A few weeks after the Toronto Blue Jays signed Anthony Santander, the club has made another move, albeit a bit less flashy. This is an acquisition that adds to their organizational pitching depth. The Blue Jays have signed left-handed pitcher Ryan Yarbrough to a minor-league contract. The contract also features an invite to Spring Training, as reported by Robert Murray of FanSided.
The Seattle Mariners drafted Yarbrough in the fourth round of the 2014 MLB Draft, but the hurler out of Old Dominion University made his Major League debut with the Tampa Bay Rays. Tampa was Yarbrough's home through the 2022 season before he split time between the Kansas City Royals and Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023.
The 33-year-old Yarbrough finished out the 2024 season north of the border, so he is no stranger to Toronto. In 44 games split between the Dodgers and Blue Jays last year, Yarbrough maintained a 3.19 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP in 98 2/3 innings. The southpaw served as a long relief option for Los Angeles and Toronto in 2024.
The seven-year MLB veteran relies heavily on his curveball, and for good reason. In 2024 alone, Yarbrough threw 416 curveballs and got 36 strikeouts on the pitch. Opponents batted a measly .114 with just five extra-base hits against the lefty's nasty hook.
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The Blue Jays signed Max Scherzer to headline their starting rotation. Their rotation also features the likes of Kevin Gausman, Jose Berrios, Chris Bassitt, and Bowden Francis. Over in the bullpen, Toronto inked Jeff Hoffman this offseason, and his role remains undetermined. Yimi Garcia signed with the Blue Jays this winter also, while Chad Green and Erik Swanson are returning pieces from a year ago.
Yarbrough is not currently on the team's active 40-man roster, but his contract could be picked up by the big league club if another pitcher needs to miss extended time. A good performance in Spring Training could also see him carve out a role on the major league roster.
