The Blue Jays revealed their Opening Day roster this morning and, within the course of, introduced that they’ve designated three right-handed pitchers for project: Zach Pop, Tommy Nance, and Nick Robertson. The three DFAs make room for right-hander Jacob Barnes and outfielders Alan Roden and Myles Straw on the 40-man roster. The Blue Jays had already confirmed their intention to pick out Barnes, Roden, and Straw, and in the present day, they made the choice official. As well as, the Blue Jays formally positioned right-handers Erik Swanson and Ryan Burr on the 15-day IL and heart fielder Daulton Varsho on the 10-day IL. The group had already introduced that Swanson, Burr, and Varsho would miss the start of the season.
Pop, 28, has pitched for the Marlins and Blue Jays all through his four-year MLB profession. In that point, he has a 4.45 ERA and three.94 SIERA throughout 155 2/3 innings of labor. He was electrical after Toronto acquired him on the 2022 commerce deadline, pitching to a 1.89 ERA in 17 appearances down the stretch. Nevertheless, he has struggled on the massive league stage in every of the previous two seasons, pitching to a 5.81 ERA in 73 whole appearances. His 4.31 SIERA is best however nonetheless not particularly promising. The righty is a groundball pitcher who doesn’t miss many bats. His dwelling run fee over the previous two years (1.89 HR/9) is way too excessive for a pitcher who additionally points his justifiable share of walks. To make issues worse, Pop was set to start the season on Toronto’s injured record with elbow discomfort that arose this spring.
Nance, now 34, made his MLB debut with the Cubs at age 30 in 2021. He has had considerably of an up-and-down profession thus far. His rookie season was tough, however he regarded like a succesful low-leverage reliever over 43 2/3 innings with the Marlins in 2022. Then, accidents stored him out for a lot of 2023. He signed a minor league cope with the Padres final offseason and didn’t make his approach again to the majors in San Diego. But, after a late-summer commerce to Toronto, he regarded completely serviceable as soon as once more, pitching to a 4.09 ERA and three.96 SIERA in 22 innings of lower-leverage work. He leads with a curveball and a sinker, a very good strategy for inducing groundballs, however hasn’t been capable of constantly induce outs and strand baserunners on the highest stage.
Robertson, 26, has already pitched for 4 completely different groups over his two MLB seasons, suiting up for the Dodgers and Pink Sox in 2023 and the Cardinals and Blue Jays in 2024. He additionally pitched within the Angels’ system in between his stints with St. Louis and Toronto. The appropriate-hander has a 5.30 ERA however a 3.52 SIERA in 35 2/3 profession MLB frames. He has proven the flexibility to pitch a number of innings out of the bullpen as wanted, however his efficiency has been poor at each the key and minor league ranges since he left the Dodgers group as a part of the Enrique Hernández deadline commerce in 2023. At instances within the minors, Robertson has proven sharp strikeout stuff, however he has struggled lately to constantly rack up strikeouts and restrict walks. He has one possibility yr remaining, which may make him a bit extra interesting to a membership in want of bullpen assist.
The Blue Jays will enter 2025 with one thing of a new-look bullpen, led by free agent acquisition and 2024 All-Star Jeff Hoffman. Different new items embrace Yimi García, who’s again after a quick stint with the Mariners; Nick Sandlin, whom the Blue Jays acquired as a part of the Andrés Giménez commerce; and Richard Lovelady, who, like Barnes, signed a minor league cope with the membership this offseason. Toronto chosen his contract final week.
