The Blue Jays introduced that they’ve signed right-hander Yimi García to a two-year contract. It’s a $15MM deal, stories Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 (X hyperlink). The 34-year-old is represented by the Nova Sports activities Company.
The final time García was a free agent, he additionally signed with the Jays. Going into the 2022 season, he and the Jays agreed to a two-year cope with an $11MM assure, with that deal additionally having a membership/vesting choice for 2024.
At the moment, García had simply completed a powerful three-year run break up between the Dodgers, Marlins and Astros. He tossed 135 innings over the 2019 to 2021 seasons, permitting 3.53 earned runs per 9. He struck out 26.7% of batters confronted and restricted walks to a 6.8% clip.
His first two years with the Jays noticed him proceed to pitch in roughly the identical method. He tossed 127 innings over 2022 and 2023 with a 3.61 ERA, 25.9% strikeout price and 5.9% stroll price. He racked up 4 saves and 41 holds for the Jays in that point and in addition vested his $6MM choice alongside the way in which.
2024 was a little bit of a combined bag. García got here out robust with a 0.47 ERA via his 19 innings, punching out 35.3% of batters confronted. He even racked up 5 saves whereas nearer Jordan Romano was battling accidents this yr.
However García allowed seven earned runs in his subsequent 9 innings after which landed on the injured checklist in mid-June because of proper elbow ulnar neuritis. He was activated from the IL in mid-July and traded to the Mariners shortly thereafter, with outfielder Jonatan Clase and catcher Jacob Sharp coming again the opposite method. He was solely capable of toss 9 innings for Seattle down the stretch because of irritation in his throwing elbow.
There’s clearly a little bit of damage danger with García not pitching a lot within the second half of 2024, however the Jays know García properly after spending many of the previous three years with him. They clearly just like the match and have introduced him again, now having obtained two youthful gamers for the temporary few months that they have been other than him.
Remaking the bullpen is a transparent precedence for the Jays, because the reduction group fell aside in 2024 and was a key cause for his or her tough season. Toronto relievers had a collective 4.82 ERA in 2024, a mark that was worse than all golf equipment apart from the Rockies. They minimize ties with their long-time nearer after they declined to tender Romano a contract for his ultimate arbitration season and Romano has now signed with the Phillies. Additionally they non-tendered Génesis Cabrera, who then signed a minor league cope with the Mets.
García ought to soar into the combo for leverage work within the Toronto bullpen alongside guys like Chad Inexperienced and Erik Swanson, although the Jays will doubtless make different bullpen strikes earlier than the offseason is completed, with a number of free brokers on their radar.
RosterResource lists the membership’s aggressive steadiness tax quantity at $210MM, which is $31MM beneath the bottom threshold of the tax. The Jays have been over the road for a lot of the 2024 season however they’re believed to have ducked beneath by way of their midseason selloff, which included García. President Mark Shapiro has recommended the membership must be working with related monetary parameters in 2025 so maybe they might be prepared to cross the tax line once more within the coming season. They have been closely concerned within the Juan Soto bidding however missed on the market and now seem like pivoting to different targets reminiscent of Max Fried and Corbin Burnes.
