Laika

wow he has been brutal i had no idea

Even that characterization is just the worst possible lens for Varland. Fisher is a pop up reliever because he has never started and never been able to throw strikes until 2025 when it clicked. Varland logged tons of SP innings and got tons of strikeouts for years, until he was converted to the pen. I don't call that a "pop up reliever". You would expect a guy with his K-BB numbers in AA and AAA as a SP, and his stuff, to be a good reliever. Like, there is analysis of this trade where Toronto was just like "how the f*** is this guy even available? we have loved him for years"

Teams rarely trade a player like Varland. Cheap, good, controllable for a long time. Teams also rarely want to pay for guys like Alan Roden (they like to acquire them for free). Pop up prospect from last year who looked like garbage in the MLB, has fringe tools, isn't young. So a lot of this is just timing and striking on something while you can. The trade market isn't a 24/7 buffet. The Jays did not really have a Mick Abel, or a Taj Bradley to trade (viable 2026 MLB SP). They probably didn't even have a Jesus Rodriguez or a Jesus Baez or a Rafael Flores or Eduardo Tait to be honest (a lot of the Jays closer to MLB bats are corner OF profiles). Unless the other team is in love with Josh Kasevich??? They probably could have acquired Maton, Coulombe, Shelby Miller, Brock Stewart, Finnegan, Sewald, Kittredge... guys like that instead of Seranthony or Varland. If any of them float your boat more. When you take a step back and think about what the Jays had to sell you can understand why it may have been hard for them to land the top RP on the market like Bednar, Helsley. They don't have an expendable up-the-middle bat in AA to trade. They don't have a lot of plug and play SP prospects (most of the SP on the rise are lower minors). How much do these other teams even value an arm like Gage Stanifer for example? Maybe they pushed Rojas a bit in recent weeks (promotions) to kind of turn him into a more viable looking trade chip.

Tony Taters revenge szn in 2026 is going to be dynamite though

wtf

what do you think Jose Berrios' ERA would be if he pitches for the Rockies?

So do Gimenez and Springer eventually bump... Ali Sanchez obviously but Ty France? How can they possibly demote Loperfido or Schneider

I'm mad at your launch angles too, Vlad.

Hard to imagine him slotting into the lineup but surely he can help. Ernie so bad against most RHP.

Seems like some of these newer negative posters are all the same dude

Spooner Horwitz is on fire and the Jays just traded for a limp bat only player at the deadline. Worth monitoring

Rojas is indeed the only one I care about losing I was getting pretty excited for him

The other way to think about France is that he might just be a free throw in to use until Kirk and Springer are back and healthy.

Incredible

Yeah this is what happens when the team isn't horrendous. A gaggle of goofs emerge and post.

Varland is him

Fun to get destroyed by one of the absolute worst offenses in baseball

As others said maybe there is a way he plays over Straw and is an offensive boost when needed. We will see.

CLICK ME FOR FUN Honestly, eat a bag of dicks and go watch soccer if you don't realize that this guy is a total weapon

If Ty France gounds into a double play in a big spot in September or October I will THROW UP my cheetos

I really don't get the Ty France thing. Has Atkins explained it? If they do indeed bump Schneider for him I can't help but feel like that is a downgrade. Schneider has been having great plate appearances, he walks a lot and has pop and can play LF and 2B if needed. France makes more contact and is better 1B coverage but that's kind of it. France probably hits RHP better as he has a platoon neutral career line I think. Wouldn't you rather be pinch hitting with DS who is way more of a three true outcomes guy? He is much more likely to hit a game changing homer and may be more likely to simply get on base as well.

Roden was so disappointing in his MLB sample. It wasn't really the lack of power - it's fine for a young player to not have their power swing show up in MLB in their first go - it was the swing decisions. He had some very poor showings. Many plate appearances where MLB pitchers just completely dissected him.

People being a bit dumb on the control thing. Control is less important over relief pitchers but it still matters. It's still part of the equation! Jays apparently have 2025 and then five more seasons from Varland. What if he's a quality reliever that whole time? That could happen. It's part of the possibilities. Part of the equation.

Bryan Baker is a gas can with a 4.70 ERA over the last two years You jumped the shark twenty pages ago and are just being obtuse for fun now.

The Yankees paid trade market prices for almost all of their relievers lol