The Blue Jays have claimed right-hander Matt Peacock off waivers from the Royals, as first reported by USA Today’s Bob Nightengale (Twitter link). Kansas City had designated Peacock for assignment last week.
Peacock, 28, has split the 2022 season so far between the Diamondbacks and Royals, yielding six runs in 10 big league innings. The former 23rd-round pick debuted with the D-backs last season but posted a pedestrian 4.90 ERA over 86 1/3 innings, logging an ugly 13% strikeout rate in that time. However, Peacock also posted a strong 7.7% walk rate and an outstanding 59.2% ground-ball rate in his debut campaign, and his rate stats from this season’s small sample of work generally match those displayed in his rookie effort.
He’s still only pitched 18 career innings at the Triple-A level, and the resulting 7.50 ERA isn’t much to look at. Peacock, though, has a 3.02 mark through a much larger sample of 116 2/3 innings at the Double-A level and has a history of huge ground-ball rates and low walk rates. He’s in his second minor league option year, so if the Jays hang onto him for more than a brief stint, he can be optioned freely both this year and next. If nothing else, he’ll provide some short-term depth to a staff that hasn’t performed up to expectations this year.
The Toronto pitching staff ranks 22nd in baseball with a 4.15 ERA and 16th with a 4.01 FIP. Part of that has been due to injury. Hyun Jin Ryu is done for the season and much of next following June’s Tommy John surgery. Nate Pearson has yet to throw a big league frame owing to both a lengthy bout of mononucleosis and now a lat strain. In the bullpen — Peacock’s likely role — the Jays are currently without Yimi Garcia and Julian Merryweather.
That said, the Jays also haven’t gotten the contributions they expected or hoped for from some key members of the staff. Jose Berrios and Yusei Kikuchi have struggled for much of the season in the rotation, as has Trevor Richards in the bullpen. Jordan Romano’s numbers overall are strong, but he’s hit a few bumps in the road after notching a 1.35 ERA through the season’s first month (4.02 ERA, 15.7% walk rate over his past 15 2/3 innings).
i honestly think it’s time to get rid of that drunk Pete Walker. sure he has had some success in the past. but this year has been an absolute disaster for jays pitcher.
He’s probably drunk on the job, maybe old man TLR will bring him on to the staff like the quality man that he is.
Great pickup LMAo
We need the depth and doesn’t cost anything. Haters be haters, learn how baseball works.
Sal Banda , Nomo Romo , Brad ( no feathers to strut) Peacock . Now we got a bullpen to fear
Brad Hand pissed me off last year. Key games blown down the stretch. Still blame him for missing the post season.
McGuire’s favourite teammate
That’s because you’re ridiculous.
If it was Brad peacock would have helped
Jays are reeling and trying to hope this guy remembers how to pitch, despite his horrible 2022 stats.
None of this is a surprise. All of this BlueJays mess is on Atkins and Shapiro. Much of the pitching staff decisions are poor and were called so at the time.
Ryu was called as a 3 year guy when he was signed. The trade for Julian Merryweather was called very poor at the time as he was a fragile righty and would only be a setup guy if healthy. Kikuchi signing was called plain bad at the time. Pearson is being ruined by stretching him out when he is clearly a one inning bullpen guy only. Anthony Kay could be a great one inning max effort releiver in the bigs but the BlueJays insist on multiple innings and he can’t do it.
All the Atkins dumpster diving is not going to produce the QUALITY depth that is needed to win a championship. In the 7 years of Shaprio and Atkins there has been ONE homegrown starter produced and a handful of relievers. It is time for a change of the baseball decision making executive of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Great points and agree. .What Kickuki really needs is a shrink.
Thank you Johnny Superscout
No problem kid. Anything I can do to help.
Mr. NBC.
Peacock? Blue Jays? This story is for the birds…
Lol come up from the basement and get one of mommy’s cookies. You deserve it for that joke
Yea walker is taking some heat for sure most likely not all on him tho. Unless he pushed for Kikuchi but I doubt that. Even tho Berrios isn’t doing great the prospects they traded for him have fallen off especially Martin so there ahead there IMO. They have 5 picks in the 1st 100 this draft I believe they have to trade some of what they have in the system now for a pitcher with at least 1.5 years left