The Ex-Blue Jays Report

You can take the player out of the Blue Jays, but you can never take the Ex-Blue Jay out of the player!

Your report for Week Ending Sun, May 3

Report for Week Ending Sun, May 3

I’m Mister Ex, bringing you the latest on the former Toronto Blue Jays. Otto Lopez lit up the diamond this past week, batting .341 with a .876 OPS, racking up 45 hits, three homers and 15 RBIs in 33 games, while Ty France supplied a .283 average and a .849 OPS, also belting three long balls. Bo Bichette added 34 hits and steady production at the plate, and Spencer Horwitz chipped in with a respectable .730 OPS. On the mound, Matt Gage dazzled with a 1.29 ERA over 14 innings, earning two wins and four holds; Bryan Baker posted a stingy .90 WHIP while closing out eight games; and Foster Griffin struck out 33 batters in 39.2 innings with a tidy 2.27 ERA.

Thus far this season the most potent bat among ex‑Jays has been Otto Lopez, with Ty France close behind, while Matt Gage and Bryan Baker have been the premier arms.

In news, former reliever Jordan Romano was released by the Los Angeles Angels, making him a free agent after a string of injuries and uneven outings. Additionally, ex‑Jay Shaun Anderson signed a minor‑league contract with the Angels, hoping to revive his career.

Looking ahead, Toronto will head to Tampa Bay for the May 3‑5 series and then return home to host the Los Angeles Angels May 7‑9, where they may face former teammates Steven Matz and Bryan Baker on the mound.

Stats Corner

   

The Ex Bats

Name Position JGP Ex since GP AB H BB HR RBI AVG OBP SLG OPS RC
Danny Jansen Catcher 471 2024 4 10 2 2 1 2 .200 .333 .700 1.033 2.3
Otto Lopez Shortstop 9 2022 6 27 12 0 0 3 .444 .444 .556 1.000 6.7
Isiah Kiner-Falefa Second Base 102 2025 3 2 1 0 0 0 .500 .500 .500 1.000 0.5
Ty France First Base 37 2025 5 19 6 1 0 5 .316 .350 .474 .824 3.1
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Outfielder 468 2022 5 19 7 1 0 1 .368 .400 .421 .821 3.2
Teoscar Hernández Outfielder 609 2022 5 16 5 5 0 2 .313 .476 .313 .789 2.4
Bo Bichette Third Base 748 2025 6 24 7 2 1 3 .292 .333 .417 .750 3.5
Spencer Horwitz First Base 112 2024 7 25 5 5 1 5 .200 .333 .360 .693 3.0
Gabriel Moreno Catcher 25 2022 2 9 1 0 1 2 .111 .111 .444 .555 0.4
Marcus Semien Second Base 162 2021 6 22 4 1 0 3 .182 .217 .182 .399 0.9
Matt Chapman Third Base 295 2023 6 24 2 3 0 0 .083 .185 .125 .310 0.6
Rob Refsnyder Designated Hitter 32 2017 3 8 1 0 0 0 .125 .125 .125 .250 0.1
Leo Jiménez Third Base 81 2025 1 3 0 0 0 0 .000 .250 .000 .250 0.0
Tyler Heineman Catcher 132 2026 4 12 1 0 0 0 .083 .154 .083 .237 0.1
Santiago Espinal Third Base 347 2023 4 2 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 0.0
Name Position JGP Ex since GP AB H BB HR RBI AVG OBP SLG OPS RC
Otto Lopez Shortstop 9 2022 33 132 45 6 3 15 .341 .376 .500 .876 24.4
Ty France First Base 37 2025 19 53 15 2 3 8 .283 .321 .528 .849 8.7
Spencer Horwitz First Base 112 2024 32 95 23 18 3 13 .242 .362 .368 .730 12.7
Teoscar Hernández Outfielder 609 2022 30 108 27 13 4 17 .250 .328 .398 .726 14.2
Joey Loperfido Outfielder 84 2025 20 58 16 6 0 7 .276 .348 .362 .710 7.2
Gabriel Moreno Catcher 25 2022 15 49 12 3 1 7 .245 .296 .408 .704 5.8
Matt Chapman Third Base 295 2023 34 130 32 14 1 12 .246 .324 .331 .655 13.7
Danny Jansen Catcher 471 2024 23 73 15 7 2 8 .205 .284 .370 .654 7.4
Bo Bichette Third Base 748 2025 34 140 34 8 2 15 .243 .280 .321 .601 12.8
Leo Jiménez Third Base 81 2025 9 16 3 3 0 0 .188 .381 .188 .569 0.9
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Outfielder 468 2022 11 43 10 3 0 4 .233 .283 .279 .562 3.4
Marcus Semien Second Base 162 2021 34 122 26 8 1 11 .213 .265 .279 .544 8.9
Randal Grichuk Designated Hitter 479 2021 16 31 6 1 0 2 .194 .212 .323 .535 2.2
Isiah Kiner-Falefa Second Base 102 2025 16 35 8 2 0 3 .229 .270 .229 .499 2.2
Santiago Espinal Third Base 347 2023 16 25 5 0 0 2 .200 .200 .280 .480 1.4
Rob Refsnyder Designated Hitter 32 2017 19 41 5 4 2 3 .122 .196 .268 .464 2.2
Reese McGuire Catcher 141 2021 11 29 5 2 0 3 .172 .273 .172 .445 1.1
Tyler Heineman Catcher 132 2026 20 51 9 1 0 2 .176 .222 .176 .398 1.7

