As part of a series of roster moves, the Blue Jays have designated infielder Gift Ngoepe for assignment, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports (Twitter links). Toronto purchased the contract of righty Luis Santos, necessitating a 40-man spot, while fellow right-hander Joe Biagini is also being called up.
One of the active roster spots needed was opened by optioning righty reliever Danny Barnes. The other came free with the club placing utilityman Steve Pearce on the 10-day with a strained oblique.
Ngoepe, 28, was acquired from the over the winter. He has long been seen as a quality defender with a questionable bat, and he has not done much to dispel that perception with a dozen strikeouts in just 19 MLB plate appearances this year.
As for Santos, he re-joined the organization on a minors deal over the winter. The 27-year-old turned in solid results in his first taste of the majors last year and has gotten results thus far in 2018 at Triple-A. Santos has thrown 9 1/3 innings over five relief appearances this year at Buffalo, allowing just two earned runs on six hits — but with a less-than-promising 8:6 K/BB ratio.
The bad news here for the Jays is that they’ll have to go without Pearce for a stretch — the anticipated duration of which is not yet known. Propensity for injury has long been the knock on the 35-year-old, who has slashed a robust .270/.333/.492 through 69 plate appearances on the season to date.
Shame they had to option Barnes for all this roster juggling
He’s been alright, but he has kind of struggled of late.
He’d be fine if the starting rotation stopped sucking. He’s on pace to push 80 innings.
Ngoepe i hope you enjoyed your time in the bigs!
When he left AAA his manager told him to have a day in Toronto……..and he did – one day.
Lots of decks chairs movng on the titanic. lol.
The titanic? I think you’re thinking of the dodgers or twins
Orioles.
Toronto has been decent bud lol
My gift is my curse.
I don’t understand, they optioned Barnes after game 1? Can you do that?
Yes, they can. CLE called up a relief pitcher from Columbus between games since they placed Goody on the DL, and he relieved Plutko. In 1976 or ‘77 I remember two teams made a trade between games of a double header, and the players switched teams for the 2nd game. One of the teams was Montreal, and I don’t recall the other team.
expos / mets – joel youngblood traded between games i believe
That’s a name
Steve Pearce on the DL……in other news, water is wet……
Pearce reminds me of Mark Carreon who was with the Mets and Tigers primarily (late 80s & 90s). He was everything you’d want in an everyday player when he wasn’t injured which wasn’t often.
I wonder if the Mets would have any interest in a Matt Harvey for Devon Travis and a lottery ticket prospect trade
Why would the Jays do that? Unless Atkins and Shapiro are drunk during the deal.
Yes, because if Harvey can’t cut it in the NL, why not see what he can do in the AL East? Lol
They look like skimmed milk type of guys.
Are you high?
Harvey isn’t worth the Jersey he’s wearing. Frickin gas can out there
Harvey needs to go to a team who is in the early stages of tanking (MIA) or one that is about to disintegrate (BAL/TEX). In those cases he wouldn’t disrupt the chemistry regardless of performance. Right now he’s best suited for an “it just doesn’t matter” atmosphere.
Harvey needs to either end up in Pittsburgh or in Japan to try and figure himself out. Pittsburgh always seems to turn around pitchers even Houston could do good but obviously they have no reason to take him.
Devon Travis is worth much more than a Matt Hravey and every GM in the league knows that.
Although Travis is fragile, he can play. Whne he is right, he can ignite a team. It was him and Bautista who carried the team way back when during the month of May.
Travis needs to play on grass pure and simple. He cannot run around on turf and do the shifts etc.
Since he is so cheap, there would be plenty of team interested in a trade for Travis.
Jays infield has been dirt for like 3 years mr #scoutseyes genius
There is no reason to ever insult anyone in these pages. Please be professional.
In case you haven’t noticed, very little time for a 2nd baseman is actually spent on the dirt. They play much deeper and are constantly shifting on the turf.
Devon Travis needs to play on grass. And the infield dirt at Rogers centre is rock hard, not like running around on grass.
That’s why they need money for stadium upgrades and renovations. It’s not all about concourses and craft beer concessions.
Jays fans have paid enough the last few years for those upgrades. That money is going to the network’s stupid albatross of a hockey deal.
I don’t think Travis will ever be a true regular. But he still has some value. Harvey is a nice buy low candidate and the Jays have had some recent success with pitchers especially focusing on off speed stuff which I think Harvey needs to do after his velocity drop. Harvey has a higher ceiling than Travis and if he can perform a Verlander like turn around flipping him next year could accelerate a rebuild lacking any prospect depth. I’d rather attempt to recoup some value from Travis before we release him at seasons end.
Harvey reached the ceiling. He’s not getting back there.