Blue Jays Announce Trade After MLB Free Agency Move

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Gavin Groe | Last updated Dec 17, 2025 4:09 PM ET

The Toronto Blue Jays have been one of the busiest teams in baseball this offseason. Their 2025 campaign was a landmark year in franchise history, as Toronto captured its first American League pennant since 1993. Although the season ended in heartbreak, with the Blue Jays falling just one win short of a World Series title, it was still a tremendous step forward for the organization.

The front office has responded with urgency, determined to build on that momentum. Fueled by the revenue generated from their deep postseason run, Toronto has reinvested heavily into the roster. The latest move came with the addition of right-handed submarine reliever Tyler Rogers, who signed a three-year, $37 million deal last Friday.

Rogers is expected to pitch in high-leverage situations, giving the Blue Jays a unique bullpen weapon with his deceptive delivery and track record of durability. The 35-year-old veteran appeared in 81 games last year, posting a 1.98 ERA across 77 1/3 innings of work.

Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider (14)© Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

However, his addition came at a cost, as the Blue Jays did not have any more space on their 40-man roster. To make room, Toronto designated left-handed reliever Justin Bruihl for assignment.

Being designated for assignment means a player is removed from the 40-man roster, and the team has a short window to trade him, release him or place him on waivers where other clubs can claim him.

On Wednesday, the Blue Jays announced that the Cleveland Guardians swooped in and acquired Bruihl.

“OFFICIAL: We’ve traded LHP Justin Bruihl to the Guardians in exchange for cash considerations,” the team wrote on X.

OFFICIAL: We’ve traded LHP Justin Bruihl to the Guardians in exchange for cash considerations. pic.twitter.com/dX7NMGLRGa
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) December 17, 2025

The move shows that Cleveland saw enough value in Bruihl to send money rather than risk another team claiming him off waivers first. For the Guardians, it is a low-risk addition of a left-handed arm who could provide depth in their bullpen heading into 2026.

Bruihl appeared in 15 games for Toronto last season, posting a 5.27 ERA across 13 2/3 innings. He did strike out 18 batters, showing that his pitch mix can be effective, but he struggled to limit hard contact, which ultimately hurt his overall performance.

For Toronto, the offseason moves highlight a win-now mentality. By strengthening the bullpen and making tough roster decisions, the Blue Jays are positioning themselves to build on last year’s breakthrough and chase another deep postseason run in 2026.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: