The Blue Jays announced that they have signed Mike Mayers to a minor league deal. The right-hander has also received an invite to major league Spring Training.
Mayers, 32, is coming off a rough couple of seasons. He signed a minor league deal with the Royals last year and was added to their big league roster to serve in a swing role, but posted an earned run average of 6.15 in 26 1/3 innings over six appearances. His 8.4% walk rate was fine but his 14.3% strikeout rate was well below average. He was outrighted off the roster in June and later traded to the White Sox, putting up poor numbers for the Triple-A affiliates of both clubs, finishing with a combined 6.12 ERA at that level.
With the Angels the year before, he tossed 50 2/3 innings with a 5.68 ERA. His 20.2% strikeout rate was better in that season but 20.8% of his fly balls allowed went over the fence, almost double his 12.1% rate from 2023.
The Jays will undoubtedly be hoping for Mayers to return to his 2020-21 form. Over those two seasons, he made 101 appearances for the Halos and logged 105 innings. He posted a 3.34 ERA in that time, striking out 30.5% of opponents while walking just 8%. He moved up the bullpen chart for the Angels in that time, earning four saves and 22 holds.
Per the data at Statcast, his velocity ticked down as his results went south. His fastball velo was above 94 miles per hour in 2020 and 2021 but dropped to 93.5 mph in 2022 and 92.9 mph last year. His slider, cutter and changeup also lost a tick or two over the past two seasons, while his curveball went up slightly in 2022 before dropping in 2023.
Mayers has recently been getting some work in with Driveline Baseball, as they tweeted out some footage of him throwing, as relayed by Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. It seems the Jays were intrigued enough by his recent form to bring him into camp.
That may have been at least partially motivated by some recent developments to players on their roster. Per Matheson, righties Jordan Romano and Erik Swanson are dealing with arm issues, right elbow inflammation for the former and forearm tightness for the latter. Each player underwent an MRI without finding any structural issues, but the club may be precautious with them in the meantime.
If either or both of those guys miss time, the club will have to rely on its depth. Mayers will now jump into that mix and try to earn his way onto the roster. If he does so, he is out of options but he has just under five years of service time. That means the Jays could retain him for 2025 via arbitration if he earns a roster spot and things go especially well this year.
Spooky signing
“Get in my belly!” “I want my baby back, baby back, baby back ribs…”
I openly rooted for Christopher Walken in Wayne’s World 2 because I am an agent of chaos
Loved Walken’s “bai bai bai” commercials.
I was thinking along the Austin Powers lines too. Beat me to it.
Meh. Maybe depth, maybe org filler. No harm, no foul on a MiLB deal.
An invitation to a week of spring training
That’s cute. Come in an shmooze and help yourself to either the ham and cheese or the egg salad.
All the best to him – many a player will be joining a new team this week with cuts and go into extended spring training in the minors.
May have had the worst ML debut ever. 1.1 innings, 8 hits, 2 walks, 9 ER.
By my count that would be 14 batters faced with 9 of them scoring. YIKES!!!
On 62 pitches.
Wow Atkins is really pulling out all stops here at the end of Spring Training , with these stellar under the radar acquisitions.
You are aware that all 30 teams in the majors pick up players like this and 99 percent of them never see the majors. Go back to sleep or grab a book and read how teams operate in the Majors, not just Toronto, but the Yankees, Dodgers, Red Sox, Rays, Giants, plus every other team. Attacking Atkins shows your ignorance of the sport.
Oh thank you so much for the enlightening lesson. I took copious notes. I won’t screw it up next time, I promise. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction, and where should I send my Apology Video to Chairman Atkins?
You should apologize to yourself because you have failed yourself. You ignorant SOB
Time will never mend, the careless curve ball of a good friend.(George Michael Mayers)
Lauri and Dr. Loomis are not happy with this news.