The Toronto Blue Jays just made a wild move, designating veteran lefty reliever Joe Mantiply for assignment right before the final week of the regular season, a real head-scratcher as they’re fighting to keep their postseason dreams alive.
Toronto Shakes Up The Mound For The Final Stretch
This wasn’t just about one guy, either. The Jays pulled a handful of roster strings. Right-handed starter Trey Yesavage is back from the injured list, which is huge, and he’s slated to start tonight’s game against the Baltimore Orioles. They also recalled righty Chad Dallas from Triple-A Buffalo, and he’ll be active tonight. To make room, they optioned righty Spencer Arrighetti to their Spring Training Complex. But the biggest jaw-dropper was definitely cutting Mantiply, a lefty who was supposed to be a key piece. You gotta wonder what the thinking is here with their season on the line.
The Tumultuous Season Of A Former All-Star Lefty
Mantiply, at 35, was a guy with some pedigree. He signed a minor league deal with the Blue Jays this offseason, but his year got derailed quick. He spent months on the injured list after having arthroscopic surgery on his left knee back in May, only getting in 27 innings of relief work all season. This is a dude who was an All-Star with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2022 and even had a singular appearance with the Yankees three years before that. His numbers this season are a mixed bag: a decent 3.33 ERA and an excellent 4.5% walk rate. But his 19.8% strikeout rate is below-average, and September has been rough, giving up six runs in just 9.1 innings. He’s not a flamethrower, relying on ground balls, but the kicker is that Toronto would have controlled him through the 2027 season via arbitration. Was this a performance move or a financial one disguised as a performance one, looking at that future control?
Tonight’s game is gonna be massive, with Yesavage getting the ball against the Orioles. Every single pitch from here on out matters for Toronto, and these roster changes show just how desperately they’re trying to keep those postseason dreams from slipping away. It’s high stakes baseball, folks, and we’ll see if these bold moves pay off.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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