The Blue Jays have selected the contract of right-hander Casey Lawrence and designated infielder Gosuke Katoh for assignment. In another corresponding move, left-hander Andrew Vasquez was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo.
Lawrence is now on the verge of his first appearance in The Show since the 2018 season. The righty posted a 6.64 ERA over 78 2/3 innings with the Blue Jays and Mariners in 2017-18, and after being let go by the Mariners following that 2018 campaign, Lawrence pitched in Japan in 2019 and inked a minors deal with the Twins prior to the 2020 season, but ended up not pitching at all due to the canceled minor league season.
Lawrence returned to the Jays on another minors deal in 2021 and he has posted some solid numbers with Triple-A Buffalo as a starter and reliever for the last two seasons. He’ll most likely work out of Toronto’s bullpen as a long man, though he could provide some extra depth behind Ross Stripling and Yusei Kikuchi. Normally a swingman, Stripling has been filling in for the injured Hyun Jin Ryu, while Kikuchi has been inconsistent thus far in the 2022 season.
A longtime member of the Yankees farm system, Katoh bounced around to the Marlins, Padres, and Blue Jays on minor league contracts over the last three seasons before finally getting his first MLB opportunity this season with Toronto. Katoh had only one hit over 11 PA but he also walked three times and scored two runs while playing some first base and second base.
This is 100% for the start tonight so they don’t blow the pen cause Kikuchi is starting and they don’t have anyone in the pen to give multi innings when he inevitably is done after 3 innings.
Sad but true
Well, that didn’t age well. As a Yankee fan, I wish it had.
Lol!
Gosuke is worth keeping on the MLB club.. Lawrence is a terrible MLB pitcher unless he is doing PEDs. He does not belong in the big leagues. Mat Latos here we go.
Come on home, Gosuke! Maybe you can slot into EP’s lineup…
He should just go to Japan to play. Would not be a foreign player since he was born an raised there until he was 13.
Gosuke was born in Mountain View, California.
Also, he has the best walk-up music on the team.
Perhaps you’re confusing him with somebody else, Hideki-san?
So then he should play for the A’s or Giants?
His parents are Japanese and he lived in Japan from 3-6 years old. I’m not familiar w the rules in Japan on whether he’s still considered foreign w that lineage.
From WIKI:
“Any person born in wedlock to at least one Japanese parent is automatically a Japanese national, regardless of the place of birth. Children born in Japan to parents who are stateless or have an unknown status may become Japanese nationals after three years of residence.”
Like I said he should just leave to Japan he’s not a foreign player he can sign right away and make some decent $ instead of crap minor league pay.
Should’ve designated Zimmer & his .067 batting average & – 15 OPS+
They have Zimmer who is totally useless. DFA Him. Jimmer is 100% correct in that Lawrence (6,64ERa) is outta his depth coming any wheere near a MLB game. If he pitches tonite, whiich would onlly occur if kikuchi can’t go 4 solid, the final score will see the Yanks with double digits. Egads!
Zimmer is not a MLB level player. And Atkins essentially traded Anthony and Palicous for him. Stupidity reigns.
Welcome back, Casey.