Blue Jays Finalize 2 September Call-Ups
The Blue Jays will have two more faces for the playoff push.
With rosters expanding to 28 for September call-ups, Toronto announced the additions of Bradley Zimmer and Casey Lawrence for the club's two new roster spots.
Zimmer, who was waived and then recently reclaimed by the Blue Jays this month, has played in 78 games for Toronto and Philadelphia this season. He has a .130 batting average across both teams in 2022, but has mainly been used as a late-game defensive replacement and pinch runner.
The Zimmer addition was expected after the team claimed him off waivers from Philadelphia earlier this week, and GM Ross Atkins indicated he'd be one of the roster expansion adds.
"[Zimmer will] take up one of the spots," Atkins said earlier this week "Then the most likely scenario is we'll add a pitcher for the other one, but we'll see where we are When we get to that point."
That second spot fell to Casey Lawrence, who has been up as a long reliever multiple times this season. Though Lawrence has an 8.04 ERA in 15.2 MLB innings this year, he has been far more successful in the Triple A Buffalo rotation. In 20 starts for the Bisons, Lawrence has a 2.76 ERA and 0.910 WHIP. He'll likely factor in as long relief for the Jays in the short term, though could be an option to start in upcoming doubleheaders against Baltimore and Tampa Bay.
Toronto could cycle more pitchers onto the roster in the final month of the season, too, especially with the upcoming doubleheaders. Julian Merryweather, Hayden Juenger, Nate Pearson, Thomas Hatch, Trent Thornton, Zach Pop, and others remain in the minors as options to impact the big league team down the stretch.
