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Blake Walston To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

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Diamondbacks left-hander Blake Walston will undergo Tommy John surgery, manager Torey Lovullo tells Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports. The southpaw will therefore miss the entire 2025 season and likely a decent chunk of 2026 as well.

Walston, 24 in June, was the 26th overall pick of the 2019 draft. His results as a minor league have been mixed. By the end of 2022, he had climbed as high as Double-A. Overall, he had 230 2/3 innings under his belt. He had a 4.25 earned run average, 27.7% strikeout rate and 8.3% walk rate.

In 2023, he was promoted to the Triple-A Reno Aces, a club that plays in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. He has since tossed 214 1/3 innings at that level with a 4.62 ERA, 17.9% strikeout rate and 12.9% walk rate. He also made his major league debut in 2024, posting a 4.42 ERA in 18 1/3 innings. He spent a little over two months on the injured list due to left elbow inflammation, perhaps an omen for today’s news.

Walston’s surgery is obviously not great for his development. As a former first-round pick and notable prospect in the system, spending a year on the shelf is a lost opportunity, when he would ideally be continuing to refine his craft.

For the Diamondbacks and their pitching depth, they’re probably not so worried about the short term. Their current rotation mix is loaded. They have seven viable rotation candidates in Corbin Burnes, Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Rodríguez, Brandon Pfaadt, Jordan Montgomery and Ryne Nelson. A few injuries throughout the season are inevitable but the Snakes also have Drey Jameson, Cristian Mena, Yilber Díaz, Tommy Henry and Joe Elbis on the 40-man roster.

But Gallen, Montgomery and Kelly are each slated for free agency at the end of this season. Burnes has an opt-out chance after 2026. Rodriguez is only guaranteed through 2027. The club is surely hoping that some of their younger pitchers step up and get themselves in position to take over those jobs down the road. But in Walston’s case, he’ll be on ice for a year-plus. Once he’s healthy, he’ll then have to play catch-up and get himself back into the mix.

Rafael Devers Reportedly Considered Asking For Trade

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The Red Sox made a big free agent splash by signing Alex Bregman, but it seems to have led to some unintended consequences. Rafael Devers has clearly not been enthused by the addition and Sean McAdam of MassLive reports that Devers even considered asking for a trade.

Whether he actually asked for a trade or not isn’t known. He spoke to the media yesterday, saying that he had some private conversations with chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and manager Álex Cora, but without going into detail about how those conversations went.

He struck a conciliatory tone yesterday, saying that he will play wherever the team tells him to play, but he previously made it clear that he would prefer to stay at third base. When discussing the situation a month ago, he insisted that he was a third baseman and intended to stay a third baseman.

When he signed a mega extension in January of 2023, Devers was promised he could be the club’s long-term third baseman. However, that promise was made under CBO Chaim Bloom, who is no longer with the club. The latest drama suggests the Breslow regime isn’t so committed to keeping that promise. Per McAdam’s report today, Devers was assured throughout this offseason that the speculation surrounding Boston’s interest in Bregman and Nolan Arenado were just speculative.

Once Bregman signed, some believed that he would take over second base, with Devers staying at third. But more recently, Bregman has continued to line up at the hot corner during spring contests, making it seem as though a move to second base isn’t an immediate concern. Devers has been slow-playing his spring ramp up. He had some soreness in both shoulders last year and spent the winter trying to strengthen both of them. He came into camp a bit behind everyone else and has been taking part in some live BP and intrasquad games, but no official action yet.

While no public declaration has been made, it certainly seems as though the plan is for Bregman to take over third base while Devers serves as the designated hitter. It’s always been expected that Devers would be moved off the hot corner, since he’s not a good fielder. He has tallies of -62 Defensive Runs Saved and -29 Outs Above Average in his career. Moving to first base or DH at some point has been seen as inevitable, but this seems to have arrived sooner than anyone anticipated, certainly sooner than what Devers had been promised a couple of years ago.

While he shifted his public comments, it’s anyone’s guess if he has changed his private feelings on the matter. It will be a situation to watch throughout the season, as little is carved in stone. Bregman’s deal affords him opt-out chances after each year, so it’s possible he could be gone by November. Maybe Devers will be able to take his position again in 2026 but the club probably still considers him a liability there.

