The Blue Jays announced Friday that they’ve designated lefty Ryan Feierabend for assignment and optioned both Billy McKinney and Richard Urena to Triple-A Buffalo. Those moves pave the way for the previously reported promotion of prospect Cavan Biggio, the addition of Zac Rosscup (claimed yesterday from the Mariners) to the active roster and the return of Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Toronto also placed righty Elvis Luciano on the bereavement list and recalled lefty Thomas Pannone in his place.
It was a brief return to the Majors for Feierabend, who is looking to resurrect his big league career as knuckleballer. The two games in which he appeared were his first in the Majors since he made six appearances for the Rangers in 2014. Prior to that, he’d been out of the big leagues since 2008.
The 33-year-old Feierabend enjoyed a four-year run in the Korea Baseball Organization in that 2014-18 gap between MLB stints. If he passes through waivers, he could very well return to the Jays’ Triple-A club and work toward another look. He began throwing a knuckler while pitching overseas and was reasonably sharp in 16 2/3 innings with Buffalo before being promoted earlier this week (2.70 ERA, 13 strikeouts, six walks).
Why not just designate Luciano too
They should at least find a phantom injury for that guy and buy him a 30-day rehab stretch in the minors (where he belongs).
This. Only has to be active for 90 days. Counting September there’s only a couple more weeks needed. No reason why a couple of DL stints (inflimmation of the ERA) couldn’t be worked into the equation.
Or at least work out a trade with KC so they can keep him and option him down.
I don’t really understand that pick. Even if they wanted him, he’d probably be at least available in the rule 5 draft for the next two or three years. Let KC develop him and then snatch him up. Unless their guy was picked ahead of him, they should’ve added someone else.
No reason to designate the rule 5 player when you are a rebuilding team. Jays clearly believe Luciano will be a good arm to have in the future. I’m sure he will be sent down in 2020 to start and improve. Until then he may as well stay put, bad outings and all.
Luciano is a Rule 5 pick. He has to be on the mlb roster.
It’s a unfortunate situation to be in if you’re Toronto.
Luciano almost mirrors San Diego’s decision to keep Luis Perdomo a few years ago even though he got shelled and when he wasn’t the club stashed him in the bullpen and never used him except in blowouts.
When you’re trying to find talent any way possible you have to explore every option possible. Rule V has been good, but still a lot of misses.
John Mozaliack (Cardinals GM) I know I butchered the last name, but he came out and said that the Padres were not doing the right thing by drafting Perdomo and a year later plucking Allen Córdoba from their system. His issue was that these guys would rot on the bench in a lost developmental year which could totally kill their career.
He wasn’t far off in what he was saying, and I’m a Padres fan.
Córdoba might play for the Padres again someday, who knows? Luis Torrens is buried behind a lot of better catcher is the organization and Luis Perdomo is a bullpen arm at best.
Maybe the rule should change where you don’t have to keep a guy a full 162, the rule seems rather silly to acquire what could or could not be an impact player. Allow teams to be more flexible with their rosters.
I could see the Mariners picking him up. A little reunion and they could use a fresh AAA pitcher
Luciano has an elite arm but not a repeatable delivery.I like the idea of doing a deal with KC to send him down.
Good to see both Biggio and Gurriel called up, hope they show well. Urena needs to stay too.
Pannone better be used as an opener or in the pen or we can expect him to be bombed regularly.
Good that Mckinney is going down. He really needs to focus on hitting to all fields better. Once he nails that he can be a very good MLB level player.
I can agree with this.