Simon Li

Arjun NimmalaTrey YesavageJoJo ParkerRicky TiedemannJohnny KingGage StaniferYohendrick PinangoJosh KasevichJake BlossVictor AriasRJ SchreckJuan SanchezFernando PerezEdward DuranCharles McAdooBlaine BullardOrelvis MartinezTim PiasentinSean KeysYeuni Munoz

Second baseman and outfielder J.R. Freethy was primed for a breakout. In his first 23 games of the season in Low-A Dunedin, he had a .231 average, which didn’t really stand out, but what did stand out was his on-base percentage, which was .408. Freethy walked nearly as much as he struck out, with a 21.4% walk rate to a 22.3% strikeout rate, and he was able to get to some power with eight of his 18 hits being for extra bases, with five doubles, two triples, and a homer. However, he was placed on the 7-day Injured List and was shelved for a month. He came back to game action in the Florida Complex League on rehab assignment, and took a bit to get going, as he only hit .167 and was a below-average hitter despite a .376 OBP. That changed when he arrived back in Dunedin on July 2, where he had a month of baseball that rivaled his early-season performance. Freethy didn’t walk as much as he did earlier in the season, but instead got on base more through hits, upping his average to .274 during that stretch but maintaining a .400 OBP. The power wasn’t as prevalent, but with a 127 wRC+, Freethy proved that he deserved a chance to face better competition and was promoted to Vancouver. Freethy hit the ground running, getting a two-hit game against the Hops in his first game in High A, and then the week after, performing well enough to gain MiLB hitter of the week honours in the Northwest League. Freethy has been more impressive against tougher competition in High A, as he’s slashing .321/.430/.462 since coming up, which is good for 152 wRC+. Freethy has been a little lucky with his BABIP, with a .393 mark, but he’s been getting on base while cutting his strikeout rate to 17.2%, and despite only hitting one homer in Vancouver, he’s had eight doubles in 19 games. The thing that stands out the most about Freethy is his ability to get on base; in 95 games played and 402 plate appearances, he has a .408 on-base percentage. A part of it is his passive approach, as he swings the bat only around 36% of the time. However, he also has a good recognition of the strike zone and is able to make contact when he does swing, with a 79.2% contact rate in High A. The switch-hitter does not have extreme platoon splits either, being a rare true switch hitter nowadays, with a .788 OPS against lefties as a righty, and a slightly better .816 OPS as a lefty against righties. Freethy does not hit for much power, however, as his exit velocities in the Florida State League were only average for the level, and as a college signing, standing six feet tall and weighing 205 pounds, he may already be maxed out physically. Because of this, Freethy’s power will only be evident in the gaps as he progresses. With his ability to get on base, he could be a valuable offensive contributor in the future. Freethy’s defensive home is also a significant question; he primarily plays second base or left field, and although he hasn’t committed many errors, his range is average at best. Freethy isn’t incredibly fast either, stealing just six bases on the season as well. Despite the lack of projection, middling power, and no true defensive home, which limits his ceiling as a prospect, J.R. Freethy is just another example of a very good minor league performer in the Jays’ system this season, having the second highest wRC+ among Jays minor leaguers with over 300 plate appearances. People love to dream on the tooled-up prospects with the loud power or blazing speed, but what the Jays have done quite well over the years is finding college hitters with good approaches and pushing them up the minors slowly, resulting in some major league contributors such as Davis Schneider and Spencer Horwitz. If things go well for Freethy’s development, maybe he could be the next one. View full article

He would need to be signed before the September 1st deadline for him to be eligible for the playoff roster. I'm assuming it's just a contingency plan.

I believe it would be wise to be slow with Francis' recovery as well, because next season he'll be out of option years, which means that the Jays might have to choose between adding him to the major league roster or just cutting him/trading him at some point next season. I think they'll try to delay that decision as much as possible, especially with a pretty significant 40-man crunch.

Bastardo would most likely be the long-man in the pen if he breaks camp. He's still going to have to be on the 26-man roster for the requisite time outlined by the Rule-5, so the Jays are mostly likely going to hide him in low leverage. Bloss will also be out for a signficiant portion of next season with the UCL tear and recovery so I won't bank on him either.

Dominican designated hitter and outfielder Eloy Jiménez has reportedly signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, according to reporter Mike Rodriguez. Rodriguez adds that the former top prospect is still waiting on his work visa but is healthy and ready to play. Most recently, Jiménez was playing in the Rays' minor league system, where he was a below-average hitter for Triple-A Durham, slashing .278/.335/.397 with a 92 wRC+. He was released in July. Jiménez has struggled for the past few years, losing a lot of the power he was touted to have as a prospect. He has posted poor slugging numbers after numerous injury-plagued seasons. In 2024, splitting time between the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles, he had a 78 wRC+. However, he was an above-average hitter for the five seasons before that, with a 119 wRC+ from 2019 to 2023. If Jiménez does indeed join the Jays organization, they will hope that they can tap into the talent that he has showcased at times throughout his career. Despite poor results recently, Jiménez can still hit the ball hard, as he had a 108.6-mph 90th percentile exit velocity and a 47.1% hard-hit rate in Triple-A. He does chase and whiff a lot, which can prevent him from tapping into that power, but the hard contact is still encouraging to see. Jiménez will be a potential backup right-handed outfield/DH option in case of an injury to Ty France, Davis Schneider or George Springer. This also may suggest that Anthony Santander is further out than the team might hope, as he's just begun swinging a bat again. No matter what, the Jays are hoping that Jiménez's talent can prevail and he can find some semblance of his old form. If his signing is made official before August 31, Jiménez would be available as a possible injury replacement for the postseason. Featured image courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images. View full rumor

CURRENT W-L Records Buffalo Bisons: 51-73 New Hampshire Fisher Cats: 50-71 Vancouver Canadians: 68-52 Dunedin Blue Jays: 57-61 FCL Blue Jays: Season Complete DSL Blue Jays Blue: Season Complete DSL Blue Jays Red: Season Complete Transactions 08/27/25 - Vancouver Canadians activated 3B Cutter Coffey from the seven-day injured list. 08/26/25 - LHP Ryan Borucki assigned to Buffalo Bisons. 08/26/25 - RHP Bobby Milacki assigned to New Hampshire Fisher Cats from Buffalo Bisons. Buffalo Bisons Buffalo (5), Indianapolis (4) - 8/26 Box Score Alek Manoah got the start for Buffalo in the first game of the series versus Indianapolis, as he continues to rehab and work his way back to the major leagues. He struggled some in the first inning of this game, giving up a three-run home run on a hanging slider. The runs were unearned, though, due to an earlier error. Manoah did strike out three batters in the first inning and ended with five strikeouts over 5.2 innings. The home run led to the only runs he gave up, as he looked much better in this game with his velocity and command. In the third inning, Joey Loperfido drove in two runs with a single, and Rainer Nunez's double in the sixth tied the game. Rafael Flores hit his second home run of the game for Indianapolis to give them a one-run lead in the seventh. The top of the eighth saw RJ Schreck hit a two-run single to right field, giving Buffalo the one-run lead and ultimately the victory, 5-4. Rainer Nunez - 1-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 2B Alek Manoah - 5 2 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K Buffalo (6), Indianapolis (3) - 8/27 Box Score Trey Yesavage started for Buffalo on Wednesday and continued the hot pitching on the week for the Bisons. He held Indianapolis to just one run on two hits over 4.2 innings. He walked two batters and struck out five. The offense for Buffalo started out clicking in this one as well. Schreck launched a three-run home run in the first inning to give Buffalo the lead and control of the game. Nick Solak singled home a run for Indianapolis in the bottom of the first, but the Bisons returned quickly with three runs over the next two innings. Michael Stefanic and Josh Kasevich hit sacrifice flies, then Yohendrick Pinango hit an RBI double to put Buffalo up five runs. Cam Devanney and Nick Yorke hit RBI singles for Indianapolis, but it wasn't enough. Buffalo won again, this time 6-3. RJ Schreck - 1-3, 1 R, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 HR Trey Yesavage - 4.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K New Hampshire Fisher Cats New Hampshire (3), Erie (4) F/11 - 8/26 Box Score Tuesday saw New Hampshire begin a new series against a rough Erie team. Alex Amalfi was on the mound to start the game for the Fisher Cats. It would be his eighth start of the season, as he has only recently seen more starts after the trade deadline, when a number of starting pitchers were moved out of the Double-A rotation. New Hampshire got onto the scoreboard first, with Jackson Hornung singling home Charles McAdoo, who had reached base on a double to center. The next batter was Eddinson Paulino, who smacked a ball to the pitcher, but both the runner at first and Paulino were able to reach safely and allow Je'Von Ward to score from third. Meanwhile, Amalfi was brilliant on the mound, going into the sixth inning and not allowing a run. Unfortunately for New Hampshire, the bullpen was not up to the task of closing out the game. Nate Garkow coughed up a solo home run to Jake Holton in the top of the seventh inning, and Hunter Gregory gave one up to Danny Serretti in the eighth. The game would move into extra innings, and in the 11th, Erie got a two-run home run from one of the top prospects in baseball, Kevin McGonigle. In the bottom half of the inning, Cade Doughty doubled home the ghost runner to bring Erie's lead to one. Their comeback would fall short when Nicolas Deschamps lined out to end the game, with the Fisher Cats falling 4-3 in extra innings. Cade Doughty: 1-5, 1 RBI, 1 K, 1 2B Alex Amalfi: 5.1 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K New Hampshire (2), Erie (3) - 8/27 Box Score Game two of the series with Erie was nearly a carbon copy of Tuesday's game. Fernando Perez was on the mound for New Hampshire, and he was masterful for six innings. He didn't give up a run and only allowed three baserunners on the day: two singles and a walk. New Hampshire even had the lead, 2-0, when he exited the game. In the bottom of the fourth, Doughty launched a two-run home run to right, his third of the year at Double A. The bullpen was again the downfall of New Hampshire, as Devereaux Harrison came in for Perez in the seventh and quickly lost the lead. Eliezer Alfonzo doubled home two runs before scoring himself on Serretti's RBI single. That is where the game stood until the bottom of the ninth inning. Ward walked for New Hampshire to start a rally, but it ended with Gabriel Martinez grounding into a double play. The Fisher Cats lost their second game in a row after leading through six, this time falling 3-2. Cade Doughty: 2-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 HR Fernando Perez: 6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K Vancouver Canadians Vancouver (9), Hillsboro (0) - 8/26 Box Score The Canadians put on a dominant performance on both sides of the ball. On offense, Vancouver tallied 17 hits, as three hitters had three hits each (J.R. Freethy, Eddie Micheletti Jr., and Jay Harry) and another three had two apiece. The Canadians got off to a great start, with Arjun Nimmala reaching on a fielder’s choice and knocking in Freethy, before Carter Cunningham hit a sac fly to score another run. Alexis Hernandez then scored Nimmala with a single for an early 3-0 lead. In the third, Sean Keys added two runs with a single, and Edward Duran hit a homer after Keys was picked off. Harry got an RBI single in the fifth, and then a Micheletti double and a Hernandez sac fly were the eighth and ninth unanswered runs the Canadians scored. The pitching was also excellent, as Austin Cates got his first win as a Canadian, striking out eight batters in six innings, only allowing three hits. Edinson Batista and JJ Sanchez combined for four strikeouts in three innings, with neither allowing a run to score. The result was a complete game shutout to pair with the offense going off. Edward Duran - 2-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB Duran had a slow start to his High-A tenure, but he showed signs of heating up with his second homer for Vancouver. Austin Cates - 6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K Cates’ devastating splitter has adjusted well to High-A competition; he has 18 strikeouts in his last two starts. He’s a name to look out for as the organization's next developmental success story, especially if he can find another gear on his fastball. Vancouver (6), Hillsboro (11) - 8/27 Box Score The Hops got their revenge after a shellacking the previous night, as they combined for 17 hits with the Canadians’ pitching struggling. Chris McElvain had a tough night after a streak of strong pitching performances, allowing 10 of the hits himself, and he couldn’t miss bats, only striking out two. The Canadians went down 6-0 by the fourth inning, and McElvain had to be replaced. The Canadians kept on fighting, however, as once David Hagaman was taken out of the game, they struck against the Hops’ relievers. Hernandez started it off with an RBI single before Keys came in to score on a wild pitch. Micheletti knocked in a run in the seventh, and Nimmala had a huge hit to bring it within one immediately after. Unfortunately for the Canadians, the pitching could not hold on, as the dam broke against Irv Carter and Jonathan Todd. The Hops fired back with another five runs of their own. Nimmala hit a double in the ninth as a last effort, but it was not enough, as the Canadians were not able to overcome a poor pitching night. Arjun Nimmala - 2-5, 3 RBI, 1 2B, 1 SB Dunedin Blue Jays Dunedin (), Fort Myers () - 8/26 Postponed Dunedin (1), Fort Myers (5) - 8/27 - F/7 Box Score Austin Smith started it off with a bang for the D-Jays with a 97.7-mph homer to right center field that went 393 feet. Unfortunately for Dunedin, that was the only run they’d score all game. Holden Wilkerson allowed four runs as his struggles continued, with his ERA now at 6.75 on the season. Lluveres Severino struggled with walks, as he allowed another run to score in the fourth, and despite two good innings from Diego Dominguez, the Jays' offense faltered. They couldn’t get another runner to cross the plate, leading to a quick 5-1 loss. Austin Smith - 1-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 HR Diego Dominguez - 2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K Dunedin (3), Fort Myers (1) - 8/27 - F/7 Box Score The makeup game for the previous day’s rainout was a better one for the D-Jays, as they got a strong pitching performance from UDFA Dayne Pengelly. He had his longest outing as a pro, striking out four batters and not allowing a run in four innings pitched, and he now has a 1.08 ERA in his early career. The offense also got runs again in the first inning, this time with Yeuni Munoz reaching on an error before Kendry Chirinos walked, and Jean Joseph hit his 18th double of the season to score both of them after a fielding error from Yasser Mercedes. In the third inning, Smith continued to have himself a solid rookie campaign with another extra-base hit to start the inning, before getting moved to third on a groundout and a balk, which scored him for an insurance run. The D-Jays had solid efforts from their relievers too. Carson Myers and Danny Thompson Jr. each pitched a scoreless inning, and Mason Olson secured the hold despite allowing a run on a double. The D-Jays managed a nice win after a loss earlier in the day. Jean Joseph - 2-3, 2 RBI, 1 2B Dayne Pengelly - 4 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Players of the Period Pitcher of the Period: RHP Austin Cates (Vancouver) - 6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K Hitter of the Period: RF Eddie Micheletti Jr. (Vancouver) - 4-8, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 2B, 1 SB Prospect Summary (Last 2 Days) Toronto Blue Jays Top 20 Hitters Rank Player Team PA R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS 1 Arjun Nimmala Vancouver 10 1 3 1 0 0 5 0 3 1 0 2 JoJo Parker N/A 9 Alan Roden TRADED 10 Orelvis Martinez Buffalo 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 11 Yohendrick Pinango Buffalo 4 1 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 13 Josh Kasevich Buffalo 8 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 16 RJ Schreck Buffalo 5 1 2 0 0 1 5 1 0 0 0 17 Victor Arias New Hampshire 9 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 19 Jonatan Clase Buffalo 5 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 Toronto Blue Jays Top 20 Pitchers Rank Player Team BF G GS IP H HR ER BB K 3 Trey Yesavage New Hampshire 18 1 1 4.2 2 0 1 2 5 4 Ricky Tiedemann Buffalo 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 Khal Stephen TRADED 6 Johnny King Dunedin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 Kendry Rojas TRADED 8 Gage Stanifer Vancouver 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 Landen Maroudis Dunedin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 Juaron Watts-Brown TRADED 15 Jake Bloss Buffalo 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18 Brandon Barriera FCL Jays 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 20 Adam Macko Buffalo 14 1 0 3.2 2 1 1 2 4 View full article

I will say Kasevich has better EV numbers than people will expect, but his best role is probably a utility man given his just average defense at shortstop. I think I'm higher on him than most because his floor is higher than a lot of prospects, but he's probably not a starter unless he learns how to take advantage of his hard hit balls.

Pinango really is a data darling. His main flaw is that he doesn't lift the ball enough, nor to the pull side, but man this is a pretty statcast profile.

CURRENT W-L Records Buffalo Bisons: 48-69 New Hampshire Fisher Cats: 49-66 Vancouver Canadians: 63-51 Dunedin Blue Jays: 56-58 FCL Blue Jays: Season Complete DSL Blue Jays Blue: 22-33 DSL Blue Jays Red: 30-26 Transactions 08/20/25 Vancouver Canadians placed RHP Bo Bonds on the 7-day injured list retroactive to August 17, 2025. 08/19/25 Buffalo Bisons released OF Devonte Brown. 08/19/25 RHP Bobby Milacki assigned to New Hampshire Fisher Cats from Buffalo Bisons. 08/19/25 RHP Bobby Milacki assigned to New Hampshire Fisher Cats from Buffalo Bisons. Buffalo Bisons Buffalo (), Scranton/Wilkes-Barre () - 8/19 Postponed Buffalo (4), Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (1) - 8/20 Box Score Alek Manoah got the start in this game for Buffalo, as he continues rehabbing on his way back to the major leagues. In the first inning, things didn't go as planned, when Stephen Jones launched a 443-foot home run off Manoah. After that though, Manoah was locked in, pitching 4.2 innings, only giving up three hits, two walks, striking out four, and allowing just the one run. He had better command of his pitches, but the velocity on his fastball and sinker has dropped dramatically from when he was at Single A for the beginning of his rehab. He averaged only 91.4 mph on the sinker and 90.8 mph on the four-seam fastball. In the second, RJ Schreck tripled to score Josh Kasevich, and Brandon Valenzuela singled home Schreck for the one-run Buffalo lead. In the bottom of the sixth, it was Schreck again, as he launched his sixth home run of the year at Triple A to give the Bisons a three-run lead. Adam Macko pitched great to close the game for Buffalo, going four innings himself, allowing just one hit, no walks, striking out four, and not allowing a run. Buffalo won this game 4-1. RJ Schreck - 2-3, 2 R, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 3B, 1 HR Alek Manoah - 4.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K New Hampshire Fisher Cats New Hampshire (5), Akron (1) - 8/19 Box Score Tuesday was the beginning of a new series for New Hampshire, this one against the Akron RubberDucks. Bobby Milacki was on the mound for the Fisher Cats, and the RubberDucks sent Rodney Boone to counter him. It was all New Hampshire to start the game. In the top of the first inning, Jackson Hornung doubled home Victor Arias, and Charles McAdoo followed that up with a single, bringing Hornung in to score from second. In the top of the second inning, it was again Hornung who provided the big at-bat, this time knocking a ball to right field for a sacrifice fly, scoring Dasan Brown. Akron cut into the New Hampshire lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. It was a solo shot to right field by Wuilfredo Antunez that finally got the RubberDucks on the scoreboard. Ryan McCarty gave New Hampshire some breathing room in the eighth with a groundball to shortstop, which resulted in a throwing error and allowed two more runs to score. Nate Garkow came into the game in the ninth and slammed the door on Akron, striking out two of the three batters he faced and securing the 5-1 win for New Hampshire. Jackson Hornung: 1-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 K, 1 2B Bobby Milacki: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K New Hampshire (6), Akron (2) - 8/20 Box Score It was another hot start for New Hampshire on Wednesday against the Akron RubberDucks. In the top of the first inning, after Hornung walked, Je'Von Ward doubled him home and gave New Hampshire the early 1-0 lead. McAdoo added to their lead in the third, with his 15th home run of the season, this one a two-run blast to left. Hornung was again in the middle of all of the key at-bats, as he doubled in the fourth with the bases loaded, scoring two more for the Fisher Cats. In the bottom of the fifth, after surrendering two walks and a flyout, Alex Amalfi gave way to Devereaux Harrison. He would promptly throw a wild pitch and cough up a two-RBI single to Jake Fox. That is where the game stood until the ninth inning, when Ward knocked another double to right field, scoring McAdoo and securing the 6-2 win for New Hampshire. Charles McAdoo: 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 1 2B Alex Amalfi: 4.1 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K Vancouver Canadians Vancouver (5), Tri-City (0) - 8/19 Box Score Vancouver enjoyed another dominant pitching performance, this time headlined by Gage Stanifer, who struck out eight batters and only allowed one hit and two walks to the Tri-City Dust Devils. The offense also did its job, scoring three runs in the fourth inning with a Carter Cunningham RBI single, who then scored after Alexis Hernandez hit his third double with Vancouver. Tucker Toman continued to produce since getting promoted, adding an RBI single of his own. Toman also got another RBI in the sixth on a sac fly before Edward Duran capped off the scoring with a single to score Hernandez. Even after Stanifer was taken out of the game, the Canadians could not be touched, with Aaron Munson striking out two batters in two innings, and Julio Ortiz pitching a three-strikeout ninth inning to give the Canadians a one-hitter. Edward Duran - 2-4, 1 RBI, 1 2B Gage Stanifer - 6 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K Stanifer’s dominance has been something to watch in the Jays' farm system all year. The righty’s breakout campaign continued, as he lowered his High-A ERA to 3.46 and his FIP to 2.33. He’s striking out over 36% of the batters he faces, and despite a .350 BABIP, he is only allowing opponents to hit .207 against him. Vancouver (7), Tri-City (4) - 8/20 Box Score Vancouver once again had a dominant start from another pitching prospect, with Austin Cates taking the bump and striking out 10 batters with his signature splitter and high-rising fastball. Unfortunately, he could not take the win, as the Canadians could only score one run in the first on a Hernandez single before Cates allowed a sac fly to Adrian Placencia in the fifth inning for his only blemish of the game. Irv Carter came on in relief and struggled, allowing a three-run homer to break the tie. The Canadians did not go without a fight, and after a wild pitch scored Toman, Jay Harry hit an RBI single to bring the lead within one. Toman once again produced for the Canadians, with a single to tie the game, and Hayden Gilliland hit a massive three-run homer to break the tie and win the game for the Canadians. Javen Coleman earned save number three, striking out two batters to end it. Alexis Hernandez - 3-4, 2 R, 1 RBI Although the heroics were from Toman and Gilliland, Hernandez was the one to get on base for them to knock in the crucial runs. The outfielder has been excellent since his promotion to Vancouver, with a .327 batting average and an .883 OPS. Austin Cates - 5 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 10 K Cates continues to be one of the most underrated pitching prospects for the Blue Jays, as he’s been absolutely incredible since May. His season ERA is now 3.63 in 91 ⅔ innings. Dunedin Blue Jays Dunedin (6), Lakeland (2) - 8/19 Box Score The D-Jays head over to Lakeland after their last series, and they threatened immediately, with Maddox Latta and Eric Snow singling before Kendry Chirinos was walked, but were unable to score. Mason Olson then immediately gave up a double to Nick Dumesnil, who then scored to give Lakeland the lead. After a scoreless inning by both teams, Jake Casey tied it up with a mammoth blast to center field. Lakeland answered back with a sac fly, but in the fifth inning, after Latta hit a double, Casey hit homer number two to take the lead for good. In the sixth, a Chrinos walk and a Brock Tibbitts double led to a two-RBI double from Yeuni Munoz, and then Latta capped off a three-hit night with an RBI double himself. Eminen Flores got it together in the pen after a rough month, getting his second hold with a scoreless three-inning performance, and then Jay Schueler got the last inning for a nice victory for the D-Jays. Jake Casey - 3-5, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 HR The son of former MLB player Sean Casey has been showing out since joining the Jays organization. Casey had his first two professional homers, the first at 109.6 mph and the second going 103.6 mph. His OPS is up to .984 as of this game. Mason Olson - 5 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K Dunedin (7), Tampa (5) - 8/20 - F/7 Box Score Landen Maroudis continued to struggle after coming back from Tommy John, as he could only get one out in the first inning, giving up two hits, two walks, and four earned runs. The poor pitching was contagious, however. Cash Kuiper was able to get out of the first inning unscathed but walked four straight batters in the second inning before being replaced by Ronny Chalas, who promptly walked Will Cresswell to make it 2-4. The inning after, Austin Smith went back-to-back with doubles to bring it within one, and then Chirinos hit a single to tie it up. Jean Joseph also hit a single, and after Yorman Licourt grounded into a force out, Cresswell hit a huge two-run double to take the lead for the D-Jays. The bullpen did a good job after Maroudis was taken out, only allowing one unearned run as Nate LaRue, Gilberto Batista and Danny Thompson Jr. combined for seven strikeouts in 6.2 innings pitched. The Jays did also get an unearned run themselves, as Smith scored on a throwing error, and they accomplished a strong comeback win in the first game of the doubleheader. Will Cresswell - 1-2, 3 RBI, 1 BB Gilberto Batista - 3.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R (0 ER), 3 K Dunedin (7), Tampa (1) - 8/20 - F/7 Box Score Instead of coming from behind, the D-Jays struck first this time, with a Chirinos double to score Smith for the first run of the game. Dayne Pengelly was excellent to start the game as the opener for Dunedin, striking out five and only allowing one run. He was replaced in the third inning after allowing an RBI double to Samuel Gil, and Carson Myers ended up getting his second win with 1.2 innings of scoreless pitching. Opposing starter Jatnk Diaz walked Chirinos and Joseph, before Munoz came back where he left off before the injury that took him out for half of the season with a 106.1 mph, 387-foot homer to center field to blow the game open. A trio of RBI singles in the sixth inning from Manuel Beltre, David Beckles and Smith gave the D-Jays insurance, and Lluveres Severino got his first save with three innings of shutout baseball. Yeuni Munoz - 1-3, 2 R, 3 RBI, 1 HR Dayne Pengelly - 2.1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K DSL Blue Jays Blue D-BJB (3), D-ARB (11) F/7- 8/19 Box Score In what was the final game of the season for BJB, they put up a dud, to say the least. They opened up the game with a great scoring opportunity in the top of the first inning. Three walks loaded the bases up, then a grounder by Fabian Gonzalez scored the first run of the ball game. Unfortunately, Darwin Núñez grounded out and ended the threat before they could break the game open. In the bottom half of the first, BJB coughed up three runs, and it was only the beginning of their troubles. ARB scored another five runs in the fourth, two runs in the fifth, and one more in the sixth, highlighted by Mayki De La Rosa's two-run home run. BJB got their final run of the year in the top of the seventh, an RBI triple off the bat of Daniel Dominguez. It was a disappointing finish to the season for BJB, as they fell 11-3 and only managed one hit in the game. Daniel Dominguez: 1-1, 2 RBI, 1 3B Juan Ramirez: 1 IP, 0 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K DSL Blue Jays Red D-BJR (6), D-TI1 (0) - F/7 - 8/19 Box Score The DSL Blue Jays Red team was locked in a pitcher's duel for three innings of the Tuesday game down on the island. In the bottom of the fourth, BJR kicked things up a notch, as Kennew Blanco drove in Pascual Archila with a single and then Luis Felipe drove in Blanco with a single of his own. In the fifth, Juan Sanchez stepped to the plate and crushed his eighth home run of the season over the fence, a two-run blast. Continuing the team's streak of two-run innings, Renyel Campos had an RBI single in the sixth inning, and Sanchez capped off the scoring in the game with an RBI single as well. The DSL Blue Jays Red team won this one easily, 6-0. Juan Sanchez - 2-3, 1 R, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 HR Roberto Castellanos - 5 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Players of the Period Pitcher of the Period: Gage Stanifer - 6 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K Hitter of the Period: Jake Casey - 3-5. 2 R. 3 RBI, 2 HR Prospect Summary (Last 2 Days) Will return later this week. View full article

CURRENT W-L Records Buffalo Bisons: 44-68 New Hampshire Fisher Cats: 45-63 Vancouver Canadians: 58-50 Dunedin Blue Jays: 50-56 FCL Blue Jays: Season Complete DSL Blue Jays Blue: 20-30 DSL Blue Jays Red: 27-24 Transactions 08/13/25: Toronto Blue Jays sent RHP Alek Manoah on a rehab assignment to Buffalo Bisons. 08/12/25: RHP Trey Yesavage assigned to Buffalo Bisons from New Hampshire Fisher Cats. 08/12/25: RHP Diego Dominguez assigned to Dunedin Blue Jays from FCL Blue Jays. 08/12/25: RHP Austin Cates assigned to Vancouver Canadians from Dunedin Blue Jays. 08/12/25: RHP Dayne Pengelly assigned to Dunedin Blue Jays from FCL Blue Jays. 08/12/25: RHP Silvano Hechavarria assigned to Vancouver Canadians from Dunedin Blue Jays. 08/12/25: LHP Grif Hughes assigned to Dunedin Blue Jays from FCL Blue Jays. 08/12/25: LHP Juanmi Vasquez assigned to Vancouver Canadians from Dunedin Blue Jays. 08/12/25: LHP Johan Simon assigned to New Hampshire Fisher Cats from Vancouver Canadians. 08/12/25: RHP Fernando Perez assigned to New Hampshire Fisher Cats from Vancouver Canadians. 08/12/25: LHP Kai Peterson assigned to New Hampshire Fisher Cats from Vancouver Canadians. 08/12/25: RHP Yondrei Rojas assigned to New Hampshire Fisher Cats from Vancouver Canadians. Buffalo Bisons Buffalo (6), Lehigh Valley (0) - 8/12 Box Score Buffalo started a series with Lehigh Valley on Tuesday, and they faced off against a rehabbing Aaron Nola. Nola made easy work of the Buffalo lineup, going 5.2 innings and only giving up one run in the sixth inning, while another scored after he left the game. In all, he was as special as you might expect, striking out 11 Buffalo hitters. In the sixth inning though, the Bisons added on the runs after Nola left. Buffalo scored five runs in the inning, Clase had an RBI double, Yohendrick Pinango an RBI single, Phil Clarke drove in two aided by an error, and a wild pitch scored the fifth run. In the seventh, Riley Tirotta added an RBI single to cap off the scoring for the game. Buffalo would win this 6-0. Jonatan Clase - 2-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 2B, 1 SB Easton Lucas - 5.1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K Buffalo (4), Lehigh Valley (9) - 8/13 Box Score In the Wednesday game between Buffalo and Lehigh Valley, it was the Bisons’ turn to have a rehabbing major leaguer on the mound. Alek Manoah made his return to the Bisons, as he is working his way back to the major leagues following Tommy John surgery last season. It was a mixed bag for him in this game, though. In the first, he struck out the first batter he faced, then went walk, fly out, walk, and pop out. Buffalo gave him four runs in the bottom of the first on RBI doubles by RJ Schreck and Yodendrick Pinango, to go with an RBI single from Josh Rivera. However, in the second inning for Manoah, things went south. After an out, he gave up a single, hit a batter, walked one, then gave up a two-run double to Justin Crawford. After an RBI groundout from Alec Bohm, Manoah hit his pitch limit for the inning and was taken out. After zeroes in the third inning, Lehigh Valley scored six runs in the next five innings, including a Bohm home run. Buffalo lost this one badly, 9-4. RJ Schreck - 1-3, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 2B Bobby Milacki - 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K New Hampshire Fisher Cats New Hampshire (3), Binghamton (5) - 8/12 Box Score Tuesday brought with it the start of a new series, this one against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies. Binghamton got out on top first with a big home run from Chris Suero, a two-run shot in the bottom of the first inning. Later in the inning, Nick Lorusso would add to their lead with an RBI single, scoring Jacob Reimer. In the top of the third, Charles McAdoo cut into Binghamton's lead with a big blast of his own, his 13th home run of the year. Binghamton got another home run in the fourth to add to their lead, this one of the solo variety by William Lugo. The next half inning saw New Hampshire answer back with an RBI single from Je'Von Ward, scoring Victor Arias. In the bottom of the fifth, Binghamton continued their power stroke with another solo home run and brought their lead to three. The Fisher Cats kept fighting though, getting an RBI groundout by Arias in the seventh, but it just wouldn't be enough, as they fell 5-3. Charles McAdoo: 2-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K Pat Gallagher: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K New Hampshire (), Binghamton () - 8/13 PPD Vancouver Canadians Vancouver (10), Spokane (3) - 8/12 Box Score The Canadians yet again headed to Spokane, trying to go 10 games above .500. It started off great, as two walks to start the first led to a Nick Goodwin RBI single to give the Canadians an early lead. JR Freethy then knocked in another run in the second with a double. Sean Keys hit a homer in the fifth to extend the lead even further. Jackson Wentworth had another dominant start, as he’s been excellent over the past few starts, and the Canadians held Spokane scoreless during Wentworth’s start. In the sixth inning, Vancouver tacked on two more runs with a Bryce Arnold single scoring Alexis Hernandez after he hit a triple, and then Eddie Micheletti Jr. hit his 20th double of the season to score Arnold. JJ Sanchez came in and continued the pitching dominance, with two innings of scoreless baseball, and the Canadians added more runs with a Carter Cunningham triple and an Arnold homer to make it seven straight runs unanswered. Jonathan Todd replaced Sanchez and let in a run in the eighth on a single to Blake Wright, before the Canadians loaded the bases for a Freethy bases-clearing double to make it 10-1. Jonathan Todd struck out two more batters in the bottom of the ninth but allowed two runs to score. Altogether, the Canadians put on a dominant performance both offensively and pitching-wise. J.R. Freethy - 2-4, 1 R, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 2 2B Jackson Wentworth - 5 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 K Wentworth tied his career high in strikeouts with nine, and since June 24, he has a 3.09 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 46.2 IP. He’s been much better at avoiding homers, and his walk rate is 7.5%. The 2024 fifth-rounder is really rounding into form. Vancouver (6), Spokane (5) - 8/13 Box Score After the big win the previous night, the Canadians tried to carry that momentum into this game. Again, they struck first with a Goodwin RBI groundout in the first, but Aidan Longwell continued to do well against the Canadians as he’s done all season and had one of his own to tie it up. Gage Stanifer had another strong start, as after that, he didn’t allow a run until the sixth inning. The Canadians took the lead back with Freethy’s third double of the series to score Arnold, and Micheletti drove him home on a single to add to the lead. Stanifer let in another run on a Max Belyeu solo-shot, but Jay Harry came right back with a two-run homer of his own to tack on some insurance runs. Aaron Munson came in relief and pitched one and two-thirds scoreless innings with the help of a triple play. Cunningham got some more insurance with an RBI groundout, and it turned out that the Canadians needed all of it, as Spokane scored three runs on two normally very reliable relievers, Bo Bonds and Javen Coleman, but Vancouver was able to hang on to win 6-5. Jay Harry - 1-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 HR Gage Stanifer - 6 IP, 8 H, 2 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 4 K Dunedin Blue Jays Dunedin (1), Tampa (3) - 8/12 - Completion of Jul 24 Game Box Score The D-Jays returned to the past, as they finished off a delayed game starting in the fifth inning, with Holden Wilkerson returning right where he left off. The lineups changed, as a lot of the hitters that were on both teams have since been promoted or left the organizations, and what began in July was now to be finished in August. Roderick Arias started the scoring in the sixth off of Wilkerson with a single, but the Jays answered with a Hayden Gilliland double. However, that was all they could do offensively, as they couldn’t score after that. Meanwhile, Wilkerson pitched deep into the ninth, but with two outs and a runner on second, he left a four-seamer up in the zone, and Marshall Toole hit a two-run homer, which resulted in a Dunedin loss. Hayden Gilliland - 1-1, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 2B Holden Wilkerson - 7.2 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 8 K Dunedin (2), Tampa (6) - 8/12 - F/7 Box Score Mason Olson got the start for the D-Jays in the second game of the day, and he put up a bunch of threes. Three innings, three hits given up, three runs, three walks, and three strikeouts. Dunedine got the first run with a Brock Tibbitts sac fly, but the Tarpons fired off six straight runs without an answer. Matt Scannell hit a homer in the seventh, but it was too little too late as the D-Jays went quietly in the second game of the doubleheader.. Matt Scannell - 1-2, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 HR Scannell continued his hot start in a Jays uniform, as he hit his second homer of the season. His OPS is nearing 1.000. Dunedin (6), Tampa (13) - 8/13 Box Score After Dunedin's tough loss the night before, the Tarpons made it even harder on them, more than doubling the score despite the D-Jays also scoring six runs themselves. Maroudis is still struggling to find his stuff; he didn't strike out a single batter and only went three innings. Gilberto Batista has also struggled hard since a strong start at the beginning of the season, and this time he gave up five earned runs before Eminen Flores ballooned his ERA to almost 9.00. Allowing 13 runs in only six innings of work is tough. Kasevich, Beckles, and Tibbitts each got hugs at least, as well as doubles. Brock Tibbitts - 1-2, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 2B Carson Myers - 1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K DSL Blue Jays Blue D-BJB (), D-TI1 () - 8/12 PPD DSL Blue Jays Red D-BJR (2), D-GIB (1) - 8/12 Box Score It was a hard-fought game down on the island for BJR. They got good pitching from their starter Roberto Castellanos, who went four innings, only giving up one run without allowing a walk and striking out three. The lone run he gave up came in the fourth on a Vinicius Dos Santos double that scored Albert Jimenez. In the bottom of the seventh, J.T. Bain launched his second home run of the season, a solo shot to left, tying the game up at one. An inning later, Keegan Pieternella put a ball in play that resulted in an error on GIB, and what would be the winning run came across home plate. The bullpen was up to the task of shutting down GIB, as they combined to throw five innings and gave up just one run. BJB took this close game 2-1. J.T. Bain: 3-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 K, 1 HR, 1 SB Roberto Castellanos: 4 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Players of the Period Pitcher of the Period: RHP Jackson Wentworth - 5 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 K Hitter of the Period: 2B/OF J.R. Freethy - 3-7, 3 R, 5 RBI, 7 BB Prospect Summary (Last 2 Days) Will return later in the week. View full article

I wonder if the implementation of the automated system is a way to give some more of an advantage to the offense now that pitching has improved so much. Really interested to see who it progresses as more testing is done throughout the minors.

Although he walked in the tying run in the bottom of the eighth inning, Jeff Hoffman retained his manager's trust and came back to pitch the bottom of the ninth against the bottom of the Dodgers' order. That did not go to plan, as the closer who had a 5.8% walk rate before Sunday's game walked three out of the four batters he faced in the ninth. In came Mason Fluharty, who before this game had a 5.23 ERA and a 4.20 FIP. The 23-year-old lefty rookie started off strongly for the Jays, but after a rough June, he was optioned back down to Triple-A Buffalo before just recently returning to the major league roster. Fluharty does have better peripherals than his results might suggest, with above-average strikeout and whiff rates, and he's been able to limit hard contact. He runs into issues here and there with his control, but his xERA is only 3.30 compared to his current ERA over 5.00. However, Fluharty was mostly used in low-leverage spots before Sunday. This can be illustrated by a metric called Leverage Index (LI), which was created by statistician Tom Tango. According to MLB.com, LI measures "the importance of a particular event by quantifying the extent to which win probability could change on said event, with 1.0 representing a neutral situation." Fluharty’s average Leverage Index prior to his save attempt against the Dodgers was 0.67. In contrast, when Fluharty came into the game after Hoffman loaded the bases, the LI was thirteen times higher, at a staggering 8.91. This was a do-or-die moment, the difference between the Dodgers sweeping the Jays and putting a sour note on the end of a road trip, or the Jays miraculously holding on in a nail-biter. Pitch #1 - Fluharty faces Shohei Ohtani, the reigning NL MVP, and throws a sweeper on the outside corner for a called strike. 0-1. Pitch #2 - Fluharty throws an 89.3-mph cutter up and in to Ohtani, who turns away from the pitch, swinging the bat in an effort to dodge the ball. Although it appeared that he swung, the third base umpire called it not a swing. Funnily enough, according to Tom Tango, if MLB implemented the 45-degree plane automated checked swing system they've been testing in the minors, this would in fact have been a checked swing. The count evens up at 1-1. Pitch #3 - Fluharty throws a pitch at the bottom of the zone, and Ohtani is completely fooled, as the 82.6-mph sweeper dives off the plate with 45 inches of drop and 15 inches of sweep, getting him to chase. It’s 1-2 in Fluharty’s favour. Pitch #4 - Fluharty tries another sweeper even further off the plate, but it goes in the dirt, and Ohtani easily takes it and evens the count up at 2-2. Pitch #5 - Fluharty goes back inside to Ohtani after two straight breaking balls, and Ohtani is forced to foul it off, as the pitch was about to clip the inside corner. The count remains 2-2. Pitch #6 - Fluharty then tries to elevate the cutter slightly higher, trying to get him to chase up in the zone, but Ohtani takes that pitch as well. The Jays' dugout is not happy that it wasn’t called a strike, despite being out of the zone. The count is now full. Pitch #7 - The next pitch is another sweeper reminiscent of pitch number two, but this time it’s in the zone. Ohtani is able to get to it and foul it off, and Fluharty has to go again. Pitch #8 - Fluharty then tries to throw the sweeper on the inside part of the plate, but it backs up a bit on him, and Ohtani takes a big hack that sends the pitch foul. The count remains 3-2. Pitch #9 - With the game on the line, Fluharty once again throws a sweeper, this time below the zone, and Ohtani chases. After throwing two straight sweepers in the zone that resulted in foul-offs, the rookie challenged the MVP on a pitch that could have tied the game up for the Dodgers. Instead, he recorded one of the biggest outs of the season for the Jays. Mookie Betts then comes up to the dish, and although the 2018 AL MVP has been struggling at the plate relative to his norm, the righty still is an above-average hitter against lefty pitching, and Fluharty has struggled more against right-handed hitters so far this season. Pitch #10 - Fluharty goes to the cutter, as sweepers typically have wide platoon splits, but he throws it way out of the zone for ball one. Pitch #11 - He then throws another cutter, but this time paints it on the outside corner to even the count up. Pitch #12 - This time, it’s a cutter on the inside corner, and Betts swings at it, resulting in a soft grounder to Addison Barger. The third baseman forces out Alex Call at second to win the game and finish off Mason Fluharty's very first MLB save. The last pitcher to retire two former MVPs back-to-back with the bases loaded en route to a save was Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman in 2002 (OptaStats). This just goes to show the depth of this Jays team, as a relatively unknown rookie reliever could come up and perform in a big moment when key members of the bullpen were hurt or under-performing. From top to bottom, the majority of the Jays' 40-man roster has stepped up in a major way in 2025. View full article

