Blue Jays Final Bullpen Spot Down to Chase Lee and Spencer Miles

The Toronto Blue Jays have made two decisions regarding their Opening Day bullpen. 35-year-old Tommy Nance has made the team, while 2024 Rule 5 draft pick Angel Bastardo has been left off. Nance has struggled this spring, throwing 5 1/3 innings while posting a 6.75 ERA and an 11.1 walk percentage. However, he doesn't have any minor league options. Without an option, and given his strong performance last season (1.99 ERA and 1.01 WHIP over 31 2/3 innings), the right-handed reliever would likely have been selected off waivers by another team if the Blue Jays had designated him for assignment to try to send him down to the minors.

Bastardo missed all of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery. Because he was a Rule 5 selection, not making the team means the Blue Jays must return him to his original team, the Boston Red Sox. Injuries to Trey Yesavage and José Berríos, forcing them to miss the start of the season, have moved Eric Lauer to a starting role. This situation left an additional open spot in the bullpen that Bastardo looked to be a possibility to fill.

However, he has had an up-and-down spring training, posting a 4.70 ERA over seven 2/3 innings with a 15.2 strikeout percentage and an abysmal 21.2 walk percentage. Since Bastardo missed last season, the Jays would need to keep him on their 26-man roster for 90 days before they could option him. This requirement, along with Yesavage's expected return shortly after the season begins, means the Blue Jays are better off just cutting ties with Bastardo now and focusing on the relievers who can help the team all season.

With two open spots in the bullpen, Mason Fluharty will fill one spot. He will join Brendon Little as Toronto's second lefty reliever while Lauer is in the rotation. Little was the only consistent left-handed presence in last year's bullpen; Fluharty and fellow southpaw Justin Bruihl had their ups and downs, while Lauer moved between the rotation and the 'pen. The team won't want Little to have too big a workload to start the season, and Fluharty's addition will help relieve the pressure on Little.

Blue Jays insider Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet has reported that the final spot in the bullpen is between Chase Lee and Spencer Miles. Lee came over in an offseason trade with the Detroit Tigers because the Tigers needed to open a roster spot for Kyle Finnegan. Lee offers the Blue Jays MLB experience, having thrown 37 1/3 innings last season with a 4.10 ERA and 1.10 WHIP. He also offers a different look with his -4 degree sidearm angle. The sidearmer has been impressive in a short spring stint, not allowing a run over six innings, but he did walk two batters while only striking out four.

Miles was a 2025 Rule 5 selection from the San Francisco Giants, which means he will need to spend the entire season on the Blue Jays' 26-man roster or else be sent back to the Giants. He was selected in the 2022 MLB Draft, but missed the 2023 season after undergoing back surgery. The righty returned in 2024, but only made five appearances before requiring Tommy John surgery due to a right flexor strain.