in the majors, and that impressive rookie effort made the contract look like a potential bargain. Unfortunately for Jimenez and the South Siders, injuries derailed his trajectory. Jimenez was again excellent in 2020, hitting .296/.332/.559 with 14 homers in the pandemic-shortened season, but he’s struggled to stay on the field since.

From 2021-24, Jimenez played in just 357 games — only 55% of his teams’ contests. A ruptured pectoral tendon cost him more than four months of the 2021 season. He missed nearly three months of the 2022 season due to a torn hamstring. In 2023, he strained his other hamstring muscle and also missed more than a month due to an appendectomy. Jimenez’s 2024 season was cut short by an adductor strain and a third hamstring strain.

Beyond limiting Jimenez’s time on the field, the series of health issues clearly had an impact on his offensive output. He was terrific in 84 games in 2022 but posted roughly league-average offense in both 2021 and 2023. His 2024 season was well below average, with the formerly imposing slugger turning in a meek .238/.289/.336 slash in 349 plate appearances between the White Sox and the Orioles, who acquired him at last summer’s trade deadline.

Jimenez appeared in 40 Triple-A games with the Rays this season, hitting .278/.335/.397 with three home runs. He continued to show quality contact skills (17.4% strikeout rate), but his batted-ball metrics were well shy of his career marks in the majors. Jimenez averaged 89.6 mph off the bat in Triple-A Durham and logged a 43.5% hard-hit rate. He’s averaged 91.5 mph with a 49.3% hard-hit rate as a big leaguer.

Though Jimenez is something of a long shot to contribute at this point, there’s no harm in the Jays taking a no-risk look at a formerly prominent slugger on a non-guaranteed pact. He might need a quick tune-up in the low minors before jumping into the fray at Triple-A Buffalo, having been out of action for seven-plus weeks, but Jimenez will be a depth option for Toronto in the final month of the season. And, since he’s signing before Sept. 1, he’ll be postseason-eligible should he show enough to be selected to the big league roster at some point. If not, he’ll play out the season in Buffalo and head back to the offseason free agent market in search of what would surely be another minor league contract ahead of his age-29 campaign in 2026.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/blue-jays-sign-eloy-jimenez.html

 

[Toronto Blue Jays]

Blue Jays Claim Isiah Kiner-Falefa

The Blue Jays have claimed utility man Isiah Kiner-Falefa off waivers from the Pirates, as reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Toronto subsequently announced the move and transferred right-hander Yimi Garcia to the 60-day injured list in order to create a 40-man roster spot for Kiner-Falefa.

It’s a homecoming for Kiner-Falefa, who signed with Toronto prior to the 2024 season but was traded to Pittsburgh at last year’s trade deadline. Just over a year later, he’s headed back to the Blue Jays to join the team’s bench for the playoff push. Unlike last year, Toronto is firmly in playoff position with a two-game lead in the AL East. While Kiner-Falefa was a regular fixture on the club’s infield during his first stint with the organization, that’s unlikely to be the case this season given that Andres Gimenez has taken over the everyday second base job while Ernie Clement and Addison Barger have split time at the hot corner.

More to come.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/blue-jays-claim-isiah-kiner-falefa.html

 

[Toronto Blue Jays]

Blue Jays Select Dillon Tate

As active rosters expand from 26 to 28 today, the Blue Jays are selecting right-hander Dillon Tate. The other spot will be taken by infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who was claimed off waivers from the Pirates yesterday. To add Tate to the 40-man, the Blue Jays transferred righty Nick Sandlin to the 60-day injured list. Mitch Bannon of The Athletic was among those to relay the moves.

Tate, 31, signed a split deal with the Jays earlier this year. That pact pays him at a $1.4MM rate in the big leagues and a $500K pace while in the minors. He spent the early parts of the year getting shuffled between the majors and Triple-A Buffalo. In May, he was outrighted off the 40-man. Since he has at least three years of service time, he could have elected free agency. But since he was shy of five years of service, he would have had to forfeit his remaining salary commitments in exercising that right.

He understandably accepted and has been put back on the roster today. He has thrown 35 Triple-A innings with a 2.06 earned run average this year. His 12.7% walk rate is on the high side but his 22.7% strikeout rate is decent and his 47.9% ground ball rate is strong. He has seemingly benefitted from an 85.8% strand rate, which is why his 3.74 FIP is far higher than his ERA, but that’s still a decent number.

