Toronto Blue Jays add to pitching depth with new signing
The Toronto Blue Jays might still be waiting for the big fish in free agency, but they’re picking up a few minnows along the way.
On Tuesday night, the team officially announced the signings of infielder Michael Stefanic and right-handed pitcher Kevin Gowdy to minor-league contracts, with invites to major league spring training.
While Stefanic’s signing was reported last week, Gowdy is a new name entering the Jays fold.
Both players will have their work cut out for them to appear in games at the major league level, but will at least challenge for a spot come the spring.
Who is the Blue Jays latest signing?
A 27-year-old from California, Gowdy pitched 51.1 innings in 2024 as a reliever with Triple-A Oklahoma, having spent the last two years in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. Gowdy had a stat line of a 4.38 ERA, 45 strikeouts and four saves.
Drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the second round of the 2016 MLB Amateur Draft from Santa Barbara High School, Gowby has a 5.74 ERA across six seasons of minor league baseball, though he missed all of the 2017, 2018, and 2020 seasons due to injuries and the COVID-19 pandemic that shut down the minor leagues.
The Jays currently have 20 pitchers listed on their 40-man roster, and Gowdy would need to have quite an impressive spring to land one of those spots.
Given that he’s yet to crack a major league roster in eight years since being drafted, Gowdy might be considered a long shot to have any real impact with the Blue Jays, but should at least provide a solid arm at the Triple-A level given his body of work.
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