The Ex Arms

Name JGP Ex since GP GS IP W L ERA K BB HR WHIP S HLD RP
Seranthony Domínguez 24 2025 3 0 2.2 1 0 0.00 3 1 0 0.38 2 0 1.2
Mark Leiter Jr. 8 2018 3 0 2.1 0 0 0.00 3 1 0 0.43 1 0 1.1
Bryan Baker 1 2021 3 0 3.0 0 0 0.00 4 0 0 0.67 2 0 1.6
Tim Mayza 352 2024 2 1 3.0 0 0 0.00 4 1 0 1.00 0 0 1.6
Foster Griffin 1 2022 1 1 6.0 0 1 0.00 3 4 0 1.17 0 0 3.2
Matt Gage 11 2022 4 0 3.0 0 1 0.00 2 3 0 1.33 0 1 1.6
Richard Lovelady 2 2025 2 0 1.1 0 0 0.00 1 0 0 1.50 1 1 0.6
Paxton Schultz 13 2025 2 0 2.0 0 0 0.00 2 0 0 1.50 0 0 1.1
Yusei Kikuchi 86 2024 1 1 2.0 0 0 0.00 1 1 0 1.50 0 0 1.1
Jordan Hicks 25 2023 2 0 1.1 0 0 0.00 1 0 0 2.25 0 1 0.6
Chris Bassitt 96 2025 1 1 6.2 1 0 1.35 7 1 0 1.20 0 0 2.3
Steven Matz 29 2021 2 2 13.0 1 0 2.08 3 3 1 0.85 0 0 3.9
Eric Lauer 36 2026 1 1 4.1 0 0 2.08 1 1 1 1.38 0 0 1.2
Trevor Richards 195 2024 2 0 4.1 0 0 2.08 5 3 0 1.62 0 0 1.2
Jason Adam 23 2019 3 0 3.1 1 0 2.70 3 1 1 0.90 0 1 0.7
Carl Edwards Jr. 6 2021 1 0 2.2 0 0 3.38 6 1 1 1.50 0 0 0.2
Robbie Ray 37 2021 1 1 6.1 0 1 4.26 5 0 2 0.63 0 0 0.3
Ryan Borucki 79 2025 2 0 1.2 0 0 5.40 1 1 0 1.80 0 0 -0.4
Anthony Kay 28 2022 2 2 9.0 0 0 6.00 7 3 2 1.89 0 0 -1.2
Matthew Boyd 2 2015 2 2 10.0 1 0 6.30 9 3 1 1.50 0 0 -1.7
Justin Bruihl 15 2025 3 0 2.2 0 0 6.75 3 2 0 2.25 0 0 -0.8
Anthony Banda 7 2022 3 0 2.2 0 0 10.13 2 2 1 1.88 0 1 -1.8
Tayler Saucedo 33 2022 1 0 0.2 0 0 13.50 2 0 0 0.00 0 0 -0.9
Nick Sandlin 19 2025 3 0 3.0 0 1 15.00 0 2 1 2.33 0 0 -3.4
Joel Payamps 22 2021 1 0 0.1 0 1 54.00 1 1 0 9.00 0 0 -1.9
Name JGP Ex since GP GS IP W L ERA K BB HR WHIP S HLD RP
Matt Gage 11 2022 16 0 14.0 2 1 1.29 9 9 1 1.14 0 4 5.5
Carl Edwards Jr. 6 2021 2 0 6.0 0 0 1.50 11 4 1 1.17 0 0 2.2
Jason Adam 23 2019 10 0 9.0 1 0 2.00 5 2 1 0.89 1 6 2.8
