Toronto Blue Jays Call Up Veteran Starter After Minnesota Twins Loss

The Toronto Blue Jays have called up the other veteran starter they signed in April to help with pitching depth.

Jun 5, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Spencer Turnbull (22) looks on before the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Citizens Bank Park. | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Spencer Turnbull is finally going to put on a Toronto Blue Jays uniform.

After Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Twins, the Blue Jays announced that they were promoting Turnbull from Triple-A Buffalo and optioning pitcher Paxton Schultz.

He’ll join the Blue Jays in St. Louis for Monday’s game.

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Toronto signed Turnbull on May 5 after the Blue Jays lost several options on their pitching staff. They also signed Jose Urena. While Urena was ready to go when he was signed — and has already been released by the team, Turnbull needed time to build up.

In five starts in the minor leagues, he is 0-3 with a 7.13 ERA. He has 14 strikeouts and nine walks in 17.2 innings. Batters are hitting .307 against him.

The Blue Jays have struggled to find adequate coverage for Max Scherzer’s spot in the rotation. He’s been out since April with an injury.

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Turnbull may be the next pitcher to get a shot at taking his spot in the rotation.

He is coming off a fine 2024 with the Philadelphia Phillies. Last season he started the season in the rotation due to injury and eventually moved back to the bullpen. He went 3-0 with a 2.65 ERA in 17 games (seven starts), with 58 strikeouts and 20 walks in 54.1 innings.

The right-hander was a second-round pick of the Detroit Tigers in 2014 and broke in with them in 2018. He spent the first five seasons of his career in Motown before he ended up in Philadelphia.

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For his career he is 1529 with a 4.26 ERA in 78 games (67 starts).

Schultz, a rookie, was promoted from Buffalo in April and pitched in eight games (two starts) for the Blue Jays. He did not factor in a decision, but he had a 3.06 ERA, with 24 strikeouts and four walks in 17.2 innings.

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