The Blue Jays and righty Connor Overton are in settlement on a minor league contract, per the transaction log at MLB.com. The KHG Sports activities consumer spent spring coaching with the Mets and pitched properly (5 1/3 innings, two runs six hits, one stroll, three strikeouts) however didn’t make the membership and was launched in late March. He’ll now head again to the Blue Jays group, the place he made his MLB debut in 2021. He’ll head straight to Triple-A Buffalo.
The 31-year-old Overton has seen huge league time in components of three seasons, suiting up for the Jays, Pirates and Reds. He’s pitched 59 1/3 main league frames and carries a 4.85 ERA in that point. Overton has fanned 15.7% of his opponents, issued walks at a 9.4% clip and stored 38.7% of his opponents’ batted balls on the bottom.
All of these charge stats verify in worse than the respective MLB averages, however Overton has a robust observe file in Triple-A. He’s pitched in components of 5 seasons on the prime minor league stage, totaling 116 1/3 innings with a 3.87 ERA, a 21.4% strikeout charge, a 5.3% stroll charge and a 44.8% ground-ball charge.
The Jays are at the moment working with 4 starters: Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, Jose Berrios and Bowden Francis. Future Corridor of Famer Max Scherzer signed a one-year deal over the winter however has been sidelined by a nerve problem in his thumb that has triggered different issues in his proper arm. Toronto has turned to lefty Easton Lucas for 4 begins — two of which have been wonderful (mixed 10 1/3 shutout innings) and two of which have been disastrous (mixed 14 runs in 6 2/3 frames). They not too long ago known as up 27-year-old righty Paxton Schultz for his MLB debut, whereby he tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings of lengthy reduction.
Schultz may step into the vacant fifth spot within the rotation, and Toronto additionally has righty Jake Bloss in Triple-A. He’s had a troublesome begin to his 2025 season, however Bloss ranked on the again finish of a number of top-100 prospect rankings final yr and was a key piece within the return the Jays acquired when buying and selling Yusei Kikuchi to the Astros.
The Blue Jays’ depth past Schultz, Bloss and Lucas is pretty skinny, due largely to accidents. Alek Manoah remains to be on the mend from UCL surgical procedure and received’t be an possibility till late this season. Left-hander Ricky Tiedemann was extensively thought-about one of many prime pitching prospects in all of baseball earlier than present process Tommy John surgical procedure final July. Righty T.J. Brock had Tommy John surgical procedure in January. Southpaw Adam Macko suffered a meniscus tear early in spring coaching and underwent surgical procedure in late February. Tiedemann, Macko and Brock have been thought-about three of Toronto’s greatest and near-MLB-ready pitching prospects. Veteran Eric Lauer is in Triple-A Buffalo on a minor league deal however has had a rocky begin to his season as properly.
Given all that uncertainty, it’s not all that shocking to see the Jays flip to a well-known face to supply some additional depth for the workers. Overton received’t be a direct possibility, but when he pitches properly in his first few turns with the Bisons, he may discover himself within the combine for a giant league look late subsequent month or early this summer time.
