Blue Jays: How former players moved this summer are doing elsewhere

The Toronto Blue Jays made numerous moves since the start of the season and around the trade deadline, acquiring players to help different areas of the roster while also trading away some prospects and designating veterans for assignment to create room on the 40-man roster.

This article will take a look at players who were either traded away, DFA (and picked up elsewhere), or released (and signed elsewhere) since the beginning of the season and examine how they are doing with their new ballclub.

*For the purpose of consistency, if a player is designated for assignment and then traded, they will fall under the DFA subheading instead of the trade subheading, as the first action was being DFA prior to the trade*

Traded

June 19th – Troy Miller (RHP) traded to the New York Mets in exchange for Jacob Barnes (RHP)

A right-handed pitcher who spent the last three seasons within the Blue Jays minor league system, RHP Troy Miller had been with the AA New Hampshire Fisher Cats for less than a month before being traded to the New York Mets. The deal itself was not earth-shattering, a simple swap of pitchers to help a Jays’ pitching corps struggling with injuries.

Miller would join the Mets AA affiliate in Binghampton and appeared in two games before heading to the IL, throwing to a 5.23 ERA through 10.1 innings, both games he started. Miller is currently on the 60-day IL.

June 29th – Joe Panik (INF) and Andrew McInvale (RHP) traded to the Miami Marlins in exchange for Corey Dickerson (OF), Adam Cimber (RHP), and cash

The first trade that acquired a veteran presence in the bullpen, Ross Atkins sent infielder Joe Panik and minor league pitcher Andrew McInvale to the Florida Marlins for Corey Dickerson and reliever Adam Cimber. The Blue Jays did not need another outfielder in Dickerson but took on a chunk of his remaining contract along with Cimber to get the deal done, which is looking to be a bit of a steal given how well the right-hander is doing in the pen as well as Dickerson’s left-handed bat in the lineup.

Since joining the Marlins, Panik has hit to a .171/.267/.224 with one home run, four RBI, and a .491 OPS through 31 games. A bit of a regress from his time with the Jays, where he slashed .246/.293/.351 with a .644 OPS through 42 games.

McInvale would report to the Marlins AA affiliate and has also been roughed up since joining the organization, pitching to a 7.11 ERA through 19.0 innings with 15 earned runs, 14 walks, and 29 strikeouts out of the pen. Opponents own a .250 average on the right-hander and he has thrown to a 1.74 WHIP through 17 appearances.

Designated for Assignment

April 30th – Tanner Roark (RHP)

Signed by the Blue Jays prior to the 2020 season on a two-year, $24 million dollar deal, Tanner Roark was known for pitching deep into ballgames, labeled the “Diesel Engine” by his peers.

Roark was unable to live up to the moniker in Toronto, as he compiled a 6.80 ERA through 11 starts with the club and never pitched more than 5.0 innings throughout the season. He surrendered 14 home runs in the COVID-19 shortened season and just could not find a rhythm. A slow start to the 2021 campaign put the nail in the coffin and Roark was designated for assignment at the end of April, with the Jays on the hook for the rest of his salary for the year.

Roark would be released by the club in early May and sign with the Atlanta Braves on a minor league contract just over a week later. So far with the Braves AAA affiliate, the Gwinnett Stripers, the right-hander has appeared in 23 games and found his form again in the bullpen, pitching to a 2.23 ERA through 44.1 innings while starting only three games, striking out 43 batters and collecting two saves.

The Braves did call Roark up to the roster in late July but optioned him back three days later, with the Illinois product not seeing any game action. He is currently still in AAA.

With numerous players being moved or designated this year, this article takes a look at former Blue Jays and how they are faring in 2021 with their new clubs.

May 30th – Ty Tice (RHP)

Making his major league debut with the Blue Jays this season, reliever Ty Tice rode the options bus a few times for the club this season. The right-hander would pitch to a 5.14 ERA through four games and 7.0 innings, walking four batters while striking out six. His debut was one to remember, as he faced the heart of the Los Angeles Angels order, including Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, and walked away with zero earned runs, one hit, one walk, and one hit batter.

To make room for newly signed Carl Edwards Jr. on the 40-man roster, the Jays would DFA Tice late in May.. He would later be traded to the Atlanta Braves for cash considerations and would spend most of his time in AAA with the Gwinnett Stripers. He did make one appearance for the Braves on June 24th, going 1.0 innings while allowing a hit and a walk with zero earned runs, before being optioned back down to the minors.

The Arizona Diamondbacks would claim Tice off waivers from the Braves on August 5th and would be optioned to their AAA affiliate, the Reno Aces, where he owns a 30.86 ERA through 2.1 innings. He is currently on the development list.

July 16 – Joel Payamps (RHP)

Going through a few different organizations this past Winter, RHP Joel Payamps eventually settled in with the Blue Jays. The right-hander would pitch well with the club, throwing to a 2.70 ERA through 22 appearances with 11 walks and 22 strikeouts while being optioned and recalled multiple times before being DFA in a surprising move on July 16th.

Payamps would be traded to the Kansas City Royals for cash considerations on July 21 and has also been riding the options bus with his new club. So far this season, Payamps has appeared in six games with the Royals, pitching to a 3.00 ERA through 6.0 innings. In AAA, the Dominican product has been a bit shaky, owning a 4.50 ERA through eight outings with 14 strikeouts and four earned runs through 8.0 innings of work.

