Bruihl agreed to a minor-league contract with the Blue Jays on Sunday, Aram Leighton of JustBaseball.com reports.
Bruihl made seven appearances with the Pirates last season and surrendered six earned runs over 5.2 frames. He'll likely report to the Triple-A level to begin the campaign, where he had a 3.02 ERA and 47:20 K:BB across 41.2 innings last year.
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Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho: Could begin season on IL
Rotowire
Manager John Schneider said Sunday that Varsho (shoulder) is likely to begin the season on the injured list if he's not cleared to play the outfield, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
The 28-year-old has been serving as a designated hitter in spring games while he continues to work through his rehab from September shoulder surgery, but Schneider apparently doesn't plan to carry that into the regular season. Varsho has extended his throwing distance to 120 feet, and the Blue Jays are expected to make a decision on his availability for Opening Day by the end of the week. Any potential absence to begin the season likely wouldn't be lengthy for the outfielder.
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Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Set to throw in minor-league game
Rotowire
Scherzer (thumb) will throw in a minor-league game early this week, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
Scherzer was scratched from Thursday's Grapefruit League start against the Orioles due to right thumb soreness. An MRI came back negative, and he remain on track to be ready for Opening Day. Across three spring games, Scherzer has allowed two runs on three hits while striking out 14 over nine innings.
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Blue Jays' Andres Gimenez: Shows off wheels Friday
Rotowire
Gimenez went 1-for-2 with a walk, a triple, a run scored and two RBI in Friday's Grapefruit league game against the Astros.
The second baseman dropped a deep fly to right-center field over the head of minor leaguer Quincy Hamilton in the first inning and raced around the bases for his second triple of the spring. Gimenez has gone 8-for-30 (.267) in Grapefruit League action with a 4:6 BB:K, and he's gotten a number of looks in the leadoff spot. While he isn't likely to begin the season at the top of the order, Gimenez's fantasy value would get a boost if he worked his way into that assignment later in the year.
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Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho: Surging at plate
Rotowire
Varsho (shoulder) went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Orioles.
While the Blue Jays still aren't sure if Varsho will be ready to handle defensive duties by Opening Day, the 28-year-old is doing everything he can to convince the team his bat needs to be in the lineup, even if it's at DH. He's gone yard in back-to-back games after taking Cade Povich deep for a two-run shot in the fifth inning Thursday, and through seven appearances this spring Varsho is batting .350 (7-for-20) with a double, a triple and four home runs. He's on schedule with his throwing progression with two weeks to go ahead of Toronto's season opener, so there's still a good chance the Gold Glove center fielder will be in his usual spot March 27 against Baltimore.
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Blue Jays' Erik Swanson: Has nerve issue in forearm
Rotowire
Swanson has been diagnosed with a median nerve entrapment in his right forearm, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
Swanson has had recurring issues with his forearm/elbow and now there's an explanation as to what's going on. All things considered, the diagnosis could be worse, although it's not clear when he might be ready to pitch in games again. For now, Swanson will be shut down from throwing for at least a couple days. He is expected to begin the season on the 15-day injured list.
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Blue Jays' Alek Manoah: First mound session since surgery
Rotowire
Manoah (elbow) will throw a bullpen session Friday, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
It will be the first time the right-hander has thrown off a mound since he underwent a hybrid internal brace procedure on his elbow last June. The plan calls for Manoah to face hitters by June and begin a rehab assignment in July, setting him up to help out the Blue Jays by August if all goes well.
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Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho: Could be ready for Opening Day
Rotowire
Varsho (shoulder) threw out to around 105 feet Thursday and could be cleared to play the outfield by the time the Blue Jays open their season March 27 versus the Orioles, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
After he underwent surgery on his right shoulder Sept. 23, Varsho's availability for the start of the 2025 season appeared to be in peril, but the 28-year-old appears to be progressing well in his recovery. Though he hasn't yet been cleared to resume playing the outfield, Varsho has been able to stay on track with his normal spring hitting progression by serving as a designated hitter in six Grapefruit League games and going 5-for-16 with three home runs. A reigning Gold Glove Award winner, Varsho brings a good amount of his value in center field, but the Blue Jays could be open to deploying him as a DH to begin the season if he needs a little extra time to complete his throwing program.
