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Brendon Little

Blue Jays Place Jordan Romano On 15-Day Injured List

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The Blue Jays announced that closer Jordan Romano has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to inflammation in his right elbow.  Left-hander Brendon Little was called up from Triple-A Buffalo to take Romano’s spot on the active roster.

This is the second time this season that Romano has been sidelined with elbow inflammation, as his first stint on the injured list delayed his 2024 debut until April 16.  The results in between those two IL stints have been very shaky, as Romano has a 6.59 ERA over 13 2/3 innings.  Romano’s 21% strikeout rate is far below the career 30.5K% he took into the season, and batters have been absolutely teeing off on Romano to the tune of a 50% hard-hit ball rate.  The right-hander has also allowed four homers over his small sample size of 13 1/3 frames, after giving up 10 homers total over 123 innings in 2022-23.

In short, Romano simply hasn’t looked right all season, whether that was due to any lingering elbow problems or more underlying issues.  Jays manager John Schneider told reporters (including Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi) that Romano’s MRI came back clean, so it doesn’t seem to be a case of any structural damage that could threaten Romano’s season.  It could be that this 15-day absence might be a bit of reset just to get Romano entirely healthy and mechanically fine, or the Blue Jays could keep him out for longer than 15 days just to fully ensure that Romano’s inflammation woes are behind him.

If the Jays can’t turn things around from their underwhelming 27-29 start, Romano (if healthy) is one of many names on the roster that could be speculative trade candidates come the deadline.  Romano has one remaining year of arbitration eligibility before hitting free agency after the 2025 season, and this extra year of control could make him an attractive asset for teams in need of bullpen help.  Naturally that would require Romano to return to action relatively soon, and for him to display both good health and a form more akin to his 2020-23 form.

While Toronto’s struggling offense has taken most of the heat for the club’s 27-29 start, the relief corps has also been a major issue.  The Blue Jays’ 4.60 bullpen ERA ranks 26th of 30 teams, as Yimi Garcia has been the only consistently reliable option amidst the other set of struggling relievers, with Romano the face of these struggles given his status as closer.  Unsurprisingly, Schneider said that Garcia will probably get most of the save situations while Romano is out, with Chad Green also factoring into the closer mix now that Green is back from his own stint on the IL.

Blue Jays Activate Alek Manoah From Injured List

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TODAY: The Blue Jays announced Manoah’s activation today, and optioned left-hander Brendon Little to Triple-A in order to make room for the righty on the active roster. Little, 27, has just four innings of work at the big league level under his belt from his time with the Cubs and Blue Jays and has surrendered seven runs in that time, with four strikeouts and two walks.

May 4: Alek Manoah is set to make his return to the majors on Sunday, as MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson (X link) reports that the Blue Jays will officially activate Manoah from the 15-day injured list.  Manoah will start against the Nationals in his season debut, and the right-hander is already in Washington and in the Jays’ clubhouse today in preparation.

Manoah hasn’t pitched in the Show since August 10, when he allowed four runs in four innings in a 4-3 Blue Jays loss to the Guardians.  He was optioned to Triple-A the next day, which was the second time that he was sent to the minors during his disaster of a 2023 season.  After struggling badly at the start of the season, Manoah was sent to the Complex League for a deeper dive on his mechanics, and he spent about a month working things out.  Toronto recalled him last July but the results weren’t much better, so Manoah was against optioned to Triple-A yet he didn’t actually pitch during the assignment.

These many months later, it still isn’t exactly clear why Manoah’s 2023 season came to such an abrupt end, amidst some rumors of a possible injury or service time-related displeasure over his demotion.  The questions continued in Spring Training when Manoah made just one (rough) appearance before being sidelined with shoulder problems, and he began the season on the 15-day IL in order to make up for that lost spring prep time.  The results were mixed at best over five rehab starts, as Manoah posted an 8.69 ERA over 19 2/3 innings.

Manoah’s most recent Triple-A outing, however, was easily his best.  On April 30, Manoah allowed a run on two hits and two walks over six innings, while recording 12 strikeouts.  Since the Jays had to make a decision anyway on Manoah since his rehab window was about to close, the righty’s strong start helped make things easier on the team, plus Toronto is also facing a rotation vacancy.

Yariel Rodriguez was placed on the 15-day IL earlier this week, and with Bowden Francis also on hurt, Manoah was the most logical option if the Jays didn’t want to opt for a bullpen game.  Because the Jays have four off-days within the first 16 days of May, they didn’t technically need a fifth starter, and could’ve just kept the other four starters on their usual turns.  Adding a fifth arm gives the others extra rest, and it also shows some faith on the team’s part that Manoah has overcome some of the problems that have inexplicably set back his career.

Manoah pitched really well as a rookie in 2021, and was even better in 2022 while posting a 2.24 ERA in 196 2/3 innings and finishing third in AL Cy Young Award voting.  All signs pointed to the former first-rounder becoming a staple of Toronto’s rotation, except his numbers suddenly plummeted downward in 2023.  Batters were suddenly making tons of hard contact against Manoah’s offerings (after he had some of the best hard-hit ball stats in the league in 2021-22), and his walk rate skyrocketed to 14.2%.

