Aug 24, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Chien-Ming Wang (67) pitches during the first inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY SportsThe second-coming of Chien-Ming Wang has officially come to an end, as the Toronto Blue Jays designated the right-hander for assignment on Monday. The move allows Toronto to reinstate left-hander Aaron Loup from the paternity list.
The team announced the move through an official press release.
Wang was called up to start on Saturday, his second stint with the club in 2013. However, the results were a reminder of why his first go-round ended abruptly, as the Houston Astros roughed up the 33-year-old to the tune of 5 runs (4 earned) and 4 hits over 3 innings of work. The short outing left Wang with a rough 7.67 ERA over 27 innings this season.
If Wang clears waivers (which there should be no reason why he wouldn’t), and accepts the assignment back to Buffalo, he will return to a 4-3 record and a 3.18 ERA for the Bisons. Between Buffalo and Scranton-Wilkes Barre, Wang holds an 8-7 record with a 2.71 ERA in 17 Minor League starts in 2013.
As mentioned, the move opens a spot on the active roster for 25-year-old Aaron Loup, who was placed on the paternity list on Friday of last week.
The young lefty has been one of the few bright spots on the season, building on a strong rookie campaign by following it up with a solid sophomore season. In 53 appearances, Loup holds a 4-6 record with a 2.47 ERA and a 6.4 K/9 ratio. Fangraphs has him worth a 0.5 WAR, while Baseball-Reference values him at 1.4 Wins Above Replacement in 2013.