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Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Resumes throwing after clean MRI
Rotowire
Scherzer resumed playing catch Thursday after an MRI on his right thumb didn't show anything alarming, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
Scherzer developed right thumb soreness following his last Grapefruit League outing and was scratched from a scheduled start Thursday. However, he'll throw a bullpen session Friday or Saturday and should be able to make another spring start not long after that. Scherzer has been superb in nine frames this spring, yielding just two runs with a 14:0 K:BB.
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Blue Jays' Chris Bassitt: Finds form Tuesday
Rotowire
Bassitt gave up two hits and two walks over 4.2 scoreless innings in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Twins. He struck out four.
While he didn't have to deal with any of Minnesota's biggest bats, like Byron Buxton or Royce Lewis, Bassitt had little trouble dispatching the lineup he did face. The veteran righty built up to 71 pitches (46 strikes) in his longest outing of the spring, and he has a 10:6 K:BB through 9.2 Grapefruit League frames. Bassitt will be counted on to provide length in the middle of the rotation after posting a 3.86 ERA and 1.31 WHIP in 371 innings over his first two campaigns with the Blue Jays.
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Blue Jays' Angel Bastardo: Goes on 60-day injured list
Rotowire
The Blue Jays placed Bastardo (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
The transaction frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for Dillon Tate, whose signing was officially announced Wednesday. A Rule 5 pick, Bastardo is recovering from Tommy John surgery and is slated to miss most, if not all, of the 2025 season.
The Blue Jays optioned Robertson to Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
Robertson struck out a pair in a scoreless inning in his Grapefruit League debut Tuesday versus the Twins but was then cut from big-league camp after the contest. The 26-year-old will begin the season at Buffalo but should get an opportunity in the Blue Jays' bullpen eventually.
Blue Jays' Max Scherzer: Bumped from start with sore thumb
Rotowire
Scherzer will no longer make his scheduled Grapefruit League start Thursday against the Orioles due to right thumb soreness, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
The soreness came about following Scherzer's last outing Saturday versus the Tigers. Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that the Blue Jays are "just being extra careful" with Scherzer, and the skipper expects to know more about the veteran right-hander's status in the coming days. Scherzer has been terrific this spring, posting a 14:0 K:BB over nine Grapefruit League innings.
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Blue Jays' Chad Green: Breezing through camp
Rotowire
Green struck out one in a perfect inning during Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros.
The right-hander has been nearly untouchable so far this spring, allowing zero runs or hits over four innings with a 4:1 K:BB. Green recorded a career-high 17 saves in 2024, but the January signing of Jeff Hoffman to be the Blue Jays' closer bumped everyone else in the bullpen down a rung. Green has experience in a setup role as well, producing 10 wins and 19 holds for the Yankees over 67 regular-season appearances in 2021.
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Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho: Shoulder feeling better
Rotowire
Blue Jays manager John Schneider played catch with Varsho (shoulder) from 90-to-100 feet Sunday and said it was "probably the best" the 28-year-old has felt, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
Varsho will continue to extend the distances of his throwing as he works his way back from right shoulder surgery. The Blue Jays have not ruled Varsho out for Opening Day, although it's unclear whether he would be ready to play the outfield by then. He's looked good at the plate this spring as a designated hitter, going 4-for-13 with two home runs and a 1:3 K:BB.
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Blue Jays' Dillon Tate: Brought back on MLB deal
Rotowire
The Blue Jays agreed to a one-year contract with Tate on Monday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Tate was claimed off waivers by Toronto last September before being non-tendered in November. However, he's now found his way back into the organization on a major-league deal. Tate holds a career 4.09 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 170:65 K:BB over 215.2 innings covering parts of four seasons at the big-league level.
