The Toronto Blue Jays have signed Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce and Tyler Rogers this offseason, and adding to the roster means the Blue Jays have to make room.
The Blue Jays went into the winter meetings with 37 players on their 40-man roster. They added Spencer Miles in the Rule 5 Draft, traded for Chase Lee and signed Rogers and Ponce. They needed to clear a spot after Rogers’ signing was made official on Monday. The team announced that they had designated left-handed pitcher Justin Bruihl for assignment after announcing they had signed Rogers.
Bruihl is out of options, so it will be difficult for him to keep a spot on the roster. The Blue Jays can field trade interest for him before placing him on waivers. If he is not picked up, he will most likely enter free agency.
Bruihl has appeared in five big league seasons, playing in 94 games. Last season, he played in 15 games for the Blue Jays, posting a 5.27 ERA in 13 2/3 innings of work. He appeared in one postseason game, allowing two earned runs and recording just one out.
He has also played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Colorado Rockies, and Pittsburgh Pirates. The Blue Jays did not need him after adding Rogers and having other southpaws like Brendon Little, Mason Fluharty and Eric Lauer in the bullpen. Bruihl has been outrigthed once before, so he can elect free agency over outright assignment if he clears waivers.