His deal runs through 2033, so a move to first base or DH feels like his eventually destiny, but perhaps he can carve out a few more years at third before that becomes permanent. Notably, that deal does not afford him any no-trade protection. If the relationship between Devers and the front office is damaged beyond repair, they could freely trade him wherever they want without having to worry about his preferences. As noted by McAdam, the team isn’t going to publicly say anything if they are trying to trade Devers, since that would be bad for leverage. And there’s no indication that they have any plans on making him available.

How the dominos fall over the rest of this year and into the future could have other impacts. Triston Casas projects as the club’s regular first baseman for now. Masataka Yoshida is not a great defensive outfielder, which makes him another DH candidate. With Devers now perhaps moving off third, Yoshida might have to spend more time in the outfield next to Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela and Roman Anthony. Prospect Kristian Campbell is another outfield candidate but he can also play second base. Then again, the club has Trevor Story at short with prospect Marcelo Mayer working into the middle infield mix.

Given all those moving pieces, there are have been trade rumors surrounding Casas, Yoshida and Abreu over the winter. The idea of Devers being available never seemed to be a consideration but is perhaps a bit more feasible in light of the apparent souring of relations over the past month. If a Devers trade becomes a realistic possibility at some point in the future, it could also impact Arenado’s market. The Cards weren’t able to execute an Arenado trade this offseason but would probably try again at the deadline or in future offseasons.

Rafael Devers Discusses Role With Red Sox

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Ever since the Red Sox signed Alex Bregman, there’s been an unanswered question about how he’ll fit onto the roster. The club already had Rafael Devers at third base and he seemed disinterested in moving anywhere else when discussing the matter last month. Devers spoke with the media again today with a slightly different tone, as relayed by reporters including Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic and Sean McAdam of MassLive.

Devers revealed that he has shared some thoughts with chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and manager Álex Cora, but didn’t go into detail about what he said in those conversations. “We spoke already, and I’m good to do whatever they want me to do,” said Devers through translator Daveson Perez. “I’m here to help. I’ve already spoken with them about that, and they know where I stand. I’m just ready to play.”

He was also asked how he would feel if he were the designated hitter on Opening Day, with Bregman at third. “Good,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s not my decision. I don’t call the shots around here. So I feel good. I’ll go out there and do what I need to do.”

There are a few elements making the situation awkward. Bregman is clearly the better defender, for one. For his career, Devers has tallies of -62 Defensive Runs Saved and -29 Outs Above Average at the hot corner. Bregman has +27 DRS and +22 OAA. Devers also battled soreness in both shoulders last year and spent most of the winter trying to build strength in those shoulders. He has been a bit behind schedule in terms of game action. He still hasn’t appeared in any official spring contests, just live batting practice and intrasquad games.

Devers tried to downplay the issue with his shoulders today. “I really don’t know why there’s been such a big deal made about my shoulders,” Devers said. “Since the first day here at camp, I’ve been saying that my shoulders are good, and that they’re good right now. So I don’t know why it’s been put out there, the rumors of my shoulders being bad, but they’re good right now.”

Though there are on-paper reasons to put Bregman at third, Devers has understandably been less than thrilled by the changes. Last month, he said that he was promised he could be a long-term third baseman when he signed his ten-year extension in January of 2023. But it was implied by Cora that the third base promise was made by previous CBO Chaim Bloom, who was later fired and now works for the Cardinals.

It had been speculated that the Sox could move Bregman to second base, where he has some limited experience, while having Devers at third. But Bregman has only been at the hot corner during spring, so moving him to the keystone doesn’t seem to be in the short-term plans. Perhaps that suggests Devers will be a primary designated hitter this year, though no firm declarations to that effect have been publicly made by any team personnel.

If Devers is the DH on something like an everyday basis, that would mean Masataka Yoshida would have to be in the outfield mix. It’s possible that Yoshida could start the season on the IL due to his own shoulder injury, though he may have to try to crack the outfield mix whenever he’s healthy.