The Jays also have Braydon Fisher, Mason Fluharty, Paxton Schultz and Justin Bruihl on the 40-man but weren’t able to recall any of them since they were all optioned recently. An optional assignment for a pitcher comes with a 15-day minimum, unless someone is going on the injured list. Fisher was the one optioned longest ago, back on August 21st, so he’ll be eligible to be recalled later this week.

Tate is still optionable but is 11 days away from the five-year service marker, at which point he could not be optioned without his consent. Fisher pitched pretty well for the Jays earlier this year but was squeezed down to the minors when Shane Bieber was activated from the injured list. Perhaps Fisher will be recalled once eligible and Tate sent back to serve as a depth role in Buffalo. For now, he’ll give Toronto a fresh arm for a bullpen which saw heavy usage over the weekend.

As for Sandlin, he landed on the 15-day IL due to right elbow inflammation on July 8th. This transfer is retroactive to that date, so he’ll be eligible for reinstatement in the next few days, though he won’t be healthy by then. Per Hazel Mae of Sportsnet, he just had another injection in his elbow as he tries to get back on the mound. Whenever he’s healthy, he’ll presumably need a few weeks to ramp back up to full strength.

Photo courtesy of Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/09/blue-jays-select-dillon-tate.html

 

[Toronto Blue Jays]

Blue Jays Select Ryan Borucki

The Blue Jays announced that they have selected left-hander Ryan Borucki to the roster. Fellow lefty Easton Lucas has been optioned to Triple-A Buffalo in a corresponding active roster move. To open a 40-man spot, righty Robinson Piña has been recalled and placed on the 60-day injured list due to a sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.

Borucki, now 31, began his career with the Jays many years ago. He showed some promise as a potential starter but some injuries eventually got him moved to a relief role. As a reliever, he has bounced around to the Mariners and Pirates with some occasional success. From 2020 to the present, he has thrown 147 2/3 innings with a 4.39 earned run average. His 22.3% strikeout rate and 8.8% walk rate in that time are close to average, while his 50.1% ground ball rate is quite strong.

This year hasn’t been his best. After an injury-marred 2024 season, he had to settle for a minor league deal with the Pirates. He cracked Pittsburgh’s Opening Day rotation and stuck on the roster through mid-August, with an IL stint of over a month due to back inflammation mixed in. He had a 5.28 ERA over 30 2/3 innings when they designated him for assignment a few weeks back. He had a 21.4% strikeout rate, 9.5% walk rate and 55% ground ball rate.

After he was released, the Jays scooped him up on a minor league deal. Toronto has had Brendon Little as the primary lefty in their bullpen this year. Guys like Mason Fluharty and Justin Bruihl have also factored in but both of those guys were optioned to the minors in recent days. A pitcher optioned to the minors can’t be recalled for 15 days, unless someone else is going on the injured list.

Eric Lauer is now in the bullpen, per Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet, but he’ll likely be deployed more as a long man. Lucas is also more of a long relief guy, so the Jays are swapping him out for Borucki.

For his career, Borucki has held lefties to a .185/.268/.265 line, whereas righties have hit .280/.347/.494 off him. That split has been even more extreme this year, as he has held opposing lefties to a .132/.217/.170 line but righties have lit him up for a .333/.400/.649 slash. The Jays will probably try to target Borucki against lefties in the other team’s lineup, though the three-batter minimum makes that a challenge. Little has pitched in the past two games and three of the past four, so it’s possible he’s not available tonight.

Pina, 26, was acquired from the Marlins in a June trade. He has largely been on optional assignment since then. His health status is unclear but he hasn’t pitched in an official game since August 1st. The Jays putting him on the 60-day IL suggests they don’t expect him to pitch again this season. If his UCL sprain requires surgery, then he’s obviously slated to be out even longer. There’s no 60-day IL between five days after the World Series and the start of spring training. The Jays will therefore have to add him back to the 40-man roster in November or remove him somehow.

Photo courtesy of Rick Osentoski, Imagn Images

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/09/blue-jays-select-ryan-borucki.html

 

[Toronto Blue Jays]

Poll: Who Will Win The AL East?

