The Blue Jays have signed former Pirates pitcher Justin Bruihl to a minor league deal
The Blue Jays announced this morning that they agreed to terms with pitcher Justin Bruihl on a minor league deal to help with their current bullpen issues with both Ryan Burr and Erik Swanson being out.
The Pirates outrighted Bruihl off the team's 40 man roster last July which is when he decided to enter free agency and has finally found a deal with the Blue Jays despite a tough go in 2024.
The Blue Jays have signed left-hander Justin Bruihl to a minor league contract, according to Aram Leighton of Just Baseball Media. Bruihl elected minor league free agency at the end of the 2024 season, after he had been outrighted off the Pirates' 40-man roster back in July. -Polishuk
Pitcher Brendon Little is expected to be in the bullpen to start the season while the a few pitchers recover but with so few southpaws on the Blue Jays 40 man roster, they decided to sign Bruihl in case.
Brendon Little is expected to be part of the Opening Day roster and Josh Walker is also competing for a bullpen job, but Easton Lucas and the injured Adam Macko are the only other southpaws on Toronto's 40-man roster. -Polishuk
Bruihl was once seen as a top prospect pitchers finishing with a 2.89 ERA in 2021 and 3.80 ERA in 2022 for the Los Angeles Dodgers but has struggled ever since he had Tommy John surgery.
Last season Bruihl spent most of the season in the minors as he struggled when in the majors finishing with a 9.53 ERA in 5.2 innings pitched and 5 strikeouts last season with the Pirates.
Bruihl has appeared in each of the last four MLB seasons, topping out at 28 innings with the Dodgers and Rockies in 2023 and with a low of just 5 2/3 frames with Pittsburgh last season. Overall, Bruihl has a 4.62 ERA, 15.9% strikeout rate, 46.2% grounder rate, and 7.9% walk rate across his 76 total innings in the big leagues. -Polishuk