As of now, Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu project as the regular outfielders, though Abreu will start the season on the IL as he recovers from a gastrointestinal virus. Rob Refsnyder might get more playing time in the short term, or perhaps non-roster invitee Trayce Thompson. As the season goes along, prospects Roman Anthony and Kristian Campbell might factor in, though Campbell could also take the second base job if Bregman isn’t in it. Guys like David Hamilton, Romy González, Nick Sogard or Vaughn Grissom could hold the keystone for the time being.

There are still many moving pieces and the arrangement on Opening Day might be very different from the way the club lines up throughout the year, depending on health and performance. But it will be a situation worth watching, both this year and down the road. Bregman can opt out of his contract after each year, so he might not be in Boston in 2026. However, Devers’ poor defense has often led to speculation about him moving to first base or DH at some point. If the Sox decide to move him off now, they may not want to move him back next year even if Bregman is gone.

For now, Devers has made his position clear to the club’s decision makers but has also accepted that the situation is out of his control. “I just want to help the team win,” he said today. “At the end of the day, whatever position I’m playing, I always take these things as a competition and as a way to get better. That’s how I see it, I’m ready to help the team win.”

Tigers Acquire Bailey Horn

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The Tigers have acquired left-hander Bailey Horn from the Cardinals in exchange for cash considerations, according to announcements from both clubs. The southpaw was designated for assignment earlier today when the Cards signed Phil Maton. Detroit had an open 40-man spot after putting José Urquidy on the 60-day injured list recently. They have already optioned Horn to Triple-A Toledo.

The Tigers clearly have a fondness for Horn. The Red Sox put him on waivers in November, with the Tigers putting in a claim at that time. He stuck on the Detroit roster for over a month but he was bumped off when they signed Gleyber Torres in December, which led to the Cardinals claiming Horn off waivers. As mentioned, he was DFA’d by St. Louis just a few hours ago but the Tigers quickly pounced and put down some cash to acquire him again.

Horn, 27, has a very limited major league profile. He debuted with Boston last year, allowing 13 earned runs in 18 innings. His 14.8% strikeout rate and 11.4% walk rate in that time were both subpar numbers.

Detroit is surely putting more weight in Horn’s minor league numbers, where he has shown huge strikeout potential but also a lack of control. From 2021 to 2024, he logged 213 1/3 innings for various minor league clubs with a combined 4.26 ERA. His 12.7% walk rate on the farm is certainly high but he also punched out 29% of batters faced.

As mentioned, Horn has already been optioned, so the Tigers seem to view him as a depth arm for the time being. He can head to Triple-A and try to rein in his control, while being shuttled to the majors when necessary. Tyler Holton will give Detroit one lefty at the big league level, while Andrew Chafin could give them another if his contract is selected. Brant Hurter might be in the mix but likely more as a long man. Horn and Sean Guenther give the club a couple of optionable southpaws to be called upon as needed.

Tyler Stephenson To Get MRI On Back

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Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson was scratched from Wednesday’s lineup due to some back pain, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reported yesterday. Today, manager Terry Francona tells Sheldon that the backstop is headed for an MRI.

“He’s going to be fine,” Francona said yesterday. “It just didn’t seem to make sense to push something through.” While Francona downplayed the severity of the issue yesterday, the fact that Stephenson is going for an MRI today suggests that it perhaps didn’t improve as hoped in the past 24 hours or so.

Ideally, the MRI will find nothing and Stephenson can be back in the lineup soon, but it will be a situation worth monitoring since the Reds don’t have a ton of depth behind the plate. Stephenson and Jose Trevino are the only two catchers on the 40-man roster at the moment. Trevino is an excellent defender but has hit just .236/.275/.362 in his career, production which translates to a wRC+ of 74.

Stephenson, on the other hand, isn’t well regarded behind the plate but has hit .267/.343/.427 in his career for a 106 wRC+. He is likely to take the bulk of the time at the catching position, though Trevino would have to step up if Stephenson needed to miss any time. That would be an upgrade defensively but a downgrade offensively.

The club would also need to figure out who to add to the roster alongside Trevino. Austin Wynns is a veteran who is in camp as a non-roster invitee. His defense is generally ranked as adequate but he has only hit .230/.277/.332 in his 673 big league plate appearances, leading to a 65 wRC+. He played for the Reds a bit last year and they re-signed him to a minor league deal, so they clearly like him as a depth option.