As surprising as it was to see Manoah sharply regress, it would be equally surprising to see him quickly revert to his ace form over the course of the 2024 campaign.  Just pitching well enough to stick in the majors would count as a nice sign of progress that Manoah was getting closer to being on track, plus that scenario would naturally be a huge help for the Blue Jays’ rotation depth.  If Manoah is able to last as a fifth starter, Rodriguez and Francis could be deployed as swingmen when healthy, adding enough length to keep the relief corps fresh over the course of the season.

In a more immediate Blue Jays roster move, Kevin Kiermaier was activated from the 10-day injured list today, with outfielder Nathan Lukes sent down to Triple-A.  Kiermaier ended up missing only a minimal amount of time due to hip flexor inflammation, which is a relief given how Kiermaier underwent hip surgery in 2022.  The IL trip might well serve as a reset on Kiermaier’s season, as he was hitting only .193/.246/.228 in 62 plate appearances before being sidelined.

Blue Jays Place Bowden Francis On Injured List

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The Blue Jays announced today that right-hander Bowden Francis has been played on the 15-day injured list with right forearm extensor tendinitis. Left-hander Brendon Little was recalled in a corresponding move.

At first glance, the loss of Francis might not seem to be too significant since he was operating as the club’s long reliever. However, when combined with other details, it highlights the thin starting depth for the Jays.

The club has a strong five-man rotation at the moment in Kevin Gausman, José Berríos, Chris Bassitt, Yusei Kikuchi and Yariel Rodríguez. The latter is the least established of that bunch but he has looked solid so far, with a 3.86 earned run average through his first three starts, striking out 28.8% of batters faced.

But with Francis now on the shelf, it’s unclear who the club would turn to if any of those five suffered an injury. Mitch White was in the mix earlier this year but he was recently squeezed off the roster and traded to the Giants, so he’s no longer an option.

Alek Manoah is theoretically a possibility, but the Jays likely aren’t too excited about turning to him again. He was a borderline ace in 2021 and 2022 but struggled badly last year, with his ERA ticking up to 5.87. Here in 2024, he started the season on the injured list due to right shoulder inflammation.

He has been on a rehab assignment in the minors in recent weeks but hasn’t looked great, having allowed 18 earned runs in 13 2/3 innings. Reading the stat line on a rehab assignment can’t always tell you everything since a pitcher might simply be focused on getting the ball over the plate and staying healthy while caring less about the results. However, Scott Mitchell of TSN relays that the eye test was also not good during Manoah’s outing for Buffalo last night, with his velocity noticeably down.

Prospect Ricky Tiedemann had been throwing in Triple-A and could have been considered an option until recently, but he was sent for an MRI due to some discomfort in his throwing elbow. It’s still unclear what the next steps are for him but his last appearance was two weeks ago.

For now, the rotation is in okay shape but injuries are fairly inevitable. Even if everyone stays healthy, Rodríguez might hit a wall at some point. He didn’t pitch at all last year after the World Baseball Classic, as he didn’t return to his team in Japan while trying to be declared a free agent. Even prior to that mostly dormant season, he was working as a reliever in the NPB and will be challenged to suddenly shoulder a starter’s workload for all of 2024.

With Francis and Tiedemann hurt, White gone and Manoah struggling, the Jays will have to think about who is next up. Paolo Espino is on the 40-man roster but he is a 37-year-old journeyman. Adam Macko is also on the roster but he’s not yet reached Triple-A and only has three Double-A starts on his track record.

Given the sudden subtraction of depth, the Jays will likely keep a close eye on the waiver wire or perhaps make a small trade to add some veteran depth. If they want to turn to free agency, guys like Rich Hill and Noah Syndergaard are still out there, though they would need a few weeks to get into game shape after missing Spring Training.

Blue Jays Acquire Brendon Little, Select Mitch White

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The Cubs have traded left-handed pitcher Brendon Little to the Blue Jays in exchange for cash considerations, the Blue Jays announced. The 27-year-old has been selected to the 40-man. Right-hander Mitch White has also been added back to Toronto’s 40-man roster.

Little is a former first-round pick. The southpaw has the briefest of MLB résumés, consisting of a single relief appearance for the Cubs in 2022 (at Rogers Centre as a COVID substitute). He averaged 94.5 MPH on his sinker in that game but allowed three runs while recording two outs.

The Pennsylvania native spent this past season in Triple-A, working to a 4.05 ERA through 73 1/3 innings as a long reliever. Little struck out a league average 23.1% of batters faced but issued walks at a lofty 12% clip. The stuff was nevertheless intriguing enough for the Jays to give him a 40-man spot, which keeps him from becoming a minor league free agent. He has a full slate of option years and can bounce between Toronto and Triple-A Buffalo so long as he holds that place on the roster.

White is a more familiar name for the Toronto fanbase. Acquired from the Dodgers at the 2022 deadline, he has had a few stints on the MLB roster. He hasn’t found much big league success as a Jay, working to a 7.60 ERA across 55 2/3 innings. After being outrighted from the 40-man roster in August, however, he finished the year strong in Buffalo. The 28-year-old posted a 1.69 ERA in four September starts for the Bisons, holding opponents to a .160/.259/.253 line in the process.

