Blue Jays designate Bolsinger, hoping he clears waivers

The Blue Jays designated right-hander Mike Bolsinger for assignment on Thursday, and are hopeful that he’ll clear waivers and remain in the organization as starting pitching depth.

The Blue Jays have had to do a lot of creative work with their 40 man roster this season, and their latest move came on Thursday as they designated Mike Bolsinger for assignment, calling up Leonel Campos to re-join the bullpen.

Bolsinger actually cleared waivers at the beginning of the season prior to going to Buffalo, so this isn’t unchartered territory for the former Los Angeles Dodgers. He began the season in Triple A, and has made 5 starts for the Blue Jays so far this season, filling in for a variety of injured starters.

While he performed admirably at times, Bolsinger largely struggled in the big leagues this year, currently carrying a 5.61 ERA across 25.2 innings pitched. The most telling stat would be his WHIP, which is sitting at 1.792, an unsustainable mark for a major league arm.

He performed admirably in his first start against the Cleveland Indians, throwing 5.2 innings and allowing just 2 earned runs against 3 hits and 4 walks. However, it’s been all downhill from there, as he’s allowed 18 runs (16 earned) in 20 innings since.

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For those thinking the Blue Jays can’t afford to lose another depth arm, you could be right, although pitchers performing to Bolsinger’s current level aren’t terribly difficult to find. There are many teams across the MLB having the same difficulty with juggling their 40 man rosters, which means other potential options could come available. Of course, the same problem exists that the Blue Jays would have to find room on the 40 man roster for anyone they bring in.

Which is why I don’t anticipate Bolsinger going anywhere. Sure, there are big league clubs that could use some help in the rotation, but the 29 year old doesn’t exactly inspire a lot of confidence in his abilities. He’s really only had success at the big league level in one season, when he made 21 starts for the Dodgers to the tune of a 3.91 ERA in 2015. Since then, he’s struggled to stay on a big league roster, spending most of his time in Triple A.

Bolsinger was originally acquired from the Dodgers in exchange for another pitcher, Jesse Chavez, in a trade that took place last August. Bolsinger’s career record currently sits at 8-18 with a 4.73 in 42 career appearances.

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While the Blue Jays will likely be just fine if Bolsinger is picked up by another club, they would be better off if he was able to sneak through waivers and return to Buffalo. His performance may leave something to be desired, but you can never have enough pitched, and the Blue Jays just released Mat Latos as well, so they could always use the extra depth.