The Blue Jays introduced that they’ve signed left-hander Josh Walker to a one-year break up contract. Per Keegan Matheson of MLB.com, the southpaw will make $760K, which is subsequent 12 months’s league minimal, for time spent within the majors. The Related Press experiences that he’ll be paid at a $180K fee whereas within the minors. Proper-hander Hagen Danner has been designated for project because the corresponding transfer.
Walker, 30, has somewhat little bit of main league expertise. He tossed 22 1/3 innings with the Mets over the previous two seasons, permitting 6.45 earned runs per 9 in that small pattern. He struck out 22.7% of batters confronted whereas giving out walks at an 11.7% clip. He was designated for project by the Mets in July and flipped to the Pirates, although the Bucs designated him for project shortly thereafter and finally launched him.
These main league numbers aren’t particularly spectacular, however the Jays are seemingly interested in his minor league work, the place he has proven large strikeout skill but in addition vital management points. He has thrown 89 innings on the farm over the previous three years with a 3.54 ERA, giving out walks to 12.7% of opponents but in addition punching them out at an enormous 33.7% fee. The Jays had been seemingly intrigued sufficient by these numbers to provide Walker a 40-man roster spot.
Remaking the bullpen is an ongoing undertaking for the Jays after the group allow them to down in 2024. Toronto relievers had a collective 4.82 ERA this 12 months, with solely the Rockies posting a worse quantity in that class. Because the season ended, Génesis Cabrera and Jordan Romano had been each lower from the roster and each have signed with different golf equipment already. The Jays re-signed Yimi García, who they’d traded to the Mariners final 12 months, and in addition acquired Nick Sandlin within the Andrés Giménez commerce.
Previous to this deal, the one lefty relievers on the roster had been Brendon Little, Brandon Eisert and Easton Lucas. It’s a really inexperienced group, as none of these southpaws has even thrown 50 large league innings but. Walker provides one other lefty into that competitors and he nonetheless has an possibility 12 months remaining, as do the opposite three, so they may take turns shifting between the large leagues and Triple-A all year long. Walker nonetheless has lower than a 12 months of service time, so he may be cheaply retained for a few years to return if he continues to hold onto his roster spot.
Danner, 26, he was drafted as a catcher however struck out rather a lot within the decrease ranges of the minors and bought moved to the mound. In 2021, he tossed 35 2/3 innings at Excessive-A with a 2.02 ERA, 29.4% strikeout fee and eight.4% stroll fee. That was his first skilled season as a pitcher however he was already Rule 5 eligible as a result of years he spent behind the plate. The Jays gave him a 40-man roster spot after that season to stop him from being plucked away.
He has hit just a few pace bumps since then. He spent most of 2022 on the injured record and solely made 4 minor league appearances. In 2023, he was wholesome sufficient to throw 28 1/3 Triple-A innings with a 3.81 ERA. His 31.5% strikeout fee and 6.3% stroll fee had been fairly good however he allowed eight residence runs. He additionally made his main league debut that 12 months however solely tossed one third of an inning earlier than touchdown on the injured record as a result of an indirect pressure. In 2024, he logged 34 1/3 innings on the Triple-A stage with a 3.15 ERA, 23.3% strikeout fee and eight.9% stroll fee.
Total, the outcomes haven’t been dangerous, however he hasn’t been in a position to pitch a lot as a result of time spent catching and the well being points. He has simply 114 1/3 skilled innings on his ledger to this point and he has only one possibility 12 months remaining.
DFA limbo usually lasts every week however current years have seen that clock paused over the interval from Christmas to New Yr’s. On this date final 12 months, Ryan Jensen was designated for project by the Marlins and he wasn’t claimed off waivers by the Twins till January 4, over two weeks later. That may give the Jays a while to see if there’s any commerce curiosity in Danner.
