15 hours ago
Blue Jays sign former All-Star pitcher in surprise free agent opportunity
The Toronto Blue Jays are taking a chance on a former All-Star pitcher who has fallen off from his peak.
They've signed left-handed pitcher Joe Mantiply, according to the team's transaction log.
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Mantiply, with a quirky southpaw delivery, was an NL All-Star for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2022.
He struggled to start this season, allowing 17 runs in 9.2 innings to lead to his release.
Mantiply was a bit of a journeyman early in his career. He made his MLB debut for the Tigers in 2016, then wasn't back in the majors until 2019 for one outing with the Yankees.
He got shelled in four Arizona outings in 2020, but then was great in 2021 with a 3.40 ERA.
His All-Star season in 2022 featured a 2.85 ERA and almost exactly a strikeout per inning.
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In 2023 and 2024 (4.62 ERA, 3.92 ERA), Mantiply was still useful if not a star.
But this season, nothing went his way.
The 34-year old will try to work his way up from the Blue Jays' Florida Complex League team.
If all goes well, the 6-foot-4 left-hander could help down the stretch of the season.
If not, it was a low-risk opportunity taken by the Blue Jays.
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