Brendon Little is back, and John Schneider just made a clear bullpen call before the Blue Jays opened in Chicago.
Toronto recalled Little from Triple-A Buffalo on June 19 and optioned Chad Dallas back to Buffalo in the matching move. It is a straight lefty-for-righty roster adjustment on paper, but it says more than that about what the Blue Jays need right now.
The timing matters. This came 2 days after Max Scherzer went back on the 15-day injured list with back spasms, which forced Toronto to lean on Dallas again before quickly reshaping the staff.
That makes the move feel less like a demotion for Dallas and more like a bullpen correction. The Blue Jays needed coverage, got it, and then pivoted back toward a different relief look once the immediate roster squeeze passed. This is an inference based on the sequence of transactions.
For Little, the return is earned. He has been pitching well enough in Buffalo to push his way back into the conversation, and Toronto's lack of left-handed relief depth only strengthens the case for another look. This is an inference based on the roster move and bullpen fit.
The Blue Jays had already lost Joe Mantiply to the 60-day injured list earlier this month, so every left-handed bullpen decision carries more weight than usual. That part of the staff has been thin for weeks.
Dallas, meanwhile, has been moving up and down all month. Toronto selected his contract on June 4, optioned him on June 5, recalled him again on June 17, and now sends him back down 2 days later.
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Toronto picked bullpen balance over keeping Dallas around
That is the real angle here. Dallas was useful as a roster patch, but the Blue Jays clearly felt Little gave them a better day-to-day fit for the current bullpen. This is an inference based on the one-for-one swap.
It also says something about how Toronto is handling Little. The club could have left him in Buffalo longer, but instead it chose to bring him back right before a Cubs series at Wrigley, where matchup flexibility can matter fast. This is an inference based on the timing of the recall.
For Dallas, this does not have to be a setback. His June transaction trail already shows he is the kind of arm Toronto is willing to shuttle when innings are needed, which keeps him relevant even if he is not staying in the majors for long stretches yet. This is an inference based on repeated recalls and options.
For Schneider, the message is simpler. The Blue Jays wanted a left-handed reliever back, wanted Brendon Little active today, and used Chad Dallas' option to make it happen.
Did the Blue Jays make the right call by recalling Brendon Little over keeping Chad Dallas?
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