Blue Jays set to promote right-handed reliever Chris Smith

Voice of the Toronto Blue Jays Mike Wilner joined the Andrew Walker show to discuss how the promotion of Chris Smith may signal the end for the fan favourite Jason Grilli.

TORONTO – The Toronto Blue Jays plan to add right-handed reliever Chris Smith to their active roster before their three-game series with the Baltimore Orioles, an industry source told Sportsnet.

Smith was a late-September call-up for the Blue Jays last year, after posting a 1.93 ERA with 81 strikeouts and 22 walks in the upper minors of Toronto’s system. He didn’t make his MLB debut, but remained on the club’s 40-man roster

This year, Smith has appeared in 14 games at triple-A Buffalo, posting a 3.93 ERA with 15 strikeouts and two walks across 18.1 innings. The former independent leaguer combined a 95-m.p.h. fastball with a slider to impress the Blue Jays in spring training before an injury limited him to just one minor-league appearance in April.

The Blue Jays presently have a seven-man bullpen, but Roberto Osuna‘s availability isn’t guaranteed as he continues dealing with anxiety.

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