Slovakian-Canadian Adam Macko was part of the return that sent Teoscar Hernandez to Seattle in his free agent year. Erik Swanson was the main piece, and although he immediately pitched well in his first season with the Jays, external factors and injuries eventually led to a DFA for this season. Macko also dealt with injuries, as during spring training he was sent to the injured list after tearing his meniscus, delaying his start to the season after potentially being one of the Jays' depth starters to start the season. That role ended up going to guys like Paxton Schultz, Easton Lucas, Jose Urena, Spencer Turnbull, and the return of Casey Lawrence for a spot start. Macko is now finally healthy, and John Schneider mentioned him and 2024 first-rounder Trey Yesavage as other starting pitching depth options for the Jays down the stretch. Macko’s numbers don’t really jump off the page, as he has a 5.92 ERA in ten starts for the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, and he’s also walking over 16% of the batters he’s facing. Still, the lefty has decent stuff coming out of a deceptive delivery, which makes him one of the more unique looks hitters have to face. Macko utilizes a four-pitch mix, and his most frequently used pitch is his four-seam fastball. Macko’s four-seamer sits 92-94 mph, but he can touch up to 96, with 15 and a half inches of ride and 6.5 inches of run. The pitch effectiveness depends heavily on his velocity, as when his four-seamer is under 93 mph, it has a .340 batting average against, and only has a 17.9% whiff rate. In contrast, when it’s above 93 mph, it has a .192 batting average against and a 21.4% whiff rate. Macko’s secondaries are his more effective pitches when he’s throwing them in the zone, but they have a lot of movement that prevents him from landing them for strikes consistently. His most reliable secondary is his slider, which he throws near 30% of the time. His slider sits in the mid-80s, where he gets over a 35% chase rate with it and a 34% whiff rate, and the pitch does get hit hard when hitters make contact. Macko’s curveball is probably his best pitch; it has a two-plane break, and despite being thrown in the mid-70s, it has the highest whiff rate in his arsenal at over 40%, and generates a ton of weak contact when it is hit. Macko has struggled to consistently place it in the zone due to the big movement this season, and hitters can pick up on the pitch out of the hand and not swing, leading to mediocre chase rates, but if Macko can command it, it’ll be a great weapon for him. Lastly, the lefty also throws a changeup, which he throws almost exclusively to righties; it sits in the low to mid-80s and has good fade, but he also struggles with the feel of it sometimes. Macko’s four solid pitches does signal that he could be a decent depth-starter piece, but his issues with command and staying healthy have plagued him throughout his career. The strikeout rates are also unimpressive, but Macko has done an excellent job limiting the long ball this season, only giving up a single homer. He also does a great job at inducing infield fly-balls, which are almost as good at strikeouts because they’re almost as likely to be an out, which he’s done at a 31.8% rate, for 17th among all International League Pitchers with over 30 IP. As of now, the 24-year-old may not be the first starter to be called up if the Jays need a spot start, but if he can continue on his recent momentum, where he’s only allowed two earned runs in his last three starts, he’ll continue to be on the Jays’ radar. View full article

