Blue Jays High-Leverage Reliever Continues to Struggle in This Key Situation

This high-leverage arm has struggled to record a clean inning over their last three outings

Apr 10, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Yimi Garcia (93) pitches against the Boston Red Sox during the eighth inning at Fenway Park. | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Blue Jays reliever Yimi García, 34, has been a reliable bullpen arm for a handful of teams since his MLB debut in 2014, but his recent stretch has been a cause for concern.

Over his last three appearances, García has blown two leads, taken two losses and inflated his ERA from zero to 3.94. Over two innings in three looks this week, the 34-year-old has allowed four hits, seven earned runs, one home run and five walks adding up to a 31.50 ERA. The 16 batters he has faced are seeing García well, with a .400/.600/.700 slash line.

García danced around trouble last night after allowing Julio Rodríguez, Cal Raleigh and Randy Arozarena to reach base before recording an out before sitting down the next three batters he faced.

Yimi García

Is Good pic.twitter.com/XO8NzAkNd2

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) May 10, 2025

The right-hander's Baseball Savant page shows a possible reason for the elevated WHIP numbers to start the 2025 season. Hitters may have finally started to come around on García's trait of being a strike-thrower. His pitches have stayed within the bounds of the strike zone, hence an always low chase rate, for majority of his career and for the most part, hitters have not punished him. García has struck out batters at a high clip this season, but he is also on pace to finish with the highest walks-per-nine of his 11-year career.

In his career, García has seen majority of his work in the 8th inning, with 137 of his 414.1 career innings coming in a setup role in front of closers such as Jordan Romano, Ryan Pressly, and Kenley Jansen.

Apr 13, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays fans cheer after relief pitcher Yimi Garcia (93) recorded the final out of the game in a win over the Colorado Rockies at Rogers Centre. | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

This season is García's fourth in Toronto and his numbers have been stellar in the 173 innings he has pitched in The Great North. After being shipped to the Mariners at last year's trade deadline, García chose to re-sign with the Blue Jays on a two-year, $15 million deal just less than a month before Toronto brought in Jeff Hoffman to be the team's closer.