We’re into the final weeks of the season now, but a handful of postseason races are still up for grabs. Perhaps the most competitive division at this point is the AL East, which is the only division where three teams still have at least a 10% chance of taking home the crown according to Fangraphs. Who will ultimately emerge victorious? Here’s a look at each of the three teams, listed in order of their winning percentage entering play today:

Toronto Blue Jays (79-59)

The Jays took the lead in the division on July 3 and haven’t relinquished it since. It’s not hard to see why they’ve been successful. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. isn’t having the sort of superlative, MVP-level campaign he posted in 2024 but remains an anchor for the lineup with 21 homers, 30 doubles, and a .383 on-base percentage. George Springer has enjoyed a resurgent season at the age of 35, slashing an outstanding .300/.391/.533 in 116 games. Bo Bichette (130 wRC+) is back to his normal self after last year’s injury-ruined season. Alejandro Kirk (118 wRC+) is making good on his extension with the club by putting up his best season since 2022. Daulton Varsho has 16 homers in 49 games despite dealing with injuries, and even less-established hitters like Nathan Lukes, Addison Barger, and Davis Schneider have put up strong numbers at the dish.

While so much has gone right for the Jays on offense, it must be noted that things haven’t gone as well when it comes to pitching. Kevin Gausman looks like the steady and playoff-caliber veteran he’s been for years now, but the rest of the rotation comes with questions. Toronto was reaping the benefits of Max Scherzer turning back the clock for a few weeks, but the future Hall of Famer just delivered back-to-back clunkers against the Twins and Brewers. Eric Lauer was pitching well but was sent to the bullpen after posting a 5.30 ERA in August. Chris Bassitt and Jose Berrios are stable veterans, but they fit better at the back of the rotation than starting Games 2 and 3 of a playoff series. The bullpen has struggled somewhat as well, with closer Jeff Hoffman scuffling to a 5.02 ERA on the season and a 5.32 ERA since the start of July. Those pitching woes have led the Jays’ lead in the division to slip from five games a week ago to 2.5 games. Will they be able to stop the bleeding and secure a division title?

New York Yankees (76-61)

Just a couple of weeks ago, the Bronx Bombers looked to be in a more dire position after losing five straight to the Marlins and Rangers before dropping three games in a row to the Red Sox. They rebounded from those losses to Boston by picking up the final game of that series, however, and that win started a seven-game streak that only just ended with a close loss to the White Sox over the weekend. While nice performances from players like Trent Grisham, Ben Rice, Cody Bellinger, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. have been helpful for the Yanks this season, their success can be overwhelmingly attributed to Aaron Judge.

The reigning AL MVP has put together another season for the ages (196 wRC+), and it’s largely thanks to him that the club has been able to hang in the postseason race despite a disappointing season from Anthony Volpe and Paul Goldschmidt’s second-half struggles. Of course, Judge has been recovering from a flexor strain that’s seemingly impacted him at the plate and kept him from playing the field. That’s pushed Giancarlo Stanton’s strong bat out of the lineup on some days and forced his subpar glove into the outfield on the rest. A leaky bullpen hasn’t helped, though the starting rotation is looking better now that Max Fried appears to be getting back on track after a rough patch. One other thing working in New York’s favor is the schedule; they’ll face the last-place Orioles and White Sox in their final 10 games of the season.

Boston Red Sox (77-62)

The Red Sox have worked their way back from the malaise they faced towards the end of the Rafael Devers era to make themselves legitimate playoff contenders. Unlike the other two AL East clubs, it’s been the pitching leading the way. Garrett Crochet is in the conversation for best pitcher in baseball this year, and both Brayan Bello and Lucas Giolito have looked the part of playoff starters. It’s arguably been a career year for veteran closer Aroldis Chapman, and Garrett Whitlock has excelled in a setup role. Top prospect Payton Tolle has been called up for the stretch.

While Boston’s pitching staff is impressive, they’re held back a bit by an offense that doesn’t quite measure up. Roman Anthony already looks like a star, but the rest of the lineup has lacked consistency. Alex Bregman is slumping since the start of August, Wilyer Abreu is on the injured list, and Ceddanne Rafaela has struggled badly since the All-Star break. Trevor Story started slow but has been great since June. Romy Gonzalez has tattooed lefties but been sub-par versus righties. Boston’s 24-17 record since the All-Star break is still encouraging though, and if Abreu comes back healthy and/or Bregman turns things around, the lineup would look more formidable.