Designated for Assignment Continued

July 20th – T.J. Zeuch (RHP)

Drafted by the Blue Jays in the first round of the 2016 MLB Draft, starter T.J. Zeuch flirted with the active roster over the past three seasons but was never able to fully cement himself in the rotation. Through 13 games, Zeuch would make seven starts and would throw to a 4.59 ERA with 24 walks, 31 strikeouts, and a 1.55 WHIP through 49.0 innings of work.

The club would DFA Zeuch on July 20th and eventually trade him to the St. Louis Cardinals five days later, with the Cardinals sending him to AAA shortly after.

With the Memphis Redbirds, Zeuch currently owns a 7.71 ERA through five games, one of which was a start, and has given up 12 earned runs through 14.0 innings with seven walks and 13 strikeouts.

July 30th – Jonathan Davis (OF)

Spending parts of the last four seasons trying to crack the Blue Jays roster, outfielder Jonathan Davis put up less than stellar numbers offensively, slashing .180/.285/.263 with a .548 OPS through 122 games. Known for his speed and defensive ability, Davis would be DFA by the Jays to make room for Jose Berrios and Joakim Soria on the 40-man roster and would be picked up by the New York Yankees four days later.

Davis has been riding the options bus multiple times since joining the Bronx Bombers, so far appearing in 12 games with 17 at-bats and slashing .059/.111/.059 with just one hit with five strikeouts. He is currently in AAA.

July 30th – Tyler Chatwood (RHP)

Signed by the Blue Jays to a one-year deal this past off-season, right-hander Tyler Chatwood would be moved to the bullpen to begin the season and would be pretty inconsistent for most of the year. Chatwood would throw to a 5.46 ERA through 30 appearances with the club before being DFA on July 30th and later released by the team.

Chatwood would sign a minor league deal with the San Francisco Giants on August 5th and would be called up to the major league squad on August 17th. Through two outings with the Giants, the right-hander would surrender three earned runs through 4.0 innings on his way to a  6.75 ERA. He was recently designated for assignment by his new club.

August 11th – Patrick Murphy (RHP)

Drafted by the Blue Jays in the third round of the 2013 draft, right-hander Patrick Murphy had a legitimate chance of making the active roster before an AC joint injury in his shoulder shut him down to begin the season. After a brief stint with the club last year, Murphy pitched to a 4.82 ERA through eight appearances with the Jays this season, riding the options bus on his way to 1.71 WHIP with six strikeouts and a .316 opponents batting average.

Murphy would be DFA on August 11th and picked up by the Nationals three days later. Through three games with the Nats, Murphy sports a 2.45 ERA through 3.2 innings of work. He is currently with the major league club after being recalled on August 24th.

August 31st – Brad Hand (LHP)

Acquired at the trade deadline from the Washington Nationals, southpaw Brad Hand was not able to find success with the Blue Jays organization. Appearing in 11 games for the Jays, Hand would pitch to the tune of a 7.27 ERA and was on the hook for multiple losses, most notably giving up the extra innings home run against Cleveland early in August and surrendering the walk-off base on balls to the Seattle Mariners on their most recent road trip.

Brought in because of his veteran presence and ability to pitch in high leverage situations, Hand struggled with the Blue Jays and the club decided to DFA him yesterday. It has yet to be determined where his future will lie.

Released

June 24th – Jared Hoying (OF)

Signed to a minor league contract after the season began, Jared Hoying was another depth signing given the injury to fellow outfielder Josh Palacios in AAA. Hoying had spent the past few seasons in the Korean Baseball Organization and was returning stateside to play ball.

After a few weeks in the minor leagues, Hoying was called up to the big league squad and appeared in three at-bats, going hitless with one strikeout. The outfielder would be outrighted to the Buffalo Bisons on June 22nd but would elect for free agency, deciding to head back to the KBO league and signing with the KT Wiz.

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August 10th – Tommy Milone (LHP)

Signed by the Blue Jays in late February, left-hander Tommy Milone was additional depth in the organization if the club needed to rely on a veteran arm who possessed both starting and relief experience. With the club experiencing quite a few injuries to the pitching corps, Milone was called into action rather early in the campaign and would go on to pitch to a 6.43 ERA through 14.0 innings with one start, striking out 17 batters with three walks.

He would end up on the injured list to begin the month of May and would be moved to the 60-day IL a month later with left-shoulder inflammation, missing a good chunk of the season. He would go on a rehab assignment in late July before being released by the Jays on August 10th.

He would later sign a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds on August 24th and is currently with their AAA minor league affiliate and has appeared in only one game.

August 29th – Carl Edwards Jr. (RHP)

Signed to a minor league contract early in the season, Carl Edwards Jr. was a veteran player struggling to find a place on a major league roster. After a few successful seasons with the Chicago Cubs early in his career, Edwards Jr. was brought into the Blue Jays organization to provide depth in the bullpen given the various injuries.

He would appear in one game for the club and would surrender three earned runs through 0.1 innings pitched, his only game before ending up on the injured list for most of the year. He was in the minor leagues on a rehab assignment prior to being released and is currently a free agent.