Toronto Blue Jays: Front Office has Right Approach to Fixing Bullpen

In a free agent market that is ripe with available talent, the Toronto Blue Jays are using a smart approach to building the bullpen.

Over the past few weeks, the Toronto Blue Jays have signed Al Alburquerque, Rhiner Cruz, Jake Petricka, John Axford, Craig Breslow and Matt Tracy to minor league deals. Those names may not jump out to fans as viable relief options in 2018, but this approach can potentially yield very positive results.

General manager Ross Atkins has had a lot of success with ‘buying low’ on relief options coming off down seasons or poor recent performance. In 2016, he acquired Jason Grilli and Joaquin Benoit in mid-season deals when both pitchers had bloated ERA’s and could not find the strike zone. Both instantly improved after the trades, and became important pieces to the team’s playoff run that year.

Prior to the 2017 season, the Jays signed Joe Smith coming off his worst season in six years (-0.3 WAR, 4.99 FIP) to a one-year, $3 million deal. That signing resulted in a 1.0 WAR in 35.2 innings while pitching in Toronto, followed by being able to use him in a trade deadline deal to acquire Thomas Pannone and Samad Taylor from Cleveland.

A little publicized waiver claim in Dominic Leone ended up having a phenomenal season in 2017 with a 2.56 ERA, 1.5 WAR, and 10.36 K/9 in 70 innings. He was later flipped to the Cardinals in the Randal Grichuk deal, so he created value in more ways than one.

Granted, not all of these small time signings will work out. The team gave out $5 million in total to Franklin Morales and J.P. Howell in 2016-17 and got a combined 15 innings, nine walks, three home runs allowed and -0.3 WAR.

However, those deals might be more reason to avoid handing out big league contracts to fringe relievers, and instead opt to give out minor league deals to the likes of Breslow, who could handle a similar role with a non-guaranteed deal.

The front office seems to look at a particular skill set with relievers. Being able to initiate swings and misses and strike hitters out is a huge asset for short relievers.

Even pitchers with control issues might be able to survive a full season with positive performances, if they can get enough strike outs and avoid hard contact. That fits a lot of the signings the front office has made to this point for the bullpen.

Alburquerque has a career 10.69 K/9, and last season posted a GB% of 55.1% in a small 18 inning sample, though he still had an issue with walks, which has plagued him throughout his career.

Petricka has made a career out of keeping the ball on the ground (career 61.5% GB%) and in 2017 saw his K/9 spike to 9.12. He could easily end up having a surprise good season if he is healthy.