TORONTO — Right-handed reliever Bo Schultz was recalled by the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday from triple-A Buffalo.
Lefty Aaron Loup, who gave up three earned runs on Friday in Toronto’s 15-8 win over Minnesota, was designated for assignment.
"It’s out of necessity," said Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. "Got a little beat up out there."
Gibbons said Loup’s DFA was a technicality and that he had to clear optional waivers before he could be assigned to a team and the Blue Jays intended to kee him.
Schultz has a 3.00 earned-run average in 12 innings pitched for Toronto this season. The 30-year-old started the year on the disabled list after having hip surgery in the off-season. He worked his way up from class A as he rehabbed from the procedure, with a 4.41 ERA across 34.2 innings three levels of minor league ball.
Most recently, he has a 3.56 ERA in triple-A Buffalo in 30.1 innings of work.
Loup has a 7.45 ERA ERA in 9.2 innings with the Blue Jays. He has a 1.08 ERA over 16.2 innings of work with Buffalo.
Late Friday, Toronto re-acquired catcher Dioner Navarro from the Chicago White Sox for left-handed pitching prospect Colton Turner.
The 32-year-old Navarro returns to the Blue Jays after signing with the White Sox in the off-season. He spent two years in Toronto with a .267 average with 17 home runs and 89 runs-batted in 193 games over that period. Navarro is batting .210 with six home runs and 32 RBI in 85 games this season.
Gibbons was happy to welcome Navarro back as the Blue Jays gear up for their second post-season push in as many years.
"I love it," said Gibbons. "Great dude, love the guy. Productive, knows these guys, knows this staff, for the most part."
Gibbons confirmed that Toronto would activate Navarro to its Major League roster on Monday and that when the Blue Jays roster expands to 40 players in September they would carry three catches — Russell Martin, Navarro and knuckleball specialist Josh Thole.
Turner is 3-1 with a 1.33 ERA in 44 relief appearances this year between three minor league levels, including double-A New Hampshire. The 25-year-old was selected in the 21st round of the 2012 MLB draft by Toronto and is 12-9 with a 2.76 ERA in 106 games over four seasons in the Blue Jays system.
