Blue Jays: Former pitchers that are currently on the MLB Free Agent market

Since 2015, the Blue Jays have seen their fair share of ups and downs. From the playoff highs of 15′ and 16′ to a complete rebuild/teardown that saw veteran players and fan favourites departing The Six, the Jays organization and its fanbase have been through a rollercoaster of emotions over the past few seasons.

From posting a 67-95 record in 2019 to a playoff berth in 2020 that saw the Jays play all of their games South of the border, the franchise turned in a pretty solid 2021 season that was unfortunately just one win shy of a playoff tiebreaker that would have seen the club play meaningful October baseball.

Even though the CBA talks have put a damper on the 2022 campaign, once a new agreement is in place, you can bet that there will be an absolute frenzy across the league, with teams trading and attempting to sign free agents to bolster their squads in a quick turnaround to get Spring Training and the season underway. It’s no secret the Blue Jays have a few areas that could use some shoring up, such as adding a fifth member to the rotation, one or two more bullpen arms, and maybe adding a superstar third baseman via trade.

While those actions may or may not happen before Opening Day rolls around, one thing that did pique my interest was the amount of former Blue Jays that are currently free agents following the 2021 season. Some have signed on with new clubs like Marcus Stroman but some fan favourites and players from back in the mid-2010s are seeking new homes and weren’t able to secure a contract before the lockout. They may not fit with the Blue Jays’ current plans moving forward, but let’s take a look at some former pitchers who fans may remember from the ‘good old days’ and how they found themselves as free agents following the 2021 campaign.

For this article, I am going to focus more on pitchers that did not spend last season with the club as well as players who made at least ten appearances for the Jays (for example, Matt Boyd and his two games on the active roster will not be featured).

All pitchers featured on this list are found via the MLB Trade Rumours tracker website at the link found here.

A position player edition will be produced in the near future.

Chase Anderson

Acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers prior to the 2020 campaign, right-hander Chase Anderson spent one season in Toronto, pitching to a 7.22 ERA through 10 appearances (seven starts) while missing time on the IL with an oblique injury during the shortened season.

A free agent last offseason, Anderson signed with the Philadelphia Phillies on a one-year deal but would be released in late August, earning a 6.75 ERA while appearing in just 14 games split between the rotation and bullpen while also missing time on the IL. He finished the season in the Texas Rangers organization.

John Axford

Born in Simcoe, Ontario, right-hander John Axford made 45 appearances for the Blue Jays back in 2018, posting a 4.41 ERA with 50 strikeouts before being traded at the deadline to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Axford rejoined the Jays for the 2019 campaign but spent all year in the minor leagues.

After a brief hiatus, Axford pitched with Team Canada last year in an effort to make the Olympics and signed with the Jays following a strong showing in the tournament (as Canada fell short of an Olympic berth). He would be traded to the Brewers at the deadline for cash considerations and would be removed due to injury in his first appearance with the Brew Crew. He would miss the rest of the season with an elbow injury.

Jesse Chavez

Right-hander Jesse Chavez spent two seasons with the Blue Jays through two different stints, most recently back in 2016. As a member of the Jays, he appeared in 48 games while allowing 41 earned runs in 62.2 innings of work mostly out of the bullpen.

With the rebuild and veteran players now in the rearview mirror, quite a few former Blue Jays currently find themselves as free agents this offseason.

Chavez rejoined the Atlanta Braves last season and became a prominent member of their bullpen, earning a 2.14 ERA through 30 appearances. He also failed to give up an earned run through 6.1 innings of work with the Braves on their quest to win the World Series.

Tyler Clippard

Joining the club for one season back in 2018, Clippard was one of the most relied upon relievers for the Jays during a year that saw a lot of veterans leave the organization and the club knees deep in a rebuild. He made 73 appearances and threw 68.2 innings, finishing the year with a 1.165 WHIP and a 3.67 ERA.

Clippard has bounced around since leaving the Jays and most recently spent last season with the Arizona Diamondbacks, limited to just 26 outings after starting the season on the 60-day IL. He would finish with a 3.20 ERA and six saves.

Tanner Roark

Brought in to pitch deep into games during the rebuilding years, Tanner Roark struggled with the Blue Jays. He surrendered 17 home runs through 54.2 innings with the organization and the club quickly DFA’d him early into the 2021 campaign and his second season with the team.

He latched on with the Atlanta Braves after his release but spent the rest of the season in the Minor Leagues, finishing with a 2.14 ERA through 24 appearances that were mostly in relief.

Aaron Sanchez

One of the Blue Jays top pitching prospects back in the early 2010s, right-hander Aaron Sanchez is one of the longest-tenured former players on this list. Through 146 appearances stretching from 2014-2019, Sanchez pitched to a 3.96 ERA with 458 strikeouts and a 1.368 WHIP through 571.0 innings of work. His best season would be in 2016 when he earned an All-Star nomination and led the American League with his 3.00 ERA.

Sanchez would be traded to the Houston Astros in 2019 as part of the package deal for outfielder Derek Fisher. Injuries have hampered the California product for most of his professional career and 2021 would be no different. He signed a one-year deal with the San Francisco Giants but was limited to just 35.1 innings due to right bicep tendonitis. The Giants would DFA him in early August and he did not sign with another team to finish the season.

Matt Shoemaker

Joining the Blue Jays prior to the 2019 campaign, Matt Shoemaker is one player who also could not shake the injury bug at the MLB level. After a solid start to the year that saw the right-hander own a 1.57 ERA through five starts, Shoemaker tore his ACL and would miss the rest of the season. In the condensed 2020 campaign, Shoemaker was limited to just six starts due to a shoulder injury and would struggle to a 4.71 ERA through 28.2 innings.

The veteran pitcher signed a one-year deal with the Minnesota Twins following the 2020 campaign but would be designated for assignment on July 1st after pitching to an 8.06 ERA through 16 appearances. He would finish the season in the San Francisco Giants AAA affiliate. He is currently nearing a deal to take his talents overseas to the Nippon Professional Baseball league in Japan.

Joe Smith

Signing with the Jays for the 2017 campaign, reliever Joe Smith spent half a season with Toronto before being dealt at the trade deadline to Cleveland in exchange for Thomas Pannone and Samad Taylor. With the Jays, Smith was pretty solid, pitching to a 3.28 ERA through 38 appearances with 51 strikeouts in 35.2 innings pitched.

The Wright State alum has spent the past few seasons in the Houston Astros organization and did not play in 2020, opting out due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Smith would be traded at the 2021 deadline to the Seattle Mariners and finished the year with a combined 4.99 ERA. He struggled that season with Houston (58 ERA+ through 21.2 innings) but found a groove in Seattle to the tune of a 2.00 ERA through 23 appearances with an 8.5 K/9 and a 0.889 WHIP.

Ryan Tepera

Right-hander Ryan Tepera was a victim of the options game during his first two seasons with Toronto but did find a more permanent role in 2017, making 141 appearances over the next two seasons. Injuries limited him in 2019 and the Jays would designate him for assignment at the end of the season. He would finish his Jays’ career with a 3.64 ERA through 216 outings with 10 saves and a 1.156 WHIP.

Tepera split last season between the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs organizations, pitching to a 2.79 ERA through 65 appearances as well as 4.2 innings with the White Sox in the ALDS, giving up just one earned run. Many will remember Tepera more for his comments during the playoffs rather than his strong numbers, as he alluded to the potential that the Houston Astros may be doing some sketchy stuff again, which did not appease Astros manager Dusty Baker.