Toronto Blue Jays: Relief Pitcher Joakim Soria Retires

Late Wednesday evening, top baseball insider Ken Rosenthal tweeted out that Blue Jays relief pitcher Joakim Soria would be retiring as per Soria’s agent Oscar Suarez.

Soria’s time with the Blue Jays will likely be forgotten as it was very short in that he spent more time on the injured list instead of on the mound.

The Blue Jays acquired the 37-year old reliever at the 2021 MLB Trade Deadline for prospects Yaifer Perdomo and J.J. D’Orazio.

Former Blue Jays reliever Joakim Soria has retired after 14 seasons, nine teams, two All-Star Appearances, and recording 229 career saves.

Soria looked good to start his Jays career as he made his first appearance on August 2 in the eighth inning during a 2-2 tie.  Soria needed just 14 pitches to throw a clean inning striking out one, however, was placed on the 10-day injured list two days later with a finger injury.

Soria would return to the club in late August where he stayed in the line-up for three more weeks until he was shut down for the remainder of the season on the COVID-Related IL.  The right-hander would finish his time with the Blue Jays with a 7.88 ERA over ten appearances but this was inflated by one bad appearance where he surrendered four runs without recording an out.  In fact, of Soria’s ten appearances, he no-hit the other team five times, surrendered no runs seven times, and one run once.   Soria would be granted free agency at the end of the season.

As Soria finishes his 14-year career, he will be most known for his time with the Kansas City Royals where he spent the first part of his career from 2007-2011. He recorded 160 saves over five seasons before returning for the 2016 and 2017 seasons.  Soria played for a total of nine Major League teams and finishes with two All-Star appearances, 229 saves, a 3.11 ERA, and a 1.13 WHIP.

Congratulations to Joakim Soria on his successful career in Major League Baseball.