Blue Jays sign All-Star LHP to free agent contract
· Yahoo Sports
Blue Jays sign All-Star LHP to free agent contract originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Visit sport-newz.biz for more information.
The Toronto Blue Jays have found a solid addition late in free agency.
Joe Mantiply is joining the Blue Jays as Spring Training moves into March.
The Blue Jays announced the signing of Mantiply on Tuesday, and the intrigue is this: Mantiply was once an All-Star left-handed pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Mantiply is 35 years old now and years removed from his 2022 All-Star appearance.
MORE: Reds reportedly sign 12-year old for $2.8 million
He initially broke into the bigs in 2016 with the Tigers, but had just five outings and a 16.88 ERA.
He didn't get back until 2019, when he allowed three runs in three innings with the Yankees.
In 2020, he joined the Diamondbacks, but he gave up four runs in 2.1 innings.
Finally in 2021, Mantiply broke through. The southpaw had a 3.40 ERA in 57 outings that year.
He was even better in 2022, putting up a 2.85 ERA in 69 appearances.
MORE: This Mets phenom ate 900 raw eggs in a month to develop his 100 MPH fastball
That rose to a 4.62 ERA in 35 outings in 2023, but then back down to a 3.92 ERA in 75 appearances in 2024.
Mantiply struggled mightily in 2025, a 15.83 ERA in 10 appearances for the Diamondbacks.
He actually ended the season with the Triple-A Buffalo Bison, where he had a 3.45 ERA in 14 appearances, so Toronto got a look at him already at their top minor league affiliate.
Now, the Blue Jays will bring him back and see what he has left in the tank.
More MLB news:
- Team USA has a finalized WBC roster and an awesome lineup
- Dominican Republic WBC roster is loaded with stars
- An Edwin Diaz nightmare looms for the Mets
- Buster Posey will change Hall of Fame voting forever
- How Jose Ramirez is on pace to become Cleveland's Derek Jeter
- Phillies' phenom has an MLB All-Star father