Blue Jays' Davis Schneider: Getting call-up to Jays
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Schneider will be called up to the Blue Jays on Friday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Schneider was a 28th-round pick in the 2017 MLB Draft, but he has steadily risen through the Jays' minor-league system and had exploded for a .969 OPS with 21 home runs and nine stolen bases through 87 games this season at Triple-A Buffalo. It's not exactly clear how he might fit into Toronto's lineup, but the 24-year-old has played pretty much every position on the diamond since beginning his professional career. Most of his starts with Buffalo have come at either second base or left field.
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Blue Jays' Kevin Gausman: Struggles in loss
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Gausman (8-6) took the loss Thursday, allowing three runs on eight hits and two walks over 4.1 innings against Baltimore. He struck out six.
Gausman allowed multiple baserunners in three separate frames and was pulled with one out in the fifth after a Ryan O'Hearn single. This marks the 32-year-old right-hander's shortest outing since he went just 3.1 innings against the Red Sox on May 4. However, it's worth noting that Gausman had been exceptional between these two rough starts, going 6-2 with a 2.73 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 113:25 K:BB across 85.2 innings during that stretch. He will look to rebound in his next start, which is tentatively scheduled to come against Cleveland.
Blue Jays' Chad Green: Another rehab outing Saturday
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Green (elbow) is scheduled for another rehab appearance Saturday with Triple-A Buffalo, Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca reports.
There seems to be a good chance that it will be his final outing on the farm. More than 13 months removed from Tommy John surgery, Green has tallied six strikeouts with no walks through five rehab outings (five innings) between the rookie-level Arizona Complex League and Triple-A. The 32-year-old right-hander could prove to be a high-leverage weapon for Toronto down the stretch.
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Blue Jays' Bowden Francis: Recalled from Buffalo
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Toronto recalled Francis from Triple-A Buffalo on Thursday.
He is replacing Trevor Richards, who landed on the 15-day injured list Thursday because of neck inflammation. Francis has impressed in limited action this season at the major-league level, boasting a 2.30 ERA and 14:4 K:BB through 15.2 innings.
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Blue Jays' Trevor Richards: Lands on IL with sore neck
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Richards was placed on the 15-day injured list Thursday, retroactive to August 2, with neck inflammation.
It doesn't sound like an overly serious issue, but Richards will be missed in the Toronto bullpen as he spends at least the next two weeks on the shelf. The 30-year-old right-hander has posted a sharp 2.98 ERA with 83 strikeouts through 54.1 innings of work this season for the Blue Jays.
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Blue Jays' Danny Jansen: On bench Thursday
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Jansen is not in the lineup Thursday against the Orioles.
Alejandro Kirk will start at catcher and hit sixth for the Blue Jays as they take on right-hander Jack Flaherty in his O's debut. Brandon Belt is serving as the Jays' designated hitter and batting second.
Swanson gave up a hit and struck out two in the ninth inning Wednesday to record his third save of the season in a 4-1 win over the Orioles.
Jordan Hicks worked the eighth inning against Baltimore's 2-3-4 hitters, suggesting that the recent trade acquisition is viewed as the top high-leverage option by manager John Schneider, but Swanson and Yimi Garcia -- who struck out one in a perfect seventh frame -- are also in the late-inning mix and all three could see save chances while Jordan Romano (back) is sidelined. For his part, Swanson's been scored upon only once in his last 10 appearances, and on the season he sports a 3.44 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 57:18 K:BB through 49.2 innings with two wins and an MLB-leading 26 holds in addition to his saves.
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Blue Jays' Yusei Kikuchi: Sharp in ninth win
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Kikuchi (9-3) picked up the win in Wednesday's 4-1 victory over the Orioles, allowing one run on six hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out three.
The southpaw tossed 60 of 91 pitches for strikes in his second straight quality start. Kikuchi has an impressive 1.23 ERA with a 1.23 WHIP and 23:7 K:BB through 22 innings since the All-Star break, and his current form should allow him to hold onto a rotation spot even after Toronto cuts back down to a five-man unit later this month. He'll try to stay efficient and effective in his next outing, likely to come early next week in Cleveland.
Wick signed a minor-league contract with the Blue Jays on Wednesday, Mitch Bannon of SI.com reports.
Wick signed a minor-league deal with Atlanta on Thursday but was cut after just four days, and he'll now head north to join the Jays organization. Wick has struggled in Triple-A this season, accumulating an 8.60 ERA and 1.76 WHIP through 30.1 frames. If he's able to get things under control with Triple-A Buffalo, Wick could join the MLB roster as bullpen depth later this season.
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Blue Jays' Paul DeJong: Batting eighth in team debut
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DeJong is starting at shortstop and batting eighth in his Blue Jays debut Wednesday versus the Orioles.
Acquired from the Cardinals ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline, DeJong should get something close to everyday starts at short for the Jays while Bo Bichette recovers from a bout of patellar tendinitis in his right knee. DeJong, 30, was slashing .233/.297/.412 with 13 home runs and four stolen bases through 81 games this season for St. Louis.
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Blue Jays' Nate Pearson: Optioned to Buffalo
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Toronto optioned Pearson to Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Pearson allowed four earned runs on one hit and three walks in a one-inning appearance Tuesday against the Orioles as his season ERA climbed to 5.31. Thomas Hatch is replacing him in the Blue Jays' bullpen.
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Blue Jays' Thomas Hatch: Recalled from Triple-A
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Toronto recalled Hatch from Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.
The 28-year-old right-hander will replace Nate Pearson in the Blue Jays' bullpen ahead of Wednesday night's game against the Orioles. Hatch holds a career 5.28 ERA and 43:25 K:BB in 44.1 innings of work at the major-league level.
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Blue Jays' Bo Bichette: Lands on IL with knee tendinitis
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Bichette was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with right patellar tendinitis, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
Bichette tweaked his knee in Monday's series opener against the Orioles and needs an extended break for rest and treatment. Blue Jays manager John Schneider declined Wednesday to put a timetable on the star shortstop's return, telling Kaitlyn McGrath of The Athletic that "we got to see how he does." Tuesday's trade deadline acquisition of Paul DeJong from the Cardinals has suddenly proven a lot more important for Toronto.
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Blue Jays' Jordan Romano: Begins flat-ground throwing
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Romano (back) played catch on flat ground Wednesday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Romano picked up a baseball for the first time since he landed on the 15-day injured list this past Saturday due to lower-back inflammation. He could advance to mound work sometime this weekend and might be able to return to the Blue Jays when first eligible Aug. 13. Yimi Garcia logged the most recent save for Toronto last Friday against the Angels, and the Jays also added Jordan Hicks from the Cardinals ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline. Once Romano is healthy, however, he shouldn't face any competition for saves.
Belt went 2-for-4 with a double and a solo home run in Tuesday's 13-3 loss to the Orioles.
Not much went right for the Blue Jays in this one, but Belt supplied their final bit of offense by taking Kyle Bradish deep in the third inning. The veteran first baseman is slashing .209/.341/.478 since the beginning of July, launching five of his nine homers on the year in 19 games over that stretch.