That was enough for the Jays to prevent White from leaving in minor league free agency. If he keeps his place on the 40-man throughout the offseason, they’ll need to carry him on next year’s MLB roster or make him available to other clubs because he has exhausted his minor league options.

Cubs Select Jeremiah Estrada

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The Cubs announced a series of transactions as part of the expansion of active rosters from 26 to 28 players. Infielder David Bote was recalled from Triple-A Iowa, while pitchers Justin Steele and Adrian Sampson were reinstated from the restricted list after missing the team’s series in Toronto. Jeremiah Estrada and Brendon Little had each been brought up as temporary substitutes for that series.

Little has been returned to the minor leagues and will not occupy a spot on the 40-man roster, but Chicago is keeping Estrada with the big league club. His contract has been formally selected, and he now occupies a permanent 40-man spot. To create room on the roster, the Cubs transferred starter Wade Miley from the 15-day to the 60-day injured list.

Estrada, 23, made his first MLB appearance on Tuesday, tossing a scoreless inning out of the bullpen. He struck out two while averaging a blistering 98.1 MPH on his fastball. The right-hander has had a strong season in the minors, working 48 1/3 frames across three levels. He has a cumulative 1.30 ERA with a massive 40.4% strikeout percentage, although his 10.4% walk rate is a bit worrisome. The former sixth-round pick clearly has high-octane stuff and has shown himself capable of missing bats in the minors, and he’ll now get a month to audition for a spot in next year’s season-opening bullpen.

Miley’s transfer is a formality that won’t affect his recovery window. Out since mid-June with a shoulder strain, he’s already spent more than 60 days on the injured list and will be eligible for reinstatement when he’s ready. An impending free agent, Miley has maintained he plans to make it back to the majors this season to showcase his form before he hits the open market. The club hopes he can begin a minor league rehab assignment this week, tweets Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times.

Cubs Place Justin Steele, Adrian Sampson On Restricted List

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Aug. 30: Estrada has now officially been selected as a substitute player, reports Lee on Twitter.

Aug. 29: Steele and Sampon have officially been place on the restricted list, tweets Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times, with Little taking one spot on the roster. Montemurro adds that Estrada is with the team and likely to be added tomorrow.

Aug. 28: The Cubs will be traveling to Toronto for a three-game series that begins tomorrow, though left-hander Justin Steele and right-hander Adrian Sampson will not be making the trip. They will instead be placed on the restricted list, tweets Gordon Wittenmyer of NBC Sports Chicago. That’s standard procedure for players unvaccinated against COVID-19, as current health restrictions prevent such individuals from crossing the American-Canadian border.

Normally, the club wouldn’t be able to make corresponding moves right away, as league rules dictate starting pitchers aren’t eligible to be replaced until four days after they last pitched in these circumstances. Sampson started today’s game, though Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune tweets that he will indeed be eligible to be replaced due to having thrown less than four innings today. Steele, on the other hand, threw 5 1/3 innings on Friday, meaning the Cubs should be able to bring in someone else to take his spot by Tuesday.

Although no moves have been made official just yet, Montemurro relays that left-hander Brendon Little and right-hander Jeremiah Estrada are with the team. Neither are currently on the club’s 40-man roster, but they will likely be added as COVID “substitutes” and subsequently removed after the series without having to be exposed to waivers.

The 26-year-old Little was selected by the Cubs 27th overall in the 2017 draft. That high draft selection got him onto Baseball America’s list of top prospects in Chicago’s system in 2018 and 2019, though he’s since lost his spot on that list. This year, he’s thrown 39 Triple-A innings with a 4.15 ERA, 23.8% strikeout rate, 11.6% walk rate and 62.6% ground ball rate.

Estrada, 23, was a sixth-round pick in 2017. He’s spanned three levels this year, from High-A to Triple-A, faring well at each stop. Through 48 1/3 combined innings for the season, he has a 1.30 ERA with an incredible 40.4% strikeout rate, along with a 10.4% walk rate.

Cubs Agree To Terms With Brendon Little

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The Cubs have agreed to a $2.2MM signing bonus with first-rounder Brendon Little, reports MLB.com’s Jim Callis (via Twitter). That comes in just below the $2,373,300 slot value of Little’s No. 27 overall selection.

Little, a junior college lefty out of Florida, is listed at 6’2″ and 195 pounds, and he’ll turn 21 this August. He entered the draft ranked 18th among draft prospects in the estimation of ESPN’s Keith Law. Other outlets weren’t quite so bullish, as Little rated 36th on the lists of both MLB.com and Baseball America in addition to a No. 46 ranking from Fangraphs.

Law opines that Little has the draft’s best curveball and notes that his fastball has been up to 97 mph. Law also notes that he feels there’s at least a chance that Little pans out as a starter, while each of the other reports on the southpaw suggest that inconsistencies in his delivery and command have many scouts believing that Little will be a reliever in the long run. His curveball and fastball get above-average to plus ratings across the board, though his third offering, a changeup, is said to need more refinement.

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