After a key roster shuffle, Nick Sandlin’s future with the Blue Jays looks uncertain, and fans are debating whether Toronto can realistically retain their bullpen arm. DD
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Nick Sandlin isn’t likely to make a return.
The Toronto Blue Jays are spending their offseason wisely, making much-needed decisions and initiating drastic moves, ultimately hoping to place themselves in an even stronger position for their 2026 campaign. Last season was undoubtedly a successful year for the franchise, but there’s always room to step it up, and the franchise is not showing any hesitation to do so.
One of the more prominent pieces of news to circulate in the MLB community involves Blue Jays pitcher Nick Sandlin. It was recently announced that Toronto outrighted 28-year-old Sandlin, removing his name from the 40-man roster earlier than expected.
Sandlin has not been known for his prowess on the field as of late, and he has only tossed for 16.1 innings this season across 19 games, recording a 2.20 ERA. As have many players this season, Sandlin’s 2025 campaign was plagued by injury, adding even more question marks to his name.
With his recent news of being outrighted, he is likely to become a free agent, and room has opened up on the Blue Jays’ roster.
Why Sandlin Probably Won’t Return
Considering Sandlin has three years of service time under his belt and he does have the option of refusing the outright, the chances of him returning are extremely slim, but not impossible. As detailed by MLB.com:
“Players with more than five years of Major League service time can reject an assignment to the Minor Leagues, and players with more than three years of Major League service time, or who have been previously outrighted, may reject the outright assignment in favor of free agency in lieu of the assignment.”
When Sandlin was acquired from the Cleveland Guardians alongside Andrés Giménez during last offseason, Toronto was hoping that he’d be able to put all doubts to rest. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. In some aspects, things went downhill even further.
According to Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors, who described the right-hander as someone who has “never been a flamethrower,” Sandlin started off his career in the Major Leagues by throwing upwards of 95 miles per hour. As the years went by, his speed dwindled and this past year, he clocked around 92-92 miles per hour — a stark difference.
His Major League debut came on May 1, 2021, but his professional career has not been playing out in the way that many had hoped for the young pitcher.
