The 8 Arms That Survive: Building the Blue Jays’ Bullpen When Everyone’s Healthy
It’s easy to forget what the Blue Jays’ bullpen could look like when not patched together with duct tape and call-ups. Injuries have kept the group in constant flux, but let’s play the “what if” game: everyone’s healthy. Who gets the ball?
Start with the locks: Jordan Romano, if his back cooperates, still profiles as the closer. Yimi García has arguably been their best reliever in 2024 and is a high-leverage must. Chad Green, when right, brings playoff-tested calm and command. Genesis Cabrera is the lone lefty who isn’t just a LOOGY — he’s in.
That’s four.
Erik Swanson, though rough early, has rediscovered his splitter and is paid to be in this group. Trevor Richards is the hybrid long man / fireman, and the Jays trust him with leverage when he’s rested.
Six.
Here’s where it gets murky. Zach Pop has the stuff, but not always the results. Nate Pearson still throws 100 but doesn’t miss enough bats. Tim Mayza has struggled, but if Cabrera’s the only lefty, can they afford to cut him?
Assume they carry eight. That leaves two spots. Pop vs. Pearson vs. Mayza vs. the likes of Brendon Little, Bowden Francis, or a trade deadline arm. Recency bias favors Pearson. Mayza’s reverse splits might save him. Pop might be the odd man out — again.
The real issue? Depth. If this group stays healthy (a massive “if”), it’s a playoff-caliber ‘pen. But the second Romano tweaks something or Swanson’s command vanishes, the whole machine leans on Richards and García again.
So: who pitches in a healthy Jays bullpen? The guys who’ve been there, stumbled, and are still standing. And the ones who can ride a hot month straight into leverage.
