Blue Jays acquire RHP Nick Kingham from Pittsburgh

The Blue Jays have acquired RHP Nick Kingham from the Pittsburgh Pirates, the team announced Thursday afternoon.

According to an official team announcement, the Blue Jays have acquired right-handed pitcher Nick Kingham from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for cash considerations. Previously, Kingham had been designated for assignment by the Pirates on June 8.

As a corresponding transaction, the team has placed right-handed pitcher Ryan Tepera on the 60-day IL.

Kingham, 27, was drafted by the Pirates in the fourth round of the 2010 draft. After nine years in the Pirates’ minor league system, he made his major league debut in 2018.

More from Jays Journal

• Matt Chapman has been exactly what the Blue Jays needed
• Blue Jays: The goalposts are moving in the right direction
• Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays advance to the Championship Series
• Blue Jays: Comparisons for Alek Manoah’s Second Season
• Blue Jays: Adam Cimber, the unlikely decision King

In 76.0 innings that season, the native of Houston, Texas pitched to an ERA of 5.21 while striking out 69 and walking 26.

This season, he has appeared in 14 games, four of them as a starter. In 34.2 frames, he pitched to a ghastly ERA of 9.87, surrendering seven home runs and walking 17 while striking out only 32.

For his career, Kingham has appeared in 147 minor-league games, pitching to a career 3.46 ERA and striking out 652 in 766.1 innings. Shortly after the trade was announced, Kingham took to Twitter to thank the Pirates organization, saying that he is “forever grateful” for his “10-year run with Pittsburgh”.

A free-agent after the 2025 season, Kingham, who was drafted out of Sierra Vista High School in Las Vegas, Nevada, represents a low-risk option for the Blue Jays, either as a spot-starter or as a long man out of the exhausted bullpen.

Notably, this is the second minor trade the Blue Jays and Pirates have made this season, the first being a deal that sent outfielder Patrick Kivlehan to Toronto in May.