Blue Jays trade promising lefty reliever to AL East rival Rays' pitching factory

On Thursday, Jan. 23, the Toronto Blue Jays announced on social media that they had made a transaction with the Tampa Bay Rays. In the deal, they opted to send left-handed pitcher Brandon Eisert in exchange for cash considerations.

Eisert, who is 27 years old, is from Portland, Oregon and was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 18th round of the 2019 MLB Draft. He attended college at Oregon State. Eisert made his MLB debut in June of 2024 with the Blue Jays and ended up making three appearances.

Blue Jays trade unproven Brandon Eisert to Rays for cash

In three games and 6.2 innings pitched, Eisert posted a 4.05 ERA with two strikeouts and 1.35 WHIP. In Triple-A with Buffalo during the 2024 season, he put up a superior a 3.86 ERA through 53.2 innings pitched, adding 66 strikeouts. He could sneak his way into the Rays' bullpen this season, but with new additions incoming for the Blue Jays, it seems as though he was the odd man out and will get a new opportunity elsewhere.

The Blue Jays have made some additions to their bullpen this offseason, adding Nick Sandlin and Yimi Garcia, while also signing Jeff Hoffman to a three-year deal. As the team likely looks to make a few more additions to their roster, freeing up a spot in their bullpen and some extra money could be helpful as they look to pursue other options in free agency.

Eisert only has the three appearances under his belt in his short MLB career so far, but he seems to be a strong bullpen arm who could turn into a trustworthy reliever. Unfortunately, the Blue Jays don't have any room remaining on their roster to see if he could turn into a go-to pitcher as early as next season, so getting some cash and giving him a fresh opportunity is a smart move.

The Blue Jays' spring training season gets underway on Feb. 22nd, 2025, with pitchers and catchers reporting on Feb. 13, and the first full-squad workout on Feb. 18. Hopefully, they can continue making moves that help them push for a World Series after a rough 2024 campaign.