Trevor Richards 195 2024 2 0 4.1 0 0 2.08 5 3 0 1.62 0 0 1.2
Foster Griffin 1 2022 7 7 39.2 3 1 2.27 33 14 5 1.08 0 0 10.9
Richard Lovelady 2 2025 13 0 14.1 2 1 2.51 13 9 1 1.67 1 2 3.5
Bryan Baker 1 2021 14 0 13.1 1 0 2.70 15 3 1 0.90 8 0 3.0
Robbie Ray 37 2021 7 7 39.2 2 4 2.95 40 14 7 1.06 0 0 7.9
Paxton Schultz 13 2025 8 0 11.0 0 0 3.27 11 1 2 1.18 1 0 1.9
Austin Voth 2 2026 1 0 2.2 0 0 3.38 1 1 0 1.50 0 0 0.2
Tim Mayza 352 2024 15 1 18.0 0 1 3.50 18 7 2 1.06 0 1 2.6
Zach Pop 90 2024 7 1 7.1 0 0 3.68 6 3 0 1.09 0 0 0.8
Steven Matz 29 2021 7 7 37.1 4 1 3.86 28 13 6 1.10 0 0 3.8
Seranthony Domínguez 24 2025 15 0 13.2 2 3 3.95 17 9 3 1.24 8 0 1.0
Jordan Hicks 25 2023 15 0 13.2 0 1 3.95 8 12 0 2.05 1 2 1.0
Ryan Yarbrough 12 2024 7 0 11.0 0 0 4.09 8 4 1 1.09 0 0 0.9
Ryan Borucki 79 2025 12 0 10.1 0 1 5.23 9 4 2 1.65 0 1 -0.6
Justin Bruihl 15 2025 18 0 17.0 0 0 5.29 9 12 1 1.47 0 5 -0.9
Chris Bassitt 96 2025 6 6 28.0 2 2 5.46 17 14 3 1.86 0 0 -2.1
Anthony Kay 28 2022 7 5 30.0 1 1 5.70 20 15 6 1.67 0 0 -3.0
Mark Leiter Jr. 8 2018 16 0 14.0 0 1 5.79 15 5 2 1.64 3 1 -1.5
Yusei Kikuchi 86 2024 7 7 31.0 0 3 5.81 33 14 3 1.58 0 0 -3.5
Shaun Anderson 1 2022 9 0 16.2 1 0 5.94 12 8 3 1.50 0 0 -2.4
Matthew Boyd 2 2015 5 5 24.0 2 1 6.00 31 6 2 1.29 0 0 -3.2
Eric Lauer 36 2026 6 5 27.0 1 3 6.00 20 13 7 1.52 0 0 -3.6
Joel Payamps 22 2021 12 0 7.2 0 2 8.22 9 4 2 1.70 0 2 -3.2
Anthony Banda 7 2022 16 0 14.0 1 0 9.00 13 5 2 1.50 0 2 -6.5
Taijuan Walker 6 2020 5 4 22.2 1 4 9.13 17 11 8 2.07 0 0 -11.2
Jordan Romano 231 2024 11 0 8.0 0 2 10.13 12 6 1 2.13 4 0 -4.7
Nick Sandlin 19 2025 8 0 8.2 0 1 11.42 6 5 2 1.62 0 0 -6.6
Tayler Saucedo 33 2022 1 0 0.2 0 0 13.50 2 0 0 0.00 0 0 -0.9
Brandon Eisert 3 2024 2 0 2.1 0 0 15.43 2 1 0 3.00 0 0 -2.9

