The Toronto Blue Jays got some great news on Friday as right-handed pitcher Erik Swanson returned to the team.
The burly reliever had been away from the team to tend to his four-year-old son, who was hit by a car in Florida recently. We learned earlier this week that he was released from the pediatric ICU and was on the mend.
Per Mike Wilner, Jays' writer:
Wonderful news from #Bluejays - Erik Swanson has rejoined the team. That means 4-year-old Toby's condition continues to improve after being hit by an SUV on Clearwater Beach on Sunday.
The well-being of Toby is certainly the thing that matters most in all of this, but from a pure baseball perspective, it's great to see Swanson back with the team.
The 30-year-old is coming off a season in which he went 4-2 with a 2.97 ERA in 69 games. He was an integral part of the Jays making the playoffs for the second straight year as well. He struck out 75 batters in 66.2 innings.
Lifetime, Swanson has a 3.78 ERA in five seasons with the Seattle Mariners and Blue Jays. He was traded from Seattle to Toronto before the 2023 season in the deal that sent Teoscar Hernandez to Seattle.
He's become an extremely valuable bullpen arm in the last two years, making 57 and 69 appearances.
Toronto should factor in once again to the American League playoff picture, despite playing in a deeply talented division that includes the 101-win Orioles, the 99-win Rays and the loaded Yankees.
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