Simeon Woods Richardson gives John Schneider a new arm tonight, while Chad Dallas heads back to Buffalo after one strong debut.
Toronto made the switch after Woods Richardson reported to the club, putting the former Twins right-hander in line for immediate work as the Blue Jays open a home series against Baltimore at 30-33.
Dallas did his part to make the decision tough. In Atlanta, he covered 3 2/3 innings and allowed 1 run while helping Toronto beat the Braves 7-2.
But this move says Toronto is thinking past one strong night. The Blue Jays just brought Woods Richardson back for cash, and clubs do not make that kind of pickup to let the arm sit untouched.
The reunion comes with risk. Woods Richardson was designated for assignment by Minnesota after posting a 7.74 ERA across 47.2 innings this season.
The shape of the struggles was ugly, too. He walked 25 and struck out 26 before the Twins gave up on trying to carry him any longer.
Toronto is betting on the older version. Over 2024 and 2025, Woods Richardson worked to a 4.11 ERA in 245 innings, which is real back-end starter value for a club short on stable length.
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Toronto chose ready depth over debut momentum
Dallas earned more than a nice handshake in his first look. He entered a traffic jam in the second inning Thursday and calmed the game down fast, which is not a small thing for a 25-year-old in his debut.
His Triple-A work had already put him on the radar. Dallas carried a 4.50 ERA with 38 strikeouts in 36.0 innings for Buffalo before the call.
Still, Toronto has roster math to respect. Woods Richardson is out of options, which means the Blue Jays need to see right away whether this pickup can help the major league staff or not.
The bigger pitching board explains the urgency. José Berrios remains on the 60-day injured list, and Dylan Cease is still working back after throwing 75 pitches in a rough rehab start on June 4.
That leaves Schneider chasing usable innings, not just a good story. Dallas gave Toronto one excellent night, but Woods Richardson gives the club another arm it can stretch a little longer if needed.
So this is the cost of timing on a staff still being patched together. Chad Dallas gave the Blue Jays a lift, yet Simeon Woods Richardson is the pitcher Toronto wants in the room tonight.
Did Chad Dallas earn more than a one-night look?
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