Blue Jays pitcher will be team's bat boy after finishing last in fantasy football

Lefty relief pitcher Tim Mayza may be one of the longest-tenured members at any level of the Toronto Blue Jays organization, but that hasn’t exempted the veteran from the odd silly punishment or two.

Mayza has been with the Blue Jays organization since 2013, and is probably not too worried about carrying out duties often passed on to younger players.

But a poor fantasy football season has brought Mayza into a position he probably hasn’t occupied since his days in youth baseball.

According to Scott Mitchell of TSN, the 32-year-old will be operating as the team’s bat boy for three innings tomorrow in their spring training opener, in full uniform, as a result of placing last in the league.

My best tidbit of the spring right here.
Tim Mayza is the #BlueJays bat boy for first three innings tomorrow against the Phillies as punishment for finishing last in team’s fantasy football league.
Full uni and everything.
He went 4-10 and Tyreek Hill was his first pick.

— Scott Mitchell (@ScottyMitchTSN) February 23, 2024

Going 4-10 in the team’s fantasy football pool, Mitchell added in a follow-up post that Mayza was at least partially doomed by the injury of Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins. Cousins was injured midway through the campaign, being sidelined with a season-ending Achilles tear in Week 8 in a game against the Green Bay Packers.

And to make matters worse, Mayza probably came into the year with high expectations, having finished first in the league the year prior, as per Mitchell.

Interestingly, Mayza actually had more losses in the 2023 fantasy football season than he’s had over the entirety of his MLB career.

The relief pitcher, who has a 20-7 record with an ERA of 3.47, 276 strikeouts and four saves in 317 appearances for the Blue Jays in his career, is the team’s current longest-tenured player, having made his debut back in 2017.

In any case, Mayza’s time as a bat boy should provide for at least a few funny visuals. The game will be broadcast on Sportsnet, with the first pitch coming tomorrow at 10 am PT/1 am ET.

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