Paul Sewald has elected free agency after a short but eye-catching stint with the Blue Jays. The veteran right-hander is 36 and heading back to the open market.

Toronto claimed him off waivers from the Diamondbacks on Aug. 12. He made his exit official by electing free agency on Oct. 29.

His time in Toronto looked great on the surface. He posted a 0.63 ERA over 17 appearances with the Jays.

The full-season picture was different. Across both clubs, he went 2-5 with a 4.73 ERA in 62 games.

He'd also lost his job in Arizona despite racking up 24 saves. He finished the year at -0.5 fWAR overall.

So which version is real? Probably somewhere in the middle, and that's the problem.

Paul Sewald's small Toronto sample shouldn't earn him a new deal

Seventeen strong outings make a nice story, but it's a small sample. The larger body of work points to a reliever in decline.

He's been around. Drafted in the 10th round in 2012, he pitched for the Mets, Mariners, Diamondbacks, Guardians and Tigers before returning to Arizona this year.

Toronto's bullpen also has different priorities. The Jays need left-handed help behind Mason Fluharty more than another veteran righty.

Let him walk. A 36-year-old with sliding numbers isn't worth a roster spot when the 40-man is this tight ahead of the Rule 5 deadline.

His Toronto run was like a great encore at the end of a rough concert. The crowd remembers the last song, but the setlist tells the full story.

The bullpen core is set with Louis Varland, Tyler Rogers and Spencer Miles. Fellow free agent Patrick Corbin's lefty specialist profile might fit better.

He should find work somewhere. Veterans with closing experience tend to draw interest on short or minor league deals.

He gave the Jays a brief bright spot in a lost season. Toronto's front office should thank him for it, then spend its bullpen dollars elsewhere.