Each of the three remaining contenders for the AL East title have one series against each other left in September. Who do MLBTR readers think will come out on top? Will the Blue Jays hold on despite their pitching woes? Can Judge lead the Yankees back to the top of the division? Or will the Red Sox offense turn things around to support their excellent pitching? Have your say in the poll below:

Take Our Poll

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/09/poll-who-will-win-the-al-east-2.html

 

[Toronto Blue Jays]

Blue Jays Sign Buddy Kennedy, Rene Pinto To Minor League Deals

The Blue Jays agreed to minor league contracts with infielder Buddy Kennedy and catcher René Pinto. Kennedy has already returned to Triple-A Buffalo and played there tonight. Pinto has yet to get into a game with the Bisons, but the MLB.com transaction tracker indicates he signed with Toronto on Monday.

Kennedy first signed a minor league deal with Toronto in July. The Jays called him in early August while Andrés Giménez was on the injured list. They kept him on the big league roster for a week and designated him for assignment when Giménez returned. The Dodgers were dealing with a few infield injuries and snagged him off waivers. Kennedy was on the L.A. roster for 10 days but lost his spot when Kiké Hernández came back from injury.

After clearing outright waivers, the former fifth-round pick elected free agency. He circles back to the Jays to serve as infield depth for the final few weeks of the regular season. Kennedy is a lifetime .178/.271/.274 hitter at the major league level. He owns a much more solid .278/.388/.429 line in parts of four Triple-A campaigns. Kennedy mostly plays third base but can factor in at both positions on the right side of the infield as well.

Pinto, 28, was granted his release from a minor league contract with Arizona last month. The Venezuelan backstop never played in the majors with the Diamondbacks. He appeared at the highest level with the Rays each season from 2022-24. Pinto hit .231/.263/.404 across 82 games. Tampa Bay gave him a brief look as their starting catcher early last year, but he struggled on both sides of the ball and spent the bulk of the season in Triple-A.

The right-handed hitting Pinto has shown some power in the minors. He has 57 career Triple-A home runs, slashing .256/.307/.493 in more than 1100 plate appearances at the level. That includes a .268/.324/.517 line with 11 homers in 54 games for Arizona’s affiliate. Toronto has Alejandro Kirk and Tyler Heineman as their only catchers on the 40-man roster. Their previous Triple-A catchers, Phil Clarke and Brandon Valenzuela, have no major league experience. If his deal was indeed signed on September 1, Pinto would not be eligible for the playoff roster but provides a more experienced depth option for the next few weeks in case Kirk or Heineman suffer an injury.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...kennedy-rene-pinto-to-minor-league-deals.html

 

[Toronto Blue Jays]

Blue Jays Place Bo Bichette On Injured List

The Blue Jays announced Tuesday that shortstop Bo Bichette is headed to the 10-day injured list due to a left knee sprain. The IL placement is retroactive to Sept. 7. Bichette will be eligible to return in eight days, though the team hasn’t provided any sort of timetable just yet. Outfielder Joey Loperfido has been recalled from Triple-A Buffalo to take Bichette’s spot on the active roster.

Losing the 27-year-old Bichette for any period of time is a potential gut-punch to the first-place Jays, who hold a two-game lead over the Yankees and a three-game lead over the Red Sox in the AL East. Bichette has not only bounced back from last year’s injury-ruined season — he’s enjoyed one of the most productive seasons of his career. In 628 plate appearances, he’s slashing .311/.357/.483 with 18 home runs, 44 doubles, a triple, a 6.4% walk rate (well shy of league average but one of his best marks) and a tiny 14.6% strikeout rate.

Bichette has been particularly hot over the past two months, posting a ridiculous .380/.431/.580 batting line (182 wRC+) with six homers, 23 doubles, an 8% walk rate and an 11.6% strikeout rate in a span of 225 plate appearances.

With Bichette sidelined for at least the next eight games, Ernie Clement and/or Isiah Kiner-Falefa will likely step up and fill the void at shortstop. Clement gets the first shortstop nod tonight, and while he can’t match Bichette’s offense, he’s a superior defender at the position. That’ll free up Addison Barger to play third base more, while Loperfido joins Kiner-Falefa, Nathan Lukes, Daulton Varsho, George Springer, Davis Schneider and Myles Straw among the team’s outfield options. It’ll be Loperfido, Varsho and Lukes tonight (left field to right field, respectively). Springer is hitting leadof in the designated hitter slot.

