Blue Jays recall Jordan Luplow from Triple-A, option Nathan Lukes

Just a short while after the piece went up about the Blue Jays making the wrong decision to keep Nathan Lukes on the active roster over Jordan Luplow, it became actuality.

According to a team announcement, the Blue Jays have optioned Lukes to Triple-A Buffalo and recalled Luplow to take his place on the active roster.

This move felt like the right one to make all along, as the Angels are set to trot three consecutive left-handed starters out on the mound to take on the Jays. Lukes, a left-handed hitter, seemed to be destined for the benchwarmer role.

After earning the first promotion of his career after a seven-year tenure in the minor leagues, Lukes was selected to the Blue Jays' 40-man roster over the 2022-2023 offseason and rode a nice spring performance to the first Opening Day roster of his big league career. So far, he has gotten into three big league games, all as a pinch runner, and has scored a run. He has yet to formally bat or play the field for the Blue Jays.

Luplow, 29, has bounced around the league a bit over the course of a six-year career and has carved out a consistent role as a versatile outfielder that can play all three spots on the grass with some first base as well. He is a lefty masher who will better balance this lineup than Lukes, a lefty himself, would.

Luplow may not get a whole lot of playing time in the upcoming series against the Angels. To begin the season, Daulton Varsho, Kevin Kiermaier and George Springer have formed an incredible outfield trio with Whit Merrifield and Cavan Biggio also filling in here and there. Luplow's best chance for playing time could come at designated hitter on days that Brandon Belt will be out of the lineup.