News Roundup

Ex-Blue Jay
Apr 28 Angels officially cut ties with former Blue Jays All-Star closer ...  Jordan Romano
Jordan Romano was released by the Los Angeles Angels, ending his $2 million contract and rendering him a free agent. The piece notes his recent struggles, including injuries and poor performance with the Blue Jays, Phillies, and Angels since the start of 2024.
Apr 29 Long-Time Blue Jays Backstop Cuts Ties With New Team After Short ...  Reese McGuire
Reese McGuire was designated for assignment by the Chicago White Sox, cleared outright waivers and subsequently cut ties with the team, rendering him a free agent after a brief, under‑performing stint in which he hit .172 in 11 games and struggled defensively.
Apr 29 Romo hits first 2 career home runs as White Sox beat Soriano and ...  Jordan Romano
Jordan Romano, a 24‑year‑old rookie called up from Triple‑A Charlotte, hit a two‑run homer off Soriano and added a solo shot later, contributing to Chicago's 5‑1 victory over the Angels.
Apr 29 Yankees Designate Randal Grichuk For Assignment - MLB Trade Rumor...  Randal Grichuk
Randal Grichuk signed a minor‑league deal with the Yankees, has struggled in limited action with a .194/.212/.323 line, and the team is expected to release him soon, making him available to any club for the remainder of his $2.5 million salary.
Apr 29 Yankees' Randal Grichuk: Scrubbed from 40-man roster - CBS Sports  Randal Grichuk
Randal Grichuk was designated for assignment by the New York Yankees, removing him from the 40-man roster and opening a spot for Jasson Domínguez. The move suggests Grichkov may soon join another organization, possibly after a stint in the minors.
Apr 29 Yankees clear roster spot for Elmer Rodriguez debut with Randal G...  Randal Grichuk
Randal Grichuk was designated for assignment by the New York Yankees, clearing a roster spot to activate right‑hander Elmer Rodriguez for his major‑league debut.
Apr 29 Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi leaves game at Chicago with left sho...  Yusei Kikuchi
Yusei Kikuchi pitched a quality start, giving up no runs on two hits and a walk with one strikeout before leaving the game. The piece notes his season struggles (0‑3 record, 6.21 ERA) but highlights this effective outing.
Apr 30 Phillies’ $8 Million Disappointment Cut By New Team After Very Sh...  Jordan Romano
The piece details that after a disappointing stint with the Philadelphia Phillies and a brief tenure with the Los Angeles Angels, reliever Jordan Romano was released by the Angels, leaving him a free agent and still owed the remainder of his $2 million salary.
Apr 30 Orioles' Chris Bassitt: Grabs win in opener - CBS Sports  Chris Bassitt
Chris Bassitt delivered his best performance of the season, recording a career‑high strikeout total and earning his first quality start and win as he held Houston scoreless for six innings before allowing a run in the seventh.
May 2 Rangers' Danny Jansen: Pops homer in win - CBS Sports  Danny Jansen
Danny Jansen went 1‑for‑4 and hit a solo home run in the Rangers' 5‑4 victory over the Detroit Tigers, marking his second homer of the season and his second consecutive game with an RBI.
May 3 Angels' Tayler Saucedo: Contract selected - CBS Sports  Tayler Saucedo
The Los Angeles Angels have selected left‑hander Tayler Saucedo’s contract from their Triple‑A affiliate Salt Lake, giving him an opportunity to join the major‑league roster after posting a 7.43 ERA in 13.1 innings last season.
May 3 Angels place lefty Yusei Kikuchi on injured list with shoulder in...  Tayler Saucedo
The Los Angeles Angels purchased left‑hander Tayler Saucedo’s contract from Triple‑A Salt Lake and announced that he will make his Angels debut, marking a career move for the 32‑year‑old reliever.
May 3 Angels place lefty Yusei Kikuchi on injured list with shoulder in...  Yusei Kikuchi
Yusei Kikuchi was placed on the Los Angeles Angels' 15‑day injured list because of shoulder inflammation, and the team subsequently purchased the contract of left‑hander Tayler Saucedo from Triple‑A Salt Lake.