Beyond the immediate roster and postseason ramifications, the injury is particularly ill-timed for Bichette from a personal standpoint. He’d surely say this talk takes a backseat to team needs and postseason hopes, but Bichette is a free agent at season’s end. His bounceback effort has positioned him as one of the top free agents on the upcoming market. If he’s able to return following a relatively brief stay, this isn’t likely to have any real impact on his earning power at all. But if Bichette requires a notable absence or struggles in his return while dealing with lingering effects from the injury, his health will be a far more prominent question when looking at his free agent market this winter.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/09/blue-jays-bo-bichette-injured-list-knee-sprain.html

 

[Toronto Blue Jays]

Blue Jays Designate Orelvis Martinez For Assignment

The Blue Jays announced this evening that they’ve designated infielder Orelvis Martinez for assignment. The move allowed the club to activate Alek Manoah from the 60-day injured list and option him to Triple-A Buffalo. Manoah has previously been on a rehab assignment as he worked his way back from UCL surgery he underwent in June 2024.

Martinez, 24 in November, was a consensus top-100 prospect as recently as the 2024 season. He made his big league debut in June of last year but was given an 80-game suspension after testing positive for Clomiphene, a banned performance-enhancing substance, just one week later. Martinez had only appeared in one MLB game at the time of his suspension and hasn’t returned to the majors since as the Blue Jays kept him at Triple-A for the end of the 2024 season and all throughout 2025.

While Toronto’s decision not to bring Martinez back to the majors for the final weeks of the 2024 campaign could at least conceivably have been related to his suspension, it’s hard to view him not returning to the big leagues this year as anything other than performance based. Martinez struggled badly at Triple-A during is age-23 campaign, slashing just .176/.288/.348 across 394 plate appearances in 99 games. He struck out at an elevated 28.4% clip and managed just 13 homers, a massive decline in power relative to what he had shown in previous seasons, including his 28 homers in 129 Triple-A games between 2023 and ’24.

While Martinez looked utterly lost at the plate this year, is relative youth in conjunction with his former top prospect status may well be enough to get him attention from other organizations. He has experience at second base, third base, and shortstop across his minor league career, though he’s mostly moved off of shortstop in recent years. An infielder who will spend all of next year at 24 years old and has flashed the potential to be a quality hitter in the past seems likely to be an attractive candidate to join a number of rebuilding clubs, who could afford to be patient with Martinez and give him ample time to get things back on track and prove himself capable of handling major league pitching.

The Blue Jays will have one week to put Martinez through waivers, where any club will have the ability to claim him. If he goes unclaimed, Toronto can then outright him to Triple-A for the remainder of the season. If not claimed off waivers or added back to the Jays’ 40-man roster by the start of the offseason, Martinez will have the opportunity to elect minor league free agency and look for an opportunity elsewhere on the open market.

As for Manoah, the right-hander’s activation from the injured list is purely procedural. Manoah has already made five starts at the Triple-A level this year while rehabbing, and while he sports a 3.09 ERA in 23 1/3 innings of work at that level, that figure is heavily propped up by eight unearned runs allowed. Manoah has been teed off against by opposing hitters at Triple-A this year to the tune of a .239/.346/.457 slash line, has surrendered five home runs and hit three batters, and is walking opponents at a 13.0% clip. Much of that is surely rust from a lengthy layoff following UCL surgery, but it hardly seems likely that the Blue Jays would entrust starts to Manoah as they look to fend off the Yankees and Red Sox in the AL East and head towards the postseason barring a massive turnaround or a rash of injuries that tests the club’s pitching depth.

Looking ahead to 2026, Manoah is ticketed for his second trip through arbitration this winter after getting a $2.2MM contract for the 2025 season from the Jays last offseason. Given his past success in the majors and remaining team control, keeping the 27-year-old in the fold for the 2026 season and seeing if he can return to form once further removed from Tommy John surgery seems like the likeliest course of action for the Jays. With that being said, a non-tender or trade this winter isn’t completely implausible given his lack of production since his All-Star 2022 campaign and his ugly performance at Triple-A since returning from injury.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/09/blue-jays-designate-orelvis-martinez-for-assignment.html