1:11pm: The Royals and Blue Jays have now both announced the move.
12:39pm: The Blue Jays have claimed outfielder Jarrod Dyson off waivers from the Royals, reports Robert Murray of FanSided (Twitter link). Neither club has formally announced the move just yet.
Kansas City never formally designated Dyson for assignment, but it’s not uncommon for clubs to quietly place a player on waivers without first announcing a DFA. The Blue Jays, by claiming Dyson, are now on the hook for the remainder of his $1.5MM salary — about $306K between now and season’s end.
Dyson, 37, returned for a second stint with the Royals this offseason when he inked a one-year, $1.5MM contract in free agency. He’s appeared in 77 games but tallied just 132 plate appearances, instead being utilized more for his blistering speed and defensive acumen late in games. Dyson carries a .221/.256/.311 batting line in that time. He hasn’t homered in 2021 but has doubled seven times, tripled twice and gone 8-for-11 in stolen base attempts this year.
The Royals likely didn’t find much interest in Dyson at the trade deadline, but he’ll only cost the Jays cash and a roster spot at this point. He’ll give the team some needed depth in center field with George Springer again on the shelf, and he’ll also provide Toronto with a dynamic late-game defensive replacement and pinch-running option as they try to close a deficit of five and a half games in the hunt for the second Wild Card spot.
The Royals will save a but of cash by placing him on waivers, but the move is surely more about giving a veteran player the organization respects an opportunity to return to the postseason. By waiting until late in the month of August to place Dyson on waivers, the Royals ensured that the cost of acquiring him was quite minimal, thereby enhancing the chances he’d be claimed. Because he’s joining the Jays organization prior to Sept. 1, Dyson would be eligible for their postseason roster, should Toronto manage to close that considerable gap in the standings.
Grade_1_teacher
Why? Did Dyson learn how to pitch?
First, Mallex Smith. Now, Jarrod Dyson? Who’s next? Terrence Long? Otis Nixon?
GareBear
Terrance Gore
Texas Outlaw
Gary Pettis
Rsox
Devon White when the AAA season is over
Weasel 2
Undervalued frankly. Of course never a star either.
Monkey’s Uncle
Willy Taveras on Line 2.
Ghost of past pirates
all you trolls really need to get a life
Dusty Baker's tooth pick.
@ghost of past pirates
Nobody was “trolling”the people above were just joking with each other and having fun. You don’t know what trolling is. You’re also one of the most abrasive posters on this site. I don’t know who hurt you as a kid but I’m here if you need a shoulder to cry on lol.
Curly Was The Smart Stooge
Is this the Dyson of Dyson Chicken?…………..Oh wait, my bad
TLB2001
Terrance Long does not belong in this group. Completely different player.
Grade_1_teacher
Terrence Gore. Got my Terrences confused.
TLB2001
Terrence Long did play a year in Kansas City!
FredMcGriff for the HOF
“That’s what speed do” courtesy of a Jarrod Dyson quote.
miggywrld
Quentin Berry
bucsfan0004
I don’t know what the Jays are doing claiming these fringe outfielders. Their outfield is stacked with Springer coming back, Hernandez, and Grichuk/Dickerson/Gurriel for the other spot. To the Jays GM: try claiming a relief pitcher, maybe catch lightning in a bottle for a few weeks with the work of their pitching coach.
goalieguy41
It’s called depth
goalieguy41
And have you seen the relievers being waived?
bucsfan0004
@goalieguy
Dyson will be the 7th outfielder. Can’t have too many outfielders i guess – you don’t want to see the Zamboni driver putting cleats on tracking fly balls in left field during a ‘playoff’ run.
terrymesmer
That should be the new doubleheader rule: the 27th man has to be randomly chosen from any fan who showed up with a glove and a cap. I would unleash my 55 MPH cutter on the league!
mlbnyyfan
If Blue Jays make the playoffs he could have a Dave Roberts moment.
Grade_1_teacher
Hoping for that or to a lesser degree, a Rajai Davis moment.
jdgoat
He ain’t taking playing time from those guys. He’s strictly a stolen base or defensive replacement option off the bench.
jimmertee
Meh. Anything short of firing Pete Walker and/or Charlie Montoyo won’t save this years season. The players aren’t getting results. Shapiro and Atkins did their part at the deadline but the team hasn’t responded. That usually means that the manager must go.
rhymo
I’m intrigued as to why fire Pete Walker? I do credit him in large part for Rays resurgence and Cy Young candidate. I think it’s a matter of time before he helps Berrios out as well.
jimmertee
I don’t think Pete Walker did much with Ray. The story of Walker’s help with Ray is false media drival. The real story is that Ray totally transformed himself in the offseason by gaining 25 lbs of muscle in the gym and losing the corresponding fat. Plus Ray is in a contract year.
