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

By Tyson Shushkewich

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 16: Pitcher J.A. Happ #33 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches during a interleague MLB baseball game against the New York Mets on May 16, 2018 at CitiField in the Queens borough of New York City. Toronto won 12-1. (Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** J.A. Happ
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 16: Pitcher J.A. Happ #33 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches during a interleague MLB baseball game against the New York Mets on May 16, 2018 at CitiField in the Queens borough of New York City. Toronto won 12-1. (Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** J.A. Happ /
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JULY 12: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Aaron Sanchez #41 of the Toronto Blue Jays in action against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on July 12, 2019 in New York City. The Yankees defeated the Blue Jays 4-0. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

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.

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