Blue Jays announce surprise bullpen addition, DFA pitcher with feel-good story

The Toronto Blue Jays have been quite active with regards to adding depth pieces to the organization lately. On Friday, they made another surprising signing to help bolster their bullpen for the upcoming season. Typically a member of the media reports a signing before the team makes their official announcement, but the Blue Jays were having none of that on Friday.

The Jays announced that they have inked former New York Mets pitcher Josh Walker to a one-year MLB contract worth $760,000. In a corresponding move, Toronto designated for assignment former promising pitching prospect Hagen Danner.

Walker had previously spent the bulk of his professional baseball career with the Mets’ organization, with a brief stay with the Pittsburgh Pirates’ organization after he was dealt by the Mets at the 2024 trade deadline. Last season, Walker made 10 appearances for New York in which he posted a 5.11 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, giving up seven earned runs with six walks and 11 strikeouts in just 12.1 innings pitched.

Blue Jays announce surprise bullpen addition, DFA pitcher with feel-good story

However, what makes the signing so surprising was the fact that Walker hasn’t shown much sustained success at the major league level, compiling an 0-1 record with a dismal 6.45 ERA, 1.66 WHIP, giving up 16 earned runs on 25 hits with 12 walks and 23 strikeouts in just 22.1 innings of work over 24 career MLB appearances. The Jays are most likely counting on the potential that he has shown throughout his minor league career where he has amassed a respectable 3.99 ERA, 1.22 WHIP with 296 strikeouts in just 266.1 innings pitched over 117 games played.

As for Danner, the feel-good story for the 26-year-old former top prospect appears to have come to an end. The hard-luck former second-round pick from the 2017 MLB Draft will be most remembered for making his MLB debut for the Jays against the Chicago Cubs on August 11 in 2023, only to end up with what turned out to be a season-ending injury after retiring the first batter that he faced.

Not to be fazed by the mishap, Danner came back with a strong 2024 campaign with the Jays’ Triple-A affiliate Buffalo Bisons. He went 3-0 with a sparkling 3.15 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, along with 34 strikeouts in 34.1 innings of work over 33 appearances with the Bisons. However, despite all his efforts, that performance apparently still wasn’t enough to regain the Jays’ trust in giving him another opportunity. As a result, he has now been removed from the team’s 40-man roster with his fate to be determined.

Hopefully, Walker will not make the Jays regret their decision in giving up on a once-promising elite bullpen arm in Danner, in addition to providing the much-needed boost to their relief corps going forward.