As for Berrios, his numbers in the first half vs the second half are consistent with his entire career. He is an awesome pitcher in the first half of the year but terrible in the second half. I surprised the Jays gave up so much for this type of performance year over year. Walker won’t be helping Berrios much.
terrymesmer
Pete Walker will get MVP votes for what he did with Ray.
its_happening
You can’t explain to people what Walker did with Ray.
Grade_1_teacher
Berrios is really looking like Esteban Loaiza.
terrymesmer
Jimmertree has psychic scout eyes! He used to tell us that all the time.
TheBoatmen
With what Walker has done with Ray alone should earn him a 10 year extension. As far as I am concerned he is one of the better pitching coaches in the league and not just because of Ray. He has done well fixing pitchers in the past especially when Shatkins pulls a relief arm from the scrap heap.
jimmertee
I don’t think Pete Walker did much with Ray. The story of Walker’s help with Ray is false media drival. The real story is that Ray totally transformed himself in the offseason by gaining 25 lbs of muscle in the gym and losing the corresponding fat. Plus Ray is in a contract year.
As for Berrios, his numbers in the first half vs the second half are consistent with his entire career. He is an awesome pitcher in the first half of the year but terrible in the second half. I surprised the Jays gave up so much for this type of performance year over year. Walker won’t be helping Berrios much.
Josip Tomic
I disagree with you, jimmertee with regards false media drival.
its_happening
Relievers haven’t faired well the last few months I would walk that back.
high_upside
So your two points are…. Front office did their job and brought in the talent and the manger and pitching coach need to be fired so the Jays can win this year.. and also the front office messed up bringing in a guy who is always bad in the second half and they shouldn’t have given up so much. Should they still fire Pete for that?
I say hire jimmertree as GM then fire him, hire Alex Cora as manager then replace him with Terry Francona and make Ross Atkins the 3rd base coach. Promote Nate Pearson as pitching coach, then offer Pete Walker a contract as closer, and the fire Francona and hire back jimmertree as manager. Then fire him again and replace him with a robo-manager. Then and only then will these players play well and win the World Series. This year.
John R
Of course, when the bats are good and the pitching is bad = fire the manager/pitching coach
When the bats are bad and the pitching is good = fire the manager/GM
when the bats are good and the pitching is good = everything is great
when the bats are bad and the pitching is bad = fire the manager/GM
Players never take accountability, coaches never get a fair shake, and the GM is the blame for everything. I can’t imagine ever being able to sleep or live a happy life if i were a coach/GM in any sport.
its_happening
If you blame the players you then blame the GM who assembled said players.
Weasel 2
It’s a fine move. It can only help. And you should make any move that can help when you’re fighting for your playoff life.
However, it’s likely not going to move the needle at all.
TheBoatmen
Thought that was going to say the Royals will save a butt load of cash.
Monkey’s Uncle
You and me both.
902jd
Like 300k is a lot to the royals
Mario93
Jays aren’t making the wildcard this season … This core is too young to have traded away Austin Martin and SWR. Atkins/Shapiro and Rogers always wants to capitalize on bringing in money instead of truly building a contender year in and year out.
Jays weren’t ready to add the Springers and Berrios of the world, it was a year too early, it’s going to cost them in the long run imo.
TJECK109
Didn’t he sign as a FA in Pittsburgh this off season and not KC?
Ghost of past pirates
It was last year that he signed with the pirates
johns-11
Post season??? Good luck with that.
matthew07
“but of cash”….sounds like a band name.
Josip Tomic
I agree.
Josip Tomic
Hi Steve,
Can you fix the sentence between the word ‘will save a’ & ‘of cash’, it should be ‘bit’ not ‘but’. Please & thank you.
“The Royals will save a ‘but’ of cash by placing him on waivers, but the move is surely more about giving a veteran player the organization respects an opportunity to return to the postseason”.
tigerfan1968
clean house…Shapiro and Adkins for the Springer signing. Four years max, who were they bidding against ? Montoya is too nice to be a big league manager. Jays need someone nasty like a young Tony LaRussa. The Jays are one happy bunch all the time no matter what the score… 300 thousand is a lot of money for a team that has a five per cent chance of playoff spot.
Joe Carters walkoff
Lol all this gibberish from a Tigers fan?? Please stop
its_happening
That’s the best comeback you have? Counter him with substance and fact please.
Joe Carters walkoff
Are you talking to me, because theres zero substance or fact to his opinion comment. Love hearing yourself don’t you. If someone makes an outlandish opinionated comment like that, I’ll respond in an equally ridiculous manner. Thats my prerogative and my right. Do not tell me how to respond. I see your garbage all the time
its_happening
And it’s my right to point out you really didn’t have a real response. The only garbage here was your lame attempt at belittling the Tigers while you couldn’t come up with a thought. Jays are in a tailspin. Gibberish or not there might be some points to take into consideration.
RoyalsFanAmongWolves
Farewell “that what speed do”…Just wish it had been a different team and not the boooo Jays.
CottMan3
Class move by the Royals
Buccrazy
I would think they would have taken Polanco over this guy. They could have gotten him for less and 8 years younger.