CURRENT W-L Records Buffalo Bisons: 41-65 New Hampshire Fisher Cats: 45-58 Vancouver Canadians: 56-48 Dunedin Blue Jays: 48-52 FCL Blue Jays: Season Complete DSL Blue Jays Blue: 19-27 DSL Blue Jays Red: 23-23 Transactions 08/06/25: RHP Lluveres Severino assigned to Dunedin Blue Jays from FCL Blue Jays. 08/05/25: Buffalo Bisons sent SS Josh Kasevich on a rehab assignment to Dunedin Blue Jays. 08/05/25: Toronto Blue Jays sent 2B Andrés Giménez on a rehab assignment to Buffalo Bisons. 08/05/25: Toronto Blue Jays selected the contract of 1B Buddy Kennedy from Buffalo Bisons. 08/05/25: Buffalo Bisons sent SS Josh Kasevich on a rehab assignment to Dunedin Blue Jays. 08/05/25: LF David Beckles and OF Yorman Licourt assigned to Dunedin Blue Jays from FCL Blue Jays. Buffalo Bisons Buffalo (6), Worcester (10) - 8/5 Box Score Buffalo kicked off a week-long series with Worcester on Tuesday. A rehabbing Andrés Giménez was in the lineup for Buffalo and took an 0-for-3 night before subbing out for Orelvis Martinez late in the game. Worcester took a two-run lead in the first inning, when Jhostynxon Garcia singled to center field, bringing in Nick Sogard. Garcia would score later in the inning on an RBI groundout. Buffalo tied the game up at three in the third; Michael Stefanic had an RBI single, and Giménez added a run with an RBI groundout. Trayce Thompson gave Worcester the lead back in the fourth on his twelfth home run of the season. Buffalo grabbed the lead right back in the top of the fourth inning, when Leo Jiménez hit an RBI double to center and Brandon Valenzuela hit an RBI single to right field. Kristian Campbell's RBI single in the fifth set off seven unanswered runs for Worcester over the next two innings, with Nate Eaton's three-run home run and Garcia's two-run triple being the big hits. Stefanic would add a two-run single in the ninth, but it wasn't enough, with Buffalo losing this one 10-6. Leo Jiménez - 2-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 2B Lazaro Estrada - 4 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 7 K Buffalo (7), Worcester (3) - 8/6 Box Score Devonte Brown got things started in the Wednesday game between Buffalo and Worcester, hitting his first home run at Triple A. It was a two-run shot in the top of the second to give Buffalo the early lead. Worcester answered quickly in the bottom half of the inning, with Sogard driving in a run on a double to left field. In the fourth, Christian Bethancourt's RBI groundout put Buffalo up two runs. RBI singles from Garcia and Campbell tied things up in the fifth. Stefanic was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the seventh, and a dropped fly ball in the ninth saw Buffalo cash in three runs, clearing the bases. The Bisons won this one 7-3. Devonte Brown- 2-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HR Paxton Schultz - 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K New Hampshire Fisher Cats New Hampshire (7), Reading (6) - 8/5 Box Score New Hampshire started a new series on Tuesday against Reading and sent Grant Rogers and his quality-start generating arm to the mound. The Fisher Cats broke through early with two runs in the bottom of the second inning from Gabriel Martinez's second home run at Double A. In the top of the third, Rogers got into trouble with three straight hits to lead off the inning, resulting in a run for Reading. However, Ryan McCarty was able to throw out a runner at home and give the momentum back to Rogers. He was then able to get a fly out and groundout to escape the jam, only surrendering the one run. Victor Arias expanded the New Hampshire lead in the bottom of the fifth with a sacrifice fly. Later in the inning, Je'Von Ward hit a three-run home run for the Fisher Cats, giving them a comfortable five-run lead. Rogers came out for the top of the sixth inning and was in a great position for another quality start. Unfortunately, the inning unraveled on him, as he coughed up two runs, aided by an error on himself. Arias knocked in another run on a single in the bottom of the sixth, giving New Hampshire a much-needed insurance run. Reading scored two in the next half inning, highlighted by Aidan Miller's solo home run. With the game tight, New Hampshire's bullpen shut the door on any potential comeback and secured the 7-6 win. Je'Von Ward: 1-4, 1 R, 3 RBI, 2 K, 1 HR Grant Rogers: 6 IP, 9 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 3 K New Hampshire (1), Reading (8) - 8/6 Box Score After a trade deadline that saw a number of the better starting pitchers for New Hampshire get moved to help the big league club, the Fisher Cats were back to using pitchers that had moved to the bullpen, and it showed Wednesday. Rafael Sanchez was back in a starting role, and he was touched early in this game. He gave up a two-run double in the top of the first and an RBI single in the top of the third. After he was pulled in the middle of the inning, reliever Pat Gallagher gave up an RBI single as well, with the run charged to Sanchez. Michael Dominguez did not fare any better, coughing up a two-run home run in the sixth to Leandro Pineda. Reading would cap off their scoring in the top of the ninth with a solo home run by Nick Dunn. As for the New Hampshire bats, their lone bright spot was a double by Charles McAdoo in the bottom of the first, and then Ward's double that scored him. New Hampshire fell in an ugly game, 8-1. Je'Von Ward: 2-4, 1 RBI, 1 2B Pat Gallagher: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K Vancouver Canadians Vancouver (7), Hillsboro (10) - 8/5 Box Score The Canadians are once again playing the Hops, this time at Nat Bailey Stadium, and the series started very roughly for them. Chris McElvain struggled, giving up four runs in three innings of work, and the bullpen was not much better. JJ Sanchez gave up three runs himself, leaving the Canadians down seven to nothing heading into the bottom of the fifth. Cutter Coffey hit a solo shot for the Canadians to finally get something, but Austin Marozas gave up the run back in the top of the sixth inning. The Canadians got a couple of runs back in the seventh, with the Hops' pitching becoming wild, as they started walking a lot of batters and throwing some wild pitches. Eddie Micheletti Jr. scored on a wild pitch, and then Carter Cunningham hit a double to dig away at the lead. Again, Marozas gave up the same number of runs the Canadians just scored, erasing a lot of the progress they just made. Another wild pitch scored Jay Harry in the bottom of the eighth, and in the bottom of the ninth, the Canadians got a few sac flies and a bases-loaded walk but couldn’t quite make the comeback, only bringing the deficit to within three. Cutter Coffey - 1-5, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 HR The July Northwest League Hitter of the Month did it again with his ninth homer of the year. He’s been one of the hottest hitters in the Jays organization and could see a move up to Double-A New Hampshire sooner than later. Jonathan Todd - 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K Vancouver (3), Hillsboro (6) - 8/6 Box Score The Canadians tried to bounce back after the tough pitching night, as Jackson Wentworth pitched a decent game, going four innings and allowing two runs, five hits, three walks, and striking out three. Kevin Kiermaier was also in the building, as he donned a uniform and served as the first base coach at times, while also helping out the outfield before the game. The Canadians got off to an early lead, as Sean Keys’ groundout led to JR Freethy scoring on a missed catch error from the pitcher. Wentworth was cruising until the top of the third, when he hit a wall and allowed a few too many free bases and hits that resulted in two runs scored. Johan Simon replaced Wentworth and had a scoreless inning before allowing two runs to score in the sixth. Bo Bonds uncharacteristically lost the zone, walking four batters in the seventh inning. Keys came up again and knocked in a run the easy way with a single that scored Freethy again. Arjun Nimmala brought the game to within two runs, but a Jansel Luis double brought it back to three. The Canadians had one more chance to stay alive, as Keys took a walk that brought Nimmala up, but he grounded into a pseudo-double play; he might have been robbed, as he looked like he stepped on first before the ump called him out. JR Freethy - 2-4, 2 R, 1 BB Freethy had a successful debut in Vancouver, recording a two-hit night and scoring two of the three Canadians' runs. Javen Coleman - 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 K Coleman just missed out on his second immaculate inning of the season, as he threw eight straight strikes before Modeifi Marte fouled off the ninth pitch. He then popped out on Coleman’s tenth pitch. Dunedin Blue Jays Dunedin (1), Palm Beach (3) - 8/5 - Completion of Jul 13 game Box Score The game was a continuation of a July 13 matchup that was rained out, and the Jays got off to an early lead after Tucker Toman doubled to score Yorman Licourt’s first run as a D-Jay. Mason Olson was the “starter” for today, replacing Silvano Hechavarria in the fifth inning. Olson went through the first three innings without much of a peep, but in the eighth inning, things went awry, as he walked two batters after striking out the first. Rainiel Rodriguez came up as Olson was replaced by Jack Eshleman, who blew his second save of the season with a homer given up to put the D-Jays down two. The D-Jays had their last chance in the top of the ninth, but only Manuel Beltre could reach on a fielding error, as the rest of the Jays hit into three outs to end the first game of the day. Tucker Toman - 1-3, 1 RBI, 2B Silvano Hechavarria - 4 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K This was Hechavarria's performance on July 13, but we're just appreciating how good he was again. Dunedin (2), Palm Beach (8) - 8/5 - Game 2 Box Score In the second game of the doubleheader, the Jays tried to bounce back from a close loss in the first one. It started off well, with Kasevich getting a hit in the first at-bat of the game. Nothing came of it, however, as he was left on first, and in the top of the second, the Cardinals scored first with a Toman error on a pick-off attempt allowing Jose Suarez to score before Sammy Hernandez hit a double to score two more runs. The D-Jays were able to load the bases in the second inning, but could not capitalize again, as Kasevich couldn’t get a fly out to find grass. Kasevich later had another opportunity with a runner on third and delivered this time, with an RBI single for the Jays’ first run. Eminen Flores replaced Holden Wilkerson and struggled mightily, giving up a two-run homer in the top of the fifth after getting two quick outs, then giving up three more in the sixth on a two-run double. Jay Schueler replaced Flores and allowed one inherited runner to score before not allowing any more runs after that. The D-Jays got a run in the bottom of the seventh on an Eric Snow single, but that was all for them as they lost the second game of the doubleheader as well. Josh Kasevich - 2-3, 1 RBI, 1 BB Kasevich returned to Dunedin on another rehab assignment. He’s struggled with injuries throughout the season, but it was nice to see him get back to working his way to Triple A with a strong rehab appearance. Jay Schueler - 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K Dunedin (1), Palm Beach (7) - 8/6 Box Score The command issues continued for Landen Maroudis, as he was only able to pitch one inning before he was taken out of the game. He gave up a pair of doubles in the first to give up a run, and in the second inning, he loaded the bases with three straight walks without getting an out before allowing a run to score on a single. Lluveres Severino made his Dunedin debut and allowed another run on a wild pitch, but he was able to pitch well after that. In the third inning, Jean Joseph came up to the dish and hit a single that resulted in a play at the plate. Kendry Chirinos was called out at home, much to the dismay of the D-Jays, and manager Gil Kim came out of the dugout and had some words with the home plate umpire that ultimately led to him getting ejected. The Jays finally got something going in the fifth inning with a Toman double and a Joseph single that cut the lead to two. Unfortunately, that was the only run they scored all game. Gilberto Batista has struggled in the second half of the season, as the righty now has an ERA approaching five after giving up four runs on four hits in three innings of work. The D-Jays once again lost by six runs; they are now in a slight funk. At least David Beckles got his first hit after being promoted. Jean Joseph - 3-4, 1 RBI, 1 BB Lluveres Severino - 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K DSL Blue Jays Blue D-BJB (0), D-WSX (1) F/7 - 8/5 Box Score Tuesday was another forgettable game for BJB; this time against the White Sox DSL team (WSX). They only managed to get three singles in the game (Yeicer Crespo, Fabian Gonzalez, and Darwin Núñez ), in addition to one walk and two hit batters. BJB just could not get anything going with the bats and ended up with a goose egg on the scoreboard at the end of the game. It was not all bad though, as both Jose Andrades and Rodrigo Ramirez threw three innings and almost blanketed WSX as well. Unfortunately for BJB, Eduardo Herrera scored on a balk by Andrades, proving to be the winning run of the game, as BJB lost 1-0. Fabian Gonzalez: 1-3 Rodrigo Ramirez: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K DSL Blue Jays Red D-BJR (5), D-NAT (4) - 8/5 Box Score Down on the island Tuesday, the DSL Blue Jays Red team took on the DSL Nationals team. Juan Sanchez started things for BJR with a lead-off line drive single to left field, but he was erased from the bases on a steal attempt. In the bottom of the third, Sanchez hit a ground ball to center that ended up as a triple. He would score two batters later on a sacrifice fly from Kennew Blanco. In the fifth, NAT took the lead on three runs from an RBI double, a throwing error on the pitcher, and a wild pitch. In the sixth and seventh, BJR tied the game up at three, after they got an RBI single from Nicolas Vergara and an RBI double by Pascual Archila. In the top of the ninth, NAT took the lead on an RBI single, but it wouldn't last. A wild pitch in the bottom of the inning tied the game, when J.T. Bain scored. Archila then hit a single to right field, scoring Sanchez and ending the game in a walk-off win for BJR. They won 5-4. Pascual Archila - 3-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 0 K, 2 2B Roberto Castellanos - 4 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Players of the Period Pitcher of the Period: RHP Silvano Hechavarria (Dunedin): 4 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K Hitter of the Period: OF Je'Von Ward (New Hampshire): 3-8, 1 R, 4 RBI, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 1 2B Prospect Summary (Last 2 Days) Toronto Blue Jays Top 20 Hitters Rank Player Team PA R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS 1 Arjun Nimmala Vancouver 10 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 3 0 0 2 JoJo Parker N/A 9 Alan Roden TRADED 10 Orelvis Martinez Buffalo 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 11 Yohendrick Pinango Buffalo 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 13 Josh Kasevich Dunedin 8 0 4 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 16 RJ Schreck Buffalo 10 2 3 0 0 0 0 2 3 0 0 17 Victor Arias New Hampshire 8 0 2 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 19 Jonatan Clase Buffalo 5 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Toronto Blue Jays Top 20 Pitchers Rank Player Team BF G GS IP H HR ER BB K 3 Trey Yesavage New Hampshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 Ricky Tiedemann Buffalo 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 Khal Stephen TRADED 6 Johnny King Dunedin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 Kendry Rojas TRADED 8 Gage Stanifer Vancouver 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 Landen Maroudis Dunedin 9 1 1 1 3 0 3 3 1 14 Juaron Watts-Brown TRADED 15 Jake Bloss Buffalo 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18 Brandon Barriera FCL Jays 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 20 Adam Macko Buffalo 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 View full article