The chart will look fairly thin if Stephenson needs time on the injured list, though some other players might shake loose as camps break. Players like Tomás Nido (Tigers), Reese McGuire (Cubs) and Luke Maile (Royals) are currently NRIs with other clubs and might be available as final roster decisions are made in the coming weeks. Though for the Reds, they best-case scenario would just be a healthy Stephenson.

MLBTR Podcast: Lawrence Butler’s Extension, Gerrit Cole’s TJ, And Rays’ Ownership Pressured To Sell

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The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…

Plus, we answer your questions, including…

  • Will the Cubs win the NL Central and how would you rank the AL Central clubs? (34:25)
  • Will the spring injuries lead to some deals and keep the hot stove burning into April? (41:35)
  • Should fans of the Dodgers be worried by how many old/injury-prone players are on the roster? (47:50)

Check out our past episodes!

The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff.  Check out their Facebook page here!

NL West Notes: Graveman, Seidler, Murphy

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Diamondbacks right-hander Kendall Graveman has been battling some back tightness in camp and still hasn’t appeared in a Spring Training game. Manager Torey Lovullo tells Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports that the issue cropped up again yesterday after throwing live batting practice. Weiner relays that Graveman appears to be questionable for Opening Day.

The Snakes signed Graveman to a one-year, $1.35MM deal less than a month ago. The modest price is a reflection of the fact that Graveman missed the 2024 season recovering from shoulder surgery. The D’Backs have made a modest bet that he could bounce back to his pre-surgery form. From 2021 to 2023, he tossed 187 1/3 relief innings with a 2.74 earned run average, 24.5% strikeout rate, 10.4% walk rate and 48.9% ground ball rate.

If healthy, Graveman would be one of the club’s key leverage relievers, alongside guys like A.J. Puk, Kevin Ginkel and Justin Martínez. This back issue doesn’t seem to be a major concern but isn’t the ideal way for him to start down the comeback trail. Opening Day is still two weeks away, which gives him some time, but it will be a situation to watch for the Diamondbacks and their fans.

More notes from around the National League West…

  • John Seidler is now officially the control person of the Padres, reports Dennis Lin of The Athletic. The brother of the later Peter Seidler, John was approved by the league as control person over a month ago. Despite the league approval, it was noted at that time that the transfer would not become official until all the paperwork was complete on John becoming the trustee of Peter’s trust. Lin relays that the process with the trust is now complete, making John the official control person. After Peter’s death, the duties of control person were handled by his previous business partner Eric Kutsenda on an interim basis. There is an ongoing legal dispute over control of the club in the wake of Peter’s passing, with his widow Sheel filing suit against his brothers.
  • Giants catcher Tom Murphy continues to be on the shelf. The club informed reporters, including Justice delos Santos of The Mercury News, that Murphy would require another epidural injection this week. He’ll be doing rehab only for the next two weeks, meaning no baseball activities. That makes him a lock for the injured list to start the season. That’s not a shock, since it was reported in late February that he has a herniated disc in his mid-back area and would be getting an epidural injection that would sideline him for weeks. He’s now getting a second shot and is still not close. Murphy has flashed a potent bat in his career but injuries have often stood in the way. He has nine MLB seasons but only appeared in 50 or more games in two of those. The Giants have Patrick Bailey as their primary catcher. With Murphy out, the backup job could fall to Sam Huff. Non-roster options in camp include Logan Porter and Max Stassi.

AL Notes: Meadows, Pérez, Mateo, Estévez

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The Tigers are facing a few injuries in their outfield mix, with each of Matt Vierling, Parker Meadows and Wenceel Pérez battling health issues. Vierling has already been ruled out for Opening Day due to a rotator cuff strain and Meadows might not make it for the opener either.

Meadows has been experiencing a nerve issue in his upper right arm. He tells Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press that the issue is with the musculocutaneous nerve specifically, which isn’t progressing much. Meadows still hasn’t been cleared to throw, which obviously means he can’t play, though he has been doing some other activities that don’t involve throwing.

