Dillon

Tate

Tate went unclaimed on waivers after being designated for assignment last Friday and will remain with the organization as extra relief depth. The 31-year-old righty has made five relief appearances this season at the highest level.

The Blue Jays needed to free up a spot on their 40-man roster for Michael Stefanic on Friday and unfortunately Tate drew the short straw this time around. He has flashed serious potential in the past, so it’s possible that another bullpen-needy team is willing to take a chance on him on waivers.

Tate heads back to the minors after struggling in five relief appearances for the Blue Jays after being called up back on April 20. The 31-year-old righty figures to toggle between Triple-A Buffalo and Toronto’s bullpen for the rest of the season.

Tate was the fourth-overall pick in the 2015 MLB Draft and eventually became a quality high-leverage reliever for the Orioles before injuries derailed him a couple seasons ago. The 30-year-old righty has looked outstanding this season at Triple-A Buffalo, posting a microscopic 1.50 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 7/1 K/BB ratio across six innings (five appearances).

Loperfido had a chance to compete for a spot on the Toronot’s Opening Day roster, but he struggled badly in Grapefruit League action, hitting just .207 (6-for-29) with zero homers and two RBI. He’ll continue to hone his craft at the Triple-A level until another opportunity arises.

It’s a split contract for Tate, who will get $1.4 million if he’s in the majors. The right-hander was non-tendered by the Jays in November after being picked up from the Orioles late last season. He’ll probably open the year in Triple-A, but there’s a good chance he’ll see significant time in the Toronto pen.

Tate was non-tendered by the Blue Jays in November after compiling a 4.66 ERA and 27/12 K/BB over 36 2/3 innings with Toronto and Baltimore. The 30-year-old will be a middle-innings option, and the signing likely has at least something to do with the potential loss of Erik Swanson (elbow) to begin the 2025 campaign.

The 30-year-old hurler compiled a 4.66 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and a 27/12 K/BB ratio over 36 2/3 innings between the Orioles and Blue Jays in 2024. The Blue Jays liked what they saw from Tate late in the season, but the $1.5 million - 1.8 million that he was expected to earn via arbitration was just too steep of a price tag for them to pay. He shouldn’t have any difficulty finding work on the open market.

Tate, who was claimed off waivers from the Orioles on Sept. 1, will make his Jays debut after allowing one run in five innings for Buffalo. It’d probably take $1.5 million-$1.8 million to keep him in arbitration, so he’ll have to make a really strong first impression here in order to stick on the Jays roster this winter.

Tate was designated for assignment Wednesday, and he finds a new home less than a week later. The 30-year-old could have a chance to help the Blue Jays bullpen before the end of 2024, and if he sticks in the organization he’ll compete for a spot on the pitching staff this spring.