Transactions

Ex-Blue Jay
Apr 28 Kansas City Royals signed free agent LHP Anthony Gose to a minor league contract. SFA Anthony Gose
Apr 28 LHP Anthony Gose assigned to Omaha Storm Chasers. ASG Anthony Gose
Apr 28 RHP Shaun Anderson elected free agency. DFA Shaun Anderson
Apr 28 Los Angeles Angels sent RHP Shaun Anderson outright to Salt Lake Bees. OUT Shaun Anderson
Apr 29 New York Yankees designated LF Randal Grichuk for assignment. DES Randal Grichuk
Apr 29 RHP Shaun Anderson assigned to Salt Lake Bees. ASG Shaun Anderson
Apr 29 Los Angeles Angels signed free agent RHP Shaun Anderson to a minor league contract. SFA Shaun Anderson
Apr 29 Houston Astros sent RHP Nate Pearson on a rehab assignment to Corpus Christi Hooks. ASG Nate Pearson
Apr 29 Houston Astros sent RHP Nate Pearson on a rehab assignment to Corpus Christi Hooks. ASG Nate Pearson
Apr 30 New York Mets designated RHP Carl Edwards Jr. for assignment. DES Carl Edwards Jr.
Apr 30 Philadelphia Phillies selected the contract of RHP Trevor Richards from Lehigh Valley IronPigs. SE Trevor Richards
May 1 LF Randal Grichuk elected free agency. DFA Randal Grichuk
May 1 Atlanta Braves designated RHP Joel Payamps for assignment. DES Joel Payamps
May 1 Round Rock Express transferred RHP Patrick Murphy from the 7-day injured list to the 60-day injured list. SC Patrick Murphy
May 1 Charros de Jalisco signed free agent RHP Sean Reid-Foley. SFA Sean Reid-Foley
May 1 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders released 3B Paul DeJong. REL Paul DeJong
May 1 Arizona Diamondbacks activated C Gabriel Moreno from the 10-day injured list. SC Gabriel Moreno
May 1 San Diego Padres sent 3B Will Wagner on a rehab assignment to El Paso Chihuahuas. ASG Will Wagner
May 2 Los Angeles Angels sent RHP Alek Manoah on a rehab assignment to Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. ASG Alek Manoah
May 3 Los Angeles Angels placed LHP Yusei Kikuchi on the 15-day injured list retroactive to April 30, 2026. Left shoulder inflammation. SC Yusei Kikuchi
May 3 RHP Carl Edwards Jr. elected free agency. DFA Carl Edwards Jr.
May 3 New York Mets sent RHP Carl Edwards Jr. outright to Syracuse Mets. OUT Carl Edwards Jr.
May 3 Gwinnett Stripers activated RHP Joel Payamps. SC Joel Payamps
May 3 Atlanta Braves sent RHP Joel Payamps outright to Gwinnett Stripers. OUT Joel Payamps
May 3 Los Angeles Angels selected the contract of LHP Tayler Saucedo from Salt Lake Bees. SE Tayler Saucedo

Blue Jays opponents this week

ex-Blue Jays
May 4 - May 6 at the Tampa Bay Rays Steven MatzBryan Baker
May 8 - May 10 home to the Los Angeles Angels Yusei KikuchiJordan RomanoShaun AndersonTayler SaucedoAlek ManoahNick Sandlin

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