Desperate for pitching, Blue Jays trade for Connor Seabold months after cutting him this spring

Right-handed pitcher had been cut by Toronto during spring training this year. Juanmi Vasquez was sent to Detroit in return.

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Published May 27, 2026  •  Last updated 9 minutes ago  •  2 minute read

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Connor Seabold poses for a portrait during spring training. Getty Images

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The Blue Jays suddenly are very active in the pitcher’s market and that doesn’t appear to be a situation that will change very soon.

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Injuries have decimated the starting rotation and lately have started taking a bite out of the relief corps, leaving Toronto no option but to get creative until some of those injuries start to heal.

On Tuesday, the Jays re-acquired Connor Seabold from Detroit after having the right-handed reliever in camp earlier this spring.

Seabold was having himself a decent Spring Training, but after seeing a better opportunity for innings in Detroit, used an out to get himself released and then signed with Detroit.

Injuries to both Tommy Nance and Joe Mantiply in the Jays bullpen necessitated additional relief help with the Jays sending high-A left-hander Juanmi Vasquez to the Tigers.

Why did Toronto cut him?

It’s not often a team will cut ties with a player in spring training and send out assets in late May to re-acquire him, but that speaks to the desperate state the Jays pitching is in.

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Seabold has been solid in Detroit pitching to a 3.45 ERA over 15 2/3 innings.

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The bigger question for the Jays lies in finding a temporary replacement for starter Dylan Cease in the rotation. His spot comes up Friday and will likely be filled by one of Austin Voth — whose contract was selected from triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday — right-hander Chad Dallas, who was scheduled to pitch Tuesday in Buffalo but had his spot skipped, or left-hander Josh Flemeing who, at the moment, is scheduled to pitch Thursday in Buffalo.

Fleming, as the lone lefty in the group, would look to have the edge with the Baltimore Orioles the opponent.

Are any injured pitchers close to returning?

Blue Jays manager John Schneider also provided an update on one of the team’s injured arms on Wednesday.

Max Scherzer reportedly threw against live hitters and is in line for a rehab start while recovering from forearm tendinitis and ankle inflammation.

Schneider said that the 41-year-old righty is “feeling good” after being on the shelf since April 27.

“I think (Scherzer) feeling good enough to get back to facing hitters, always a plus,” Schneider said. “I think after today, hoping to get him right into some rehab games and kind of go from there.”

— With Dan Bilicki files

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