A pair of Toronto Blue Jays relievers have hit the open market.
Right-hander Zach Pop and southpaw Richard Lovelady both cleared waivers and became free agents on Friday, per a team announcement.
Pop, a native of Brampton, Ont., was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays on Opening Day, despite being injured. Once the 28-year-old officially cleared waivers, he was released by Toronto.
Over 58 games with the Blue Jays in 2024, Pop pitched to a 5.59 ERA while striking out 33 over 48.1 innings. He was acquired by Toronto in a trade deadline deal in 2022 and spent the past three seasons bouncing between triple-A Buffalo and the major leagues.
Lovelady, meanwhile, elected free agency after clearing waivers. The 29-year-old joined the Blue Jays as a free agent this off-season and was chosen to begin the year on the opening-day roster.
However, his first two outings didn't go as planned, as Lovelady walked two, hit two others and allowed four runs over 1.2 innings. He was ultimately designated for assignment after an appearance against the Baltimore Orioles on March 29.
The six-year MLB veteran has spent time with Toronto, the Tampa Bay Rays, Chicago Cubs, Athletics and Kansas City Royals.
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