Blue Jays acquire right-handed pitcher Tommy Nance from Padres

The Toronto Blue Jays made a couple of roster moves ahead of Thursday’s series finale with the Baltimore Orioles. The team moved reliever Génesis Cabrera to the Paternity List and added newly acquired pitcher Tommy Nance to the active roster in his place.

Nance, a 33-year-old right-handed reliever, was quietly added from the San Diego Padres on Wednesday in exchange for cash considerations. Though the trade deadline has passed, teams can still make deals involving players who aren’t on a 40-man roster. Nance inked a minor-league deal with the Padres and had been pitching for their Triple-A affiliate.

After going undrafted during his NCAA career, Nance pitched for the Windy City Thunderbolts of the Frontier League in 2015 and signed a contract with the Chicago Cubs. Nance put up strong numbers in the minor leagues over the years and finally earned a call-up to the Major League level in 2021, where he posted a 7.22 ERA over 27 appearances for the Cubs out of the bullpen.

The Cubs designated Nance for assignment ahead of the 2023 season and the Miami Marlins claimed him. He made a few appearances for their Triple-A affiliate and was called up to the big-league roster in May, where he’d stay for the rest of the season. Nance’s second season in the Majors went much better than his first, as he posted a 4.33 ERA over 35 appearances with the Marlins.

As previously noted, Nance inked a minor-league deal to join the Padres organization in 2024 and he’s been pitching for their Triple-A team all year. He has a 4.05 ERA in 33 1/3 innings across 26 appearances and has struck out 35 batters, issued eight walks, and allowed four home runs.

Toronto’s active bullpen now features: Chad Green, Ryan Burr, Zach Pop, Yerry Rodriguez, Erik Swanson, Brendon Little, Ryan Yarborough, and Nance, a very different group from when the season started.