Toronto Blue Jays: Signing Tanner Roark a step in right direction but need to do more

The Toronto Blue Jays have made their first signing of the offseason, inking right-hander Tanner Roark to a two-year, $24 million deal.

After reports of the Toronto Blue Jays’ brass being ‘aggressive’ when it comes to signing free agents, the team finally landed its first name at the tail end of the MLB Winter Meetings.

The Blue Jays and right-hander Tanner Roark agreed to a deal, according to Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith and Shi Davidi.

MLB Network’s Jon Heyman confirmed the report, adding that the deal was for two years at $24 million.

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Roark was taken by the Texas Rangers in the 25th round of the 2008 MLB Draft. Two years after being selected, he was shipped to the Washington Nationals in a trade that would see Christian Guzman the other way.

After working his way up the Nats’ system, he cracked the roster full-time in 2013. That season, he finished with a 7-1 record while posting a 1.51 ERA and 0.91 WHIP while serving mainly as a reliever.

The 2014 campaign would be his breakout year, however. He’d make 31 starts, finishing with a 15-10 record, 2.85 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. Two years later, he’d end with a 16-10 record, 2.83 ERA and 1.17 WHIP while making 33 starts. He also had a career-high  That earned him a spot on the shortlist for the NL Cy Young.

Ahead of last season, the Nationals shipped Roark to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for Tanner Rainey. During the MLB trade deadline on July 31, he was moved once again, this time to the Oakland Athletics.

While splitting time between the two teams, he manufactured a 10-10 record with a 4.35 ERA and 1.39 WHIP to go along with 158 strikeouts.

The 33-year-old may not be the big-name signing that fans were hoping for, however, he is someone that should be dependable for the Jays. The team saw 21 different starting pitchers toe the rubber in 2019. Roark has pitched 180-plus innings in three of the past four seasons — he still had 165.1 innings in 2019.

Roark has a six-pitch repertoire, using a four-seam fastball and a sinker to go along with a slider, curveball, changeup and a cutter, which he only occasionally uses, according to Brooks Baseball. Roark’s sinker and fastball top out at 92 mph.

"His sinker has less armside run than typical, has little sinking action compared to a true sinker and results in somewhat more flyballs compared to other pitchers’ sinkers. His fourseam fastball generates more whiffs/swing compared to other pitchers’ fourseamers, has less armside movement than typical, has essentially average velo and results in somewhat more flyballs compared to other pitchers’ fourseamers.His slider generates fewer whiffs/swing compared to other pitchers’ sliders and has less than expected depth. His curve has an exceptional bite, has slight glove-side movement and has slightly below average velo. His change is a prototypical pitch with few remarkable qualities. His cutter is a prototypical pitch with few remarkable qualities. – Brooks Baseball"

This should be far from the final move the team makes before spring training rolls around. Pitching tops the list of needs for the Jays. Among the players they’ve been linked to, left-hander Hyun Jin Ryu and Rick Porcello were among the top names. However, Porcello just signed a reported one-year deal with the New York Mets.

Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins will have to move fast to land some individuals that will help improve the team in 2020. With the Rule 5 Draft coming up on Thursday, the Jays could be active once again when it comes to picking up an under-the-radar arm — they’ve previously selected Joe Biagini and Elvis Luciano.

The Jays’ brass will be hoping that Roark is the first domino to fall.

What do you think of the move? Who would you like to see the Jays add next? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!