All year long, Chad Green proved Blue Jays made the right call by bringing him back

It took a little bit for Chad Green to make his Toronto Blue Jays debut in 2023, but he wound up making 12 strikeout-filled appearances for the club down the stretch before being re-upped for another two years.

Green, 33, just wrapped up his first full season on the Blue Jays and it was a great one for him. The 33-year-old proved all year long that Toronto made the right call bringing him back. When Jordan Romano went on the long-term injured list and struggled to stay on the field, it was Green who answered the call and filled in admirably down the stretch.

At the end of the season, he was nominated for the AL Comeback Player of the Year Award for his efforts.

In 53 appearances, Green went 4-6 with a 3.21 ERA, 4.29 FIP and 126 ERA+. The gap between his ERA and FIP suggests there was a bit of luck involved, and his lowered strikeout rate supports that, but Green kept his H/9 and BB/9 low, so as long as he continues to do that, he should be safe.

As the year marched on, the right-hander began to earn more save opportunities than he ever had previously in his career. He finished the campaign with 17 saves, which is 11 more than his previous career-high that was set back in 2021 with the New York Yankees.

While there's very little about Green's makeup that screams "bullpen stud", he's been a steady presence in every 'pen he's been a part of since first debuting in the big leagues back in 2016. A long-time member of the Yankees, Green filled virtually every single role on their pitching staff over the course of a seven-year stint in the Bronx.

Since joining the Blue Jays, he's largely done the exact same thing, although he hasn't been used as an opener ... yet. He's got a ton of mileage on his arm, but he also has his recent Tommy John surgery in the rearview and was one of the most durable relievers on the Jays' staff this past season. Through and through, it's clear the Jays made the right call in bringing back into the fold.

Looking ahead a bit, Green would very likely be the Blue Jays' closer if Opening Day was today. He's got the most experience in the role on the staff, but there's a (pretty strong) argument to be made that he's better used as a middle-inning/set-up option than a true permanent closer.

The Blue Jays have three or four spots to upgrade in their bullpen heading into 2025, so finding someone to save games in place of Green is certainly on the to-do list. However, he's proven time and time again that he can handle any role that's thrown his way, which makes him an extremely valuable piece to the Blue Jays.