The Phillies are trading minor league reliever Ryan Burr to the Blue Jays, reports Shi Davidi of Sportsnet (X link). The return isn’t clear, but trades of this nature tend to be for cash considerations.
Burr signed a minor league contract with Philadelphia in January. He was not on their 40-man roster and won’t need to immediately occupy a spot on the 40-man for the Jays (unless his contract contained some kind of upward mobility clause that spurred the trade). Burr has posted huge numbers for the Phils’ top farm team, so Toronto could decide to quickly call him up.
If Burr does get a look with the Jays, it’d be his first MLB work since 2022. The right-hander pitched in parts of four seasons with the White Sox between 2019-22. He had his best year in 2021, turning in a 2.45 ERA in a personal-high 36 2/3 innings. Chicago released him the following season after he suffered an injury in Triple-A. He pitched in the minors with the Rays last year, working to a 3.09 ERA over 23 1/3 innings. Tampa Bay never called him up, leading him to the Phils via minor league free agency.
He’s out to an even better start with Philadelphia’s affiliate. Burr has allowed only four runs in 16 2/3 innings. He has punched out 29 of 67 opposing hitters, a massive 43.3% clip, against a 7.5% walk rate. He has fanned nearly a third of his opponents in 40 Triple-A frames over the last two seasons.
Philadelphia’s bullpen has been around average at preventing runs, working to a 3.90 ERA that ranks 16th in MLB. They’re seventh in strikeout rate, fanning nearly a quarter of batters faced. Toronto’s relief group has been much shaker. They’re 27th with a 19.6% strikeout percentage and have allowed 4.77 earned runs per nine. Only the Rockies and Rangers have a higher bullpen ERA.
The Phils only have two relievers with minor league options: Orion Kerkering and Gregory Soto. Kerkering is one of their best relievers, while Soto’s a veteran with a power arm who is playing on a $5MM salary. Toronto has already optioned the struggling Erik Swanson and could send down one of Génesis Cabrera, Nate Pearson or Zach Pop if they want to give Burr a look against MLB hitters. Burr has a pair of options, so the Jays could shuttle him back and forth from Triple-A if they add him to the 40-man roster.
What, Raymond wasn’t available?
I’m here for the Burr puns, and 3…2…1…
If only Josh Hamilton still was playing
Man that’s cold
You’re old
That’s cold. Burrrr.
You’re a dumpster, how does it feel taking in everybody’s junk?
Well played, good sir!
I’m hearing Bo Bichette might be headed to the Dodgers.
Source? I’m in Toronto and haven’t heard specifics. Thanks
Ken Rosenthal has made some claims of the sort in the Athletic. You can Google Search Bichette Dodgers Trade. I’ve also heard him heading to SFG.
Either way, I think the Jays should unload him as their window of contention seems to have closed.
I’ve heard Rosenthal speculate about players to watch come trade season and that includes Bichette. The Dodgers engaged the Jays on him in the offseason and recent reports were that teams are calling the Jays on him now. But that’s speculative. I think it’s a natural fit. They’ve traded with each other in the past. The Dodgers could use a SS and have the types of pieces the Jays would want. You kind of also get the sense in Toronto though that they are probably going to be stubborn and play it out through ’25.
Hoping to see a matchup next month of Burr vs. David Hamilton and see a duel of the century when the Phils take on the Red Sox. Just you wait!
Thanks RunDMC, you’ve restored my faith in my fellow posters, we all deserve a chuckle now and then
To get to Toronto, he’s going to have to go through Hamilton if he gets a shot.
I dont get it
@Dumpster Divin Theo
There’s a highway from Niagara Falls to Toronto that runs through Hamilton.
JD, I was slow on the uptake, well done
I myself prefer dueling banjos, although Ned Beatty may disagree
I didn’t expect to see a Deliverance reference on MLBTR in 2024 but here we are
One of the great cult movies ever. Don’t need any pig references though.
I wonder who wins this transaction, the BlueJays or the Phillies. Lets see….
Dave Dombrowski who has helped build four different franchises (Marlins, Tigers, Red Sox, Phillies) into pennant-winning teams, and he has won the World Series twice — with the Marlins in 1997 and the Red Sox in 2018.
or
Ross Atkins who has done nothing except ride Anthopolous’ coat-tails in 2015/16 before blowing apart the organization never to be that successful again under his tenure.
In other words, Ryan Burr is dumpster diving fodder.
@jimmertee
Dombrowski is a champ. Too bad the Marlins owner was too cheap. They could have been a dynasty.
Jays had a chance to hire him instead of Ricciardi and didn’t. Too bad.
The glorification of AA has to stop. He did nothing until his last 3 months with the team when he traded away the farm for a .500 team that he had built and then quit when the cupboard was bare. He then inherited one of the best teams in baseball in Atlanta.
@MagRupe
We’re talking Dombrowski not AA. AA is one of the worst in the game. Wouldn’t trade him for a bag of used baseballs.
MagRupe no argument here. Until late-July 2015 his run with the Jays was a failure.
Org filler. No biggie.
Where are other contending teams?
Never put off for tomorrow, what you can do today, said burr
Highlands Ranch still repping.
He had a June 1 opt out clause, reported in the Athletic.Didn’t have a spot open in Philly unfortunately, since Dominguez has pitched better of late and Ruiz has looked good.
As the article noted, it looks like Burr was spurred. U-RR pretty accURate.
Guilty on 34 counts of destroying OUR JAYS !!
shapiro and his useless GM atkins have to GO !!
If I never see Soto take the mound for the Phillies again, I’ll be one happy camper. We’ve lacked a RH bat off the bench since Day 1. Vierling would look pretty good in that capacity.
Dombro hasn’t made many bad moves since he took over GM duties from Matt Klentak, but trading Vierling for Soto was one. Besides, with Alvarez and Strahm as left relievers, who needs Soto?
JMHO, but I believe Matt Strahm should be our closer going forward. The guy has been lights out fantastic this year.
Backup is correct on Soto. Prefer Hoffman as my closer. Not a fan of Thompson. Keep up the good work back.
“If I never see Soto take the mound for the Phillies again, I’ll be one happy camper.” I’m in total agreement with you on that statement!
Has anyone else noticed? I felt Soto did good when he first came over to the Phillies and still had his dreadlocks. Once he cut them off, his pitching went downhill.
If so, grow them back!
Tigers fan here, was pretty happy Soto was gone. Sure he throws hard, but can’t control it. Didn’t really know Vierling, but didn’t care at the time. He’s turned into one of our few bats in the lineup, which is more of a shot at the lineup than a boost for him, but he’s been fairly consistent, offensively anyways
I think it’s still too early to judge the Vierling for Soto trade considering The Phillies also got Kody Clemens in that deal & he has been pretty solid thus far this season. And Edmundo Sosa has proved that he can be that Right Handed bat from off the bench. They also have Merrifield however he’s had a slow start to the season but I’m pretty sure he will turn it around. What The Phillies need is a RHP that can come in and close games or close out an important inning. Mason Miller or Ryan Helsley would make The Phillies DANGEROUS. St Louis is creeping up on the standings however so they may be buyers opposed to sellers.