“He’s not full go,” manager A.J. Hinch said today. “He’s just making incremental steps, whatever that means. And he’s not ready for games. He’s not close to games right now, but that can change as soon as soon as we shake this nerve up, wake it up. Things are better than they were, but still not full go.” Meadows still thinks he can be ready by Opening Day but that will obviously be dependent on things improving in the next week or two.

Pérez has some back tightness and was supposed to return to the lineup today but that has not come to pass and he might be held out of tomorrow’s game as well. With Vierling and Meadows hurt, Pérez would have been a logical candidate to jump into the outfield but his back issues make that a bit iffy. Hinch downplayed the concern, saying that the club is just being “uber cautious”, but it’s yet another question mark for the club.

Riley Greene will be in one outfield spot and could perhaps be joined by Meadows and/or Pérez. If not, Kerry Carpenter could take some time out there, letting Spencer Torkelson get some time as the designated hitter. Justyn-Henry Malloy is also on the 40-man and the Tigers also have utility players Andy Ibáñez and Zach McKinstry as potential contributors.

Some other notes from around the American League…

  • Orioles utility player Jorge Mateo is recovering from last year’s elbow surgery. A month ago, general manager Mike Elias stated that Mateo was unlikely to be ready by Opening Day, but the player himself is now feeling a bit more optimistic. “I think we’re going to make it,” he said this week to Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun. That could be a key development for the O’s since shortstop Gunnar Henderson is battling an intercostal strain and it’s unclear if he’ll be ready for Opening Day himself. Even if Henderson is good to go, having Mateo on the roster next to him would give the club a bit more cover at the position.
  • Royals right-hander Carlos Estévez signed a two-year, $22MM deal with the Royals about six weeks ago but still hasn’t made his spring training debut with his new club. The reliever has been battling some back tightness which has put him a bit behind schedule. Manager Matt Quatraro today provided a positive update to Anne Rogers of MLB.com, saying that Estévez threw live batting practice yesterday, which went “really well.” That puts him in line to make his Cactus League debut on Friday. With about two weeks until Opening Day, Estévez should be able to avoid the injured list if he doesn’t hit any setbacks between now and then.

Reds Return Rule 5 Selection Cooper Bowman To Athletics

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The Reds have returned Rule 5 draft selection Cooper Bowman to the Athletics, per announcements from both clubs. Cincinnati’s 40-man roster count drops to 39. Bowman does not need to go onto the 40-man roster with the A’s.

Bowman, 25, was initially drafted by the Yankees but was one of four players who came to the A’s via the August 2022 trade that sent Frankie Montas and Lou Trivino to the Bronx. After that deal, he posted some decent Double-A numbers but struggled in his first taste of Triple-A.

He appeared in 152 minor league games from the start of 2023 through July 28 of 2024, mostly at Double-A but with four Complex League games in there as well. In his 705 plate appearances during that stretch, he walked at an 11.8% clip and kept his strikeouts down to a decent 20.9% pace. His combined .272/.369/.450 batting line led to a 125 wRC+. He also stole 73 bases in 81 tries and lined up defensively mostly at second base but with stints at third base, shortstop and center field.

He was promoted to Triple-A for the final few weeks of the 2024 season and struggled, hitting just .218/.284/.308 in a 38-game sample. But with the speed, defensive versatility and the decent offense at Double-A, the Reds perhaps saw enough for Bowman to carve out a utility role at the big league level, so they nabbed him in the Rule 5 draft.

That gave him a chance to break camp and make his major league debut but Bowman hit .120/.267/.120 in his 30 plate appearances this spring. That’s a small sample size but was apparently enough for the Reds to change course. Per Rule 5 regulations, the Reds would have had to keep Bowman on the big league roster all year or else put him on waivers. Any claiming club would have been bound by the same rules as the Reds, so it appears no other club was willing to give him a 40-man spot. Bowman will instead return to the A’s and give them some extra non-roster depth.

Blue Jays Re-Sign Dillon Tate

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March 12: The Jays officially announced their signing of Tate today. Bastardo was transferred to the 60-day IL as the corresponding move. Shi Davidi and Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet report report that Tate’s deal is a split contract that pays him at a $1.4MM rate in the majors and includes bonuses of $50K for reaching 45 and 50 games pitched.

