Blue Jays cut ties with reliever Tim Mayza

Kim Klement Neitzel/USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Blue Jays have designated relief pitcher Tim Mayza for assignment, the team announced this morning.

Mayza, 32, was the Blue Jays’ longest-tenured player, having spent 11 years with the organization.

It’s been a shockingly bad season for Mayza, who was one of the best relievers in the MLB in 2023. In 53.1 innings pitched in 2023, he had a stellar 1.52 ERA with 53 strikeouts. This season has been an entirely different story, as he struggled to an 8.03 ERA through 24.2 innings, leaving the Blue Jays with little choice but to make the decision they did this morning.

ROSTER MOVES:

🔹 We’ve recalled RHP Jose Cuas from Triple-A

🔹 LHP Tim Mayza designated for assignment pic.twitter.com/E6cc7kIIZb

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) June 29, 2024

Three years ago, Tim Mayza was touching 98.

This year, he’s dipped below 90 in some of his outings.

What’s going on?

Let’s break it down:

(THREAD) pic.twitter.com/i2Ko2TkGke

— Jack Barry (@johnb_sp) April 27, 2024

In a subsequent move, the Blue Jays announced that they had recalled Jose Cuas from Triple-A Buffalo. The 30-year-old was claimed off of waivers by the Chicago Cubs in late June.

Cuas has played for both the Cubs and the Kansas City Royals in his MLB career. In 116.1 innings pitched over that span, he has accumulated a 4.26 ERA and a 7-4 record.

This is one of many difficult decisions the Blue Jays have had to make due to their struggles this season. One came in late May when they chose to option Erik Swanson, while another came on June 7 when they chose to designate Cavan Biggio for assignment. He has since been traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

It’s been a season to forget for the Blue Jays, who own an AL-East worst 37-44 record through 81 games. Even more significant decisions could be looming with the trade deadline just a month away, with some speculation that some of the team’s core pieces in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette could be on the move.

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