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Blue Jays Designate Jake Lamb For Assignment

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The Blue Jays have designated infielder Jake Lamb for assignment, according to a team announcement. His spot on the 40-man roster was needed for fellow infielder Breyvic Valera, who has been reinstated from the COVID-related IL. Additionally, left-handed pitcher Tayler Saucedo was optioned to Triple-A and right-handed pitcher Thomas Hatch recalled to take his place.

Lamb was picked up off waivers by the Blue Jays on September 3rd to help add some depth at third base in the wake of injuries to Cavan Biggio and Santiago Espinal. Since that time, he’s been sharing time at the hot corner with Valera. He hasn’t been able to help the Canadian birds too much, in a small sample of just 12 games, slashing .129/.256/.290, for a wRC+ of 49. Since Lamb was claimed after August 31st, he wouldn’t have been playoff eligible, and is also headed to free agency at the end of the season. Those factors, combined with the fact that Biggio and Espinal are both on rehab assignments and nearing returns, edged him out of Toronto’s plans.

He had a better showing for the White Sox earlier in the season, when he slashed .212/.321/.389 over 43 games, a wRC+ of 99. But even that wasn’t good enough to hold onto a roster spot, as the Pale Hose opted to give that playing time to Romy Gonzalez instead. Lamb had two excellent campaigns for the Diamondbacks in 2016 and 2017, hitting .248/.345/.498, production that was 12% better than league average, according to wRC+. However, after undergoing shoulder surgery in 2018, he hasn’t been able to reach that same level of production, although his walk rate is still good. From 2019 to the present, his line is .193/.309/.358, wRC+ of 81. He’ll now see if any team is intrigued enough to give him some at-bats down the stretch, though any team doing so wouldn’t be able to use him in the postseason.

As for Valera, he’s back after just a single day on the IL. It was a precautionary placement on account of a family member testing positive. Since he’s back so quickly, it can be assumed that he himself did not test positive. In 36 games with the Jays this year, the switch-hitter has a line of .253/.308/.361, for a wRC+ of 81.

Blue Jays Place Hyun Jin Ryu On 10-Day Injured List

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The Blue Jays have placed left-hander Hyun Jin Ryu on the 10-day injured list due to neck tightness.  The placement is retroactive to September 18.  Left-hander  Tayler Saucedo has been called up to take Ryu’s roster spot.

Jays GM Ross Atkins told reporters (including The Athletic’s Kaitlyn McGrath) that Ryu woke up with a sore neck yesterday, a day after an abbreviated start against the Twins.  The team is hoping the injury is minor enough that Ryu will miss only one start, and make a quick return to a Toronto club that is battling to return to the postseason.

While Ryu will be missed in the Blue Jays rotation, a brief reset might have been in order given the southpaw’s struggles over his last two starts.  Ryu threw six scoreless innings against the Yankees on September 6 but left that game with some minor forearm soreness.  Both Ryu and the team felt he was well enough to keep pitching, though Ryu has since allowed 12 earned runs over 4 1/3 innings in rough outings against the Orioles and Twins.

Ryu had a minimal 10-day IL stint due to a glute strain earlier this season, but has otherwise been pretty healthy over his two seasons in Toronto, which is no small feat for a pitcher who battled multiple injuries earlier in his career with the Dodgers.  Ryu’s 159 2/3 innings pitched in 2021 is the third-highest total of his eight MLB seasons, though there has been some indication that the grind of the longer season could be getting to the 34-year-old, even prior to his forearm issue.  Ryu has an 8.10 ERA over his last 36 2/3 innings, as opposed to a 3.22 ERA in his first 123 frames.

Atkins said that Ross Stripling is a candidate to take Ryu’s next turn in the rotation, which falls Wednesday against the Rays.  Since Toronto doesn’t play on September 27, Ryu would line up to return for a September 28 start against the Yankees if he is able to be activated from the IL when first eligible.

In the interim, the Blue Jays will have to get by without one of their top starters, though the Jays rotation has become a quiet strength.  Led by Cy Young Award candidate Robbie Ray and bolstered by the likes of Ryu, Steven Matz, trade deadline pickup Jose Berrios, and star rookie Alek Manoah, Toronto ranks eighth in baseball in starter ERA.  Stripling has a 4.69 ERA over 86 1/3 IP as a starting pitcher this year, as he has continued to be plagued by hard contact and problems with allowing home runs.

Blue Jays Select Tayler Saucedo

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Prior to today’s 7-2 victory over the Red Sox, the Blue Jays selected the contract of left-hander Tayler Saucedo from Triple-A Buffalo.  In corresponding moves, right-hander Jeremy Beasley was sent to Triple-A to create a 26-man roster spot, while A.J. Cole was moved to the 60-day injured list to create an opening for Saucedo on the 40-man roster.

Saucedo didn’t pitch in today’s game, so he is still looking for the first Major League appearance of his six-year pro career.  A 21st-round pick for the Jays in the 2015 draft, the Hawaii native has a 4.30 ERA and 17.4% strikeout rate over 521 innings in Toronto’s farm system.

Most of Saucedo’s usage has come out of the rotation, though he was shifted to the bullpen in 2019 and has been used as a full-time reliever this season.  The results have been impressive, as Saucedo has a 2.20 ERA and a whopping 35% strikeout rate in 16 1/3 innings for Triple-A Buffalo, against just two walks and no home runs allowed.  Saucedo has consistently posted high grounder rates throughout his minor league career, and he has managed to keep the ball on the ground (51.4% rate) at Buffalo this year while spiking his strikeout rate at the same time.

With the Blue Jays hurting for relief help, Saucedo has plenty of opportunity to stick in the majors if he can come close to replicating his Triple-A numbers.  Saucedo and Tim Mayza are the only left-handers in Toronto’s bullpen, as Ryan Borucki and Travis Bergen are both on the injured list.

Cole will now also see his stay on the IL extended into at least August.  The righty was initially placed on the 10-day IL on June 2 with neck tightness, but today’s placement indicates that Cole has also suffered a left oblique strain.  Cole has signed with the Jays on minor league contracts in each of the last two seasons, and he has delivered quality results — a 2.59 ERA over 31 1/3 total innings in a Blue Jays uniform.

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