The Toronto Blue Jays' minor league system had a lot of strong pitching performances in the month of July. Starting pitching has been at the forefront of the Jays' farm system, including what they gave up for their most recent trade deadline acquisitions. However, the Jays have also had strong performances from many relievers within their system. These were the best of July. Stats up to date through the end of July. Honourable Mentions Bo Bonds, RHP - High-A Vancouver - 5 IP, 0.00 ERA, 2.62 FIP, 11.1 K%, 0.0 BB%, 0.60 WHIP Yondrei Rojas, RHP - High-A Vancouver - 6 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.25 ERA, 47.8% K%, 0.83 WHIP This pair of Vancouver relievers did not allow a single run in July, but both took a trip to the injured list, which limited their innings pitched and ultimately took them off the list for me. But both have been excellent for the Canadians' bullpen and deserved a shoutout for their dominance in limited time. Brett Garcia, RHP - Florida Complex League - 10 ⅔ IP, 1.69 ERA, 3.01 FIP, 1.13 WHIP, 26.7 K%, 13.3 BB% 25-year-old Garcia was signed out of the Frontier League this season and sent to the Florida Complex League, where he pitched well. It was hard to put a reliever who was four years older than the average complex leaguer on the actual list, but it’s nice to see the Jays finding gems in indie ball. Nate LaRue, RHP - Low-A Dunedin - 9 ⅔ IP, 2.79 ERA, 3.28 ERA, 25 K%, 0.0 BB%, 0.83 WHIP The converted catcher has really begun to find his footing in the 'pen after starting off slowly. He was the best single-inning reliever for Dunedin in July, and perhaps the Jays are finding success with another converted position player. Daniel Guerra, RHP - Low-A Dunedin - 14 ⅔ IP, 2.45 ERA, 4.10 FIP, 27.6 K%, 8.6 BB%, 1.02 WHIP Guerra started off the season for the D-Jays as a starter, but with the emergence of the contingent of breakout arms and college arms, he was pushed to the bullpen. That move proved to be excellent for Guerra’s performance, as his fastball velocity has ticked up to 95 mph, and he's throwing the pitch over 65% of the time. Guerra still has to develop better secondaries for him to return to starting pitching, but he’s been very good in a multi-inning relief role. Conor Larkin, RHP - Double-A New Hampshire - 11 ⅔ IP, 2.31 ERA, 3.07 FIP, 27.1 K%, 14.6 BB%, 1.11 WHIP Larkin was part of a very dominant New Hampshire bullpen in July. The 26-year-old righty out of Penn State has been one of the most consistent relievers for New Hampshire all season. His walk rate being slightly higher than those of his peers, and his K rate being slightly lower, just prevented him from joining his teammates in the top five, but he’s been practically as good. 5. Nate Garkow, RHP - Double-A New Hampshire - 9 ⅔ IP, 1.86 ERA, 3.24 FIP, 30.8 K%, 17.9 BB%, 1.14 WHIP Nate Garkow had a 7.56 ERA with the Vancouver Canadians but was still promoted to Double A after 16 ⅔ innings pitched. Looking at just the raw ERA makes it a confusing call-up, but he was striking out 39.0% of the batters he faced with a FIP of 3.84 and a .455 BABIP. Once he arrived in New Hampshire, his results matched his peripherals, as he has a 1.21 ERA and a 1.76 FIP since getting promoted. This month technically was a step back for him, as he struck out fewer batters and walked more than he did with New Hampshire all season, but he’s been so good that he still earned a spot on this list. 4. Alex Amalfi, RHP - Double-A New Hampshire - 20 IP, 2.25 ERA, 2.84 FIP, 30.4 K%, 10.1 BB%, 0.90 WHIP Alex Amalfi has quietly been one of the best relief prospects in the Jays' farm system over the past few years. He’s been mostly used as a multi-inning reliever in his first go at Double A, and he’s risen to the occasion. This month was one of his best yet, as he slightly dropped his walk rate without affecting his strikeout rate. Amalfi will be Rule 5 eligible after this season, and although there are a few relievers higher than him on the depth chart that aren’t protected, he has the stuff to warrant a claim if left unprotected. 3. Pat Gallagher, RHP - Double-A New Hampshire - 10 ⅓ IP, 1.74 ERA, 2.37 FIP, 27.3 K%, 9.1 BB%, 1.26 WHIP Pat Gallagher just earned a call-up to New Hampshire after dominating the Northwest League to the tune of a 1.13 ERA and a 2.38 FIP with a 29.3 K% and a 10.8 BB% in 39.2 IP. He hasn’t missed a beat since coming to New Hampshire, perhaps even pitching better than he did in Vancouver. The splitter specialist dropped his walk rate facing Eastern League hitters and has not given up a homer all season. He, too, is eligible for the Rule 5 after the season, so the Jays will have hard choices with him as well. 2. Kai Peterson, LHP - High-A Vancouver - 10 ⅔ IP, 0.00 ERA, 2.29 FIP, 32.6 K%, 13.0 BB%, 1.31 WHIP Kai Peterson continues to shove in Vancouver, and his July was dominant, as he didn’t allow a single run. His lefty-side arm slot has been terrible to deal with for Northwest League hitters, as the funky arm angle and all the movement on his sinker make it extremely difficult for opponents to square him up. Peterson can be his worst enemy sometimes with poor walk rates, but he’s been able to navigate runners on base well, given his strikeout stuff. In most months, this would be the best performance of any Jays reliever, but a fellow lefty reliever (and a fellow Vancouver Canadian) managed to snag the top spot from Peterson. 1. Javen Coleman, LHP - High-A Vancouver - 14 IP, 1.93 ERA, 1.13 FIP, 40 K%, 7.3 BB%, 0.86 WHIP Javen Coleman is straight up nasty. The lefty reliever was drafted in 2023 by the Dodgers, but did not sign, instead returning to LSU for his senior season. That proved to be a great thing for the Blue Jays, as they snatched him up as an undrafted free agent in 2024, and he immediately became one of the most dominant pitchers in their minor league system. He earned Pitcher of the Week honours in May and pushed his way up to Vancouver after dominating the Florida State League. Coleman has been even better in Vancouver, as the lefty has reined in some wildness while still striking out batters over 40% of the time. He just earned his second Pitcher of the Week honours, this time in the Northwest League. View full article