Toronto Blue Jays Sign Veteran Pitcher to One-Year Pact
According to MLB Insider Jon Heyman, the Toronto Blue Jays have signed veteran pitcher Paolo Espino to a one-year deal.
From Heyman on social media:
Paolo Espino, RHP, to the Blue Jays. Former Nat. Espino is a client of the MAS+ Agency.
At this time, it's known whether or not the deal is a major league deal or a minor league deal. It's also not known whether or not the Blue Jays plan to use him as a starter or a reliever in the system.
The soon-to-be 37-year-old right-hander has pitched in parts of five seasons in the big leagues with the Brewers, Rangers, and Nationals. He appeared in just three games for Washington this past season and posted an ERA of 24.75.
His most productive seasons were in 2021 and 2022, when he made 77 total appearances. Lifetime, he's 5-14 with a 5.01 ERA. He's made 94 career appearances with 41 starts.
At the major league level, the Blue Jays currently have Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, Jose Berrios, Yusei Kikuchi and Alek Manoah in the rotation. If the Jays plan to use Espino as a starter, he'd likely be minor league depth. If they plan to use him as a reliever, there's a chance he could make the major league team out of spring training.
Toronto finished third in the American League East this past season and made the playoffs again. Unfortunately, they were beaten in the wild card round by the Minnesota Twins, marking the second straight year they've failed to win a single playoff game.
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