Why did the Blue Jays option Zach Pop down to the lowest minor league level?

Just a couple days ago, the Toronto Blue Jays did some bullpen roster shuffling by bringing up left-handed pitcher Easton Lucas. Lucas was a recent waiver claim from the Detroit Tigers back on August 19 to help add pitching depth to the organization. In a corresponding move, the Jays had sent right-handed reliever Zach Pop all the way down to their Spring Training Complex in Dunedin.

To some, that brings up the question: why wasn’t Pop just optioned down to the Jays’ Triple-A affiliate Buffalo Bisons like many of his previous counterparts were? Did he really perform that badly such that he was demoted all the way down to the lowest minor league level in the organization?

The answer is plain and simple: all of the MiLB games are practically complete for the season, so there isn’t really a minor league team that Pop can be assigned to. In addition, by sending Pop to the Spring Training Complex rather than just ending his playing season altogether, it enables him to get in some crucial extra reps down there to help get his game back on track. He certainly needs all the practice he can get in.

After all, Pop had a dismal 2024 season with the Jays. He posted a 2-4 record with an underwhelming 5.59 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, while giving up 30 earned runs including 9 home runs, along with 19 walks and 33 strikeouts in just 48.1 innings pitched over 58 appearances. If it hadn’t been for the ongoing struggles of some of his teammates as well, along with the mass exodus of relievers at the trade deadline, he probably would have been sent down way earlier.

By being able to refocus now on the fundamentals of his pitching, hopefully Pop can regain the dominant form that he displayed when he first joined the Jays back in 2022 at the trade deadline. Otherwise, anything less, his days in a Jays’ uniform could be coming to an abrupt end in the coming weeks.