Blue Jays improve but fail to make impact deal at deadline

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The Toronto Blue Jays are a better team now than they were yesterday. With the trade deadline behind them, the Jays are who they are going to be for the rest of the 2022 season. There is no longer a pathway to add players via trade by putting them through waivers. This is it.

The Jays upgraded their bullpen by adding two relievers from the Miami Marlins: Anthony Bass and Zach Pop. 

Bass’ name may sound familiar as he pitched for Toronto in 2020. The 34-year old righty is having his best season. In 45 games, he is 2-3 with a 1.41 ERA. He has thrown 44.2 innings and has only allowed 32 hits with 10 walks and 45 strikeouts. Amazingly, he’s surrendered just one home run. He has not fared well when pitching in the ninth inning, but he has proven to be a solid seventh and eighth inning option. 

Pop is 2-0 with a 3.60 ERA with the Marlins. He has appeared in 18 games this year, throwing 20 innings while allowing 23 hits, walking two and striking out 14. The right-hander pounds the strike zone with a power sinker and slider. He has only allowed one home run as well. He will be a good weapon to bring into the game with runners on base when the Jays need a double-play. He is a groundball-generating machine.

Bass and Pop add to the length and depth of the Jays bullpen. They will allow manager John Schneider to shorten the game because they are two good options to blend with the rest of the bullpen.

Toronto added another pitcher, Mitchell White, from the Los Angeles Dodgers. White is 27-years-old and has pitched in the major leagues over parts of the last three seasons. He has primarily been a starter but has also served as a long-reliever. He reminds me of Ross Stripling when he first came over to the