Latest Blue Jays Bullpen Trend May Signal Need for More Reinforcements
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The Toronto Blue Jays enter the month of June with the same game plan as the month of May, continuing to chip away at the AL East standings. Entering the month, Toronto is 29-31, yet the club is nine games back from the Tampa Bay Rays.
One of the storylines this season has been the pitching depth and injuries. Several Blue Jays starting pitchers are on the injured list, meaning that John Schneider has no choice but to utilize his bullpen more often than he would if a handful of starters were healthier.
Thankfully, Toronto's bullpen has been strong this season and ranks just outside the top five in the AL in bullpen ERA. However, as the season continues, the bullpen and lack of options could catch up with the club, as is apparent in recent statistics.
Bullpen Usage Ranks
Johnny Giunta from the Gate 14 Podcast shared insightful statistics on X (formerly Twitter) about the Blue Jays' bullpen usage this season in terms of appearances on the mound. Here are the findings:
Mason Fluharty- 31 (1st)
Braydon Fisher- 30 (2nd)
Jeff Hoffman- 28 (T6th)
Tyler Rogers- 28 (T6th)
Louis Varland- 28 (T6th)
Fluharty has been elite this season, coming out of the bullpen for Toronto, appearing in the most MLB games out of the bullpen, 31, thus far. While he does hold an ERA slightly above 4.00, Schneider has clearly found what works with him coming out of the pen and in what situations.
Fisher is continuing his Iron Man role for the Blue Jays this season, just below Fluharty in the number of appearances this season. In 2025, Fisher appeared in 52 games for Toronto, working exactly 50 innings. He hasn't allowed a run since May 16 against the Detroit Tigers.
Both Varland and Rogers have been clutch out of the bullpen as well, both with respectable ERAs. Jeff Hoffman has struggled, posting a 6.31 ERA through 28 games this season. And there's bound to be one reliever who struggles; unfortunately, it's been Hoffman.
All that being said, regardless of how the bullpen looks on the first day of June, they're bound to get worn out. If Toronto makes its way back to the playoffs, this rotation of relievers might not be enough to hold down the fort, based on pure regular-season fatigue alone.
If starting pitchers do not return according to their expected timelines, the Blue Jays may need to seek bullpen assistance through trades or free agency. While there are some internal options available, their effectiveness will depend on how injuries and recoveries play out for Toronto.
Even if the likes of Yimi Garcia and or any starting pitcher return, it's unknown how they will perform following injury. This trade deadline season, fans should keep a close eye on what the Blue Jays want to do with their bullpen.
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Dominic Minchella is a 2024 Eastern Michigan University graduate with a BA in Communications, Media, and Theatre Arts and a Journalism minor. He covers Major League Baseball for On SI and spends his free time watching games and sharing his insights.