April 11, 2022

By Andrew Hendriks

Canadian Baseball Network

Ahead of a series-opening game against the New York Yankees on Monday, the Toronto Blue Jays completed a series of roster moves aimed at shoring up a bruised pitching staff.

Joining the team's active roster is LHP Anthony Kay and C Tyler Heineman, while LHP Tayler Saucedo has been optioned to triple-A Buffalo.

In a subsequent move, C Danny Jansen has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a left oblique strain. To clear a spot for Heineman on the 40-man roster, OF Josh Palacios has been designated for assignment.

In 11 games with the Blue Jays last year, Kay allowed 21 earned runs on 38 hits, walking 18 and striking out 39 of the 136 batters he faced. All of his 33 2/3 innings came out of Toronto's bullpen.

With Monday's promotion, Heineman, 30, joins the Blue Jays for the first time. Through 62 big league appearances between Miami and San Francisco, the 5-foot-10 product of Pacific Palisades, Calif., has slashed .208/.288/.302 with four free walks against 10 strikeouts.

Jansen lands on the IL after notching four hits and a walk over eight-weekend trips to the plate. With a pair of homers early, the 27-year-old has gone deep in five of his previous seven games with an at-bat (dating back to October 1, 2021).

Saucedo's demotion comes after the 29-year-old allowed four earned runs on five hits during the weekend set against the Texas Rangers at Rogers Centre. Through 31 big league appearances dating back to his debut last June, the Hawaii native has posted an ERA of 5.46 with an overall WHIP of 1.321.

A former fourth-round draft pick, Josh Palacios finds himself as the odd man out after slashing .288/.368/.400 with 112 extra-base hits over 368 minor league games dating back to his introduction into the Blue Jays farm system in 2016. The 25-year-old made his big-league debut in 2021, picking up seven hits in 35 at-bats.

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