Since Tate is on a split deal and has a minor league option remaining, he can be sent to Triple-A Buffalo without first needing to clear waivers — at least for the time being. He’s at 4.144 years of major league service, placing him just 28 days away from the five-year mark. Once players reach five years of MLB service time, they can’t be optioned without their consent.

March 10: The Blue Jays and right-hander Dillon Tate have agreed to a major league deal, pending a physical, reports Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet. The details of the deal for the CAA Sports client have not yet been publicly reported. The Jays will have to open a 40-man roster spot but could easily do so by moving Alek Manoah or Angel Bastardo, who both had Tommy John surgery last June, to the 60-day injured list.

Tate, 31 in May, was with Toronto briefly at the end of last year. The Jays claimed him off waivers from the Orioles on the first day of September. They optioned him to Triple-A, recalling him to the majors on September 18. He made four appearances with the big league club as the season was winding down. The Jays could have retained him via arbitration, with MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projecting a $1.9MM salary, but the club non-tendered him instead.

Prior to that brief stint with the Jays, Tate’s journey had many ups and downs. One of the top names going into the 2015 draft, the Rangers took him with the fourth overall pick. Initially a top prospect, his stock wobbled a bit with some health woes. The Rangers flipped him to the Yankees in the August 2016 trade that sent Carlos Beltrán to Texas. He posted some decent numbers in the Yankees’ system but also missed time with shoulder troubles. He was then traded to the Orioles as part of the July 2018 trade that sent Zack Britton to the Yankees.

Tate was with the Orioles for the six-plus years from that Britton trade to being claimed off waivers by the Jays. Though he had been a starting pitching prospect, the O’s moved him to a relief role, perhaps in response to the injuries he had already been battling. Since then, he has occasionally shown flashes of potential as a reliever but the health woes have continued to get in the way.

From 2019 to 2022, Tate logged 179 innings out of the Baltimore bullpen. His 19.4% strikeout rate in that time was subpar but he limited walks to a 7.2% rate and also got ground balls at an excellent 58.1% clip. Among pitchers with at least 170 innings in that time frame, only Clay Holmes, Framber Valdez, Richard Bleier and Josh Fleming kept the ball on the ground at a better rate.

However, a forearm/flexor strain kept Tate on the IL for the entire 2023 season. He returned to the mound last season with his results backing up a bit. He tossed 36 2/3 innings between the orange and blue birds, with a 4.66 ERA. His strikeout rate and ground ball rate fell to 16.5% and 49.6% respectively. His fastball velocity, which averaged as high as 95.5 miles per hour in 2021, was down to just 92.6 mph last year.

Amid those struggles, both the Orioles and Jays sent him to the minors at times. He had better results down there, tossing 21 2/3 Triple-A innings with a 2.08 ERA, 23% strikeout rate and 4.6% walk rate, though his 41.4% ground ball rate still wasn’t up to his usual standards.

For the Jays, it’s a fairly low-risk deal. The cost hasn’t yet been reported but is likely something barely above the league minimum and might even be a split deal of some kind. Tate still has an option remaining, so he can be kept in Triple-A as bullpen depth, at least for a little while. His service time count is at four years and 144 days. That puts him 28 days shy of the five-year mark, at which point he would have the right to refuse an optional assignment.

The Toronto bullpen may be taking a hit this spring, with Erik Swanson getting tested for some elbow discomfort. Assuming Swanson starts the season on the IL, the Jays project to have a bullpen core of Jeff Hoffman, Yimi García, Chad Green and Nick Sandlin, leaving four spots potentially available. It’s possible that Yariel Rodríguez could end up in a relief role if Bowden Francis takes the final rotation spot. The Jays likely want a lefty in there, which could be Brendon Little, Josh Walker or Easton Lucas. Guys like Tommy Nance, Zach Pop and Ryan Burr are out of options, though Burr has been delayed by a shoulder injury.

Nick Robertson is also on the 40-man but has options. Adding Tate to the roster gives the Jays another optionable righty for the time being. His past prospect pedigree and strong big league results from 2019-22 give him a bit more intrigue than many optionable depth arms. If Tate can stick on the roster all year, he will be shy of six years of service, meaning the Jays could then retain